Management Essay

INTRODUCTION
“Management is the most noble of professions if it’s practiced well. No other occupation offers as many ways to help others learn and grow, take responsibility and be recognized for achievement, and contribute to the success of a team”
- Clayton M. Christensen.
Managers can be found in all walks of life. From the CEO of a major corporation, to the shift supervisor at the local deli. Both are classified as managers, both accomplish their organisation’s goals through the effective utilisation of human resources, yet their roles, responsibilities and skillsets are both remarkably similar and quite diverse.

WHAT IS MANAGEMENT?
Management is, at its core, 'coordinating and overseeing the work of other people so that organisational goals can be accomplished' (Robbins and Coulter, 2010). The nature of the organisation might vary between non-profit and for-profit, as well as the exact role of the manager within that organisation, but the fundamental principle of organising and directing personnel to accomplish goals remains the same (Lewis, 2006).
Managers in both for and not-for profit organisations focus on efficiency, in order to lower costs and maximise effectiveness. The differences lie in the goals of their respective organisations. Profit-oriented organisations aim to reduce expenditure and increase efficiency in order to increase revenue. Management within not-for-profit-organisations is similar to that of for-profit, however, their goal is to “provide maximum support to members of the community” (Robbins and Coulter, 2010). The means are similar, the end is different.

WHAT DO MANAGERS DO?
“A manager is someone who works with and through other people by coordinating their work activities in order to accomplish organisational goals” (Lewis, 2006). Managers at every level of an organisation engage in planning, organising, leading and controlling, according to Henri Fayol (Lewis, 2006), however, the amount of time they give to each activity...