Functions of management

The aim of organising is not only creating posts but also coordinating relationships. If coordination is weak structure is incomplete.

Skill shortage improves through training and training is linked with staffing. Controlling only identifies the gap.

The correct answer is leadership and effective communication. Since employees already know the targets, the issue is not goal setting but trust, cooperation, and willingness to work together. Leadership builds confidence and team spirit, while effective communication reduces misunderstandings. Departmentalisation organises work but does not directly create mutual trust. Exam tip: Remember that directing includes leadership, motivation, communication, and supervision.

Selecting a course of action, evaluating alternatives and deciding future actions are central parts of planning. Therefore, if employees begin work before a course of action is chosen, the skipped function is planning. Directing involves guiding and motivating employees, but it follows the decision about the plan to be implemented. Exam tip: Questions about deciding what to do and how to do it usually point to planning.

Directing requires not only telling people but also taking them along. Leadership builds acceptance.

Controlling not only improves present action but also improves future planning. This is a cyclical relation.

Weak motivation is part of the directing function. Directing includes motivating employees, providing leadership, and communicating guidance so that they work towards organisational goals. Therefore, when targets are missed because motivation is weak, the correction is needed in directing. Planning sets objectives and action plans, but motivating employees is not its main role. Exam tip: motivation, leadership, and communication usually point to directing.

The correct answer is Organising because this function involves division of work, creation of positions, and clear allocation of authority and responsibility. When responsibility is unclear, accountability cannot be fixed and targets may suffer. Planning sets objectives and action plans, but clarifying responsibility is primarily part of organising. Exam tip: Words such as ‘division of work’, ‘authority’, ‘responsibility’, and ‘accountability’ usually point to organising.

The correct answer is staffing. A shortage of employee skills is addressed through proper selection, recruitment, training and development, which are parts of the staffing function. Controlling helps identify that targets were missed and may reveal the cause, but the corrective action for a skill gap is taken through staffing. Exam tip: Choose staffing when the issue concerns employee selection, training, development or manpower requirements.

Setting deadline is part of planning. Unrealistic deadline should be corrected in the next plan.

Controlling includes monitoring work, measuring actual performance, comparing it with planned targets and taking corrective action when necessary. If targets are not achieved and poor monitoring is identified as the reason, the control process must be strengthened. Better monitoring can reveal deviations early, help managers investigate their causes and allow timely corrective measures. It can also provide feedback for improving future performance and plans.

Option A is correct because monitoring is a direct part of controlling. Planning sets targets, but it does not continuously check whether results are being achieved. Staffing concerns obtaining and developing employees, while organising defines jobs and authority. These functions may support performance, yet the stated weakness is specifically a failure to observe and compare results. Therefore correction is required in controlling.

Feasibility and alternative selection are clues of planning. Motivation relates to directing and authority limit to organising.

Management functions are linked like a process. In real life feedback improves the next functions.

All functions form a combined process of goal achievement. Weakness in one can affect the whole process.

Distribution of authority and relationships come under organising. Excessive centralisation can slow decisions.

Timely guidance is a key part of directing. Even capable employees need clear direction and communication.

Planning requires evaluation of alternatives according to changing conditions. In exams check both goal and course of action.

Converting goals into work authority and responsibility structure is organising. A plan does not become practical without organising.

Merit based selection is the core of staffing. Recommendation based selection weakens the right person for the right job principle.

Explaining objectives is communication and guidance which is part of directing. Without directing people do not connect with goals.

Controlling is not only comparison but also corrective action. If causes are not acted upon controlling is incomplete.

Without planning controlling has no base and controlling gives feedback to planning. They are complementary.

An impractical target is a weakness of planning. Feedback from controlling improves the next plan.

In organising both authority and responsibility must be clear. Giving only authority without responsibility creates confusion.

Staffing is based on the right skills. If skill needs of a post are unclear selection and training become weak.