Concept 1 · free preview
Functions of management: Fayol and POSDCORB
Understand
Management = planned use of people and resources to reach set goals. The first function is planning — deciding in advance what is to be done, how, when and by whom. At the end comes controlling — comparing actual results with the plan and correcting.
| Thinker | Functions |
|---|---|
| Henri Fayol (5 functions, POCCC) | Planning, organising, commanding, coordinating, controlling |
| Luther Gulick (POSDCORB) | Planning, Organising, Staffing, Directing, Co-ordinating, Reporting, Budgeting |
Remember
In POSDCORB the last B = Budgeting; R = Reporting; S = Staffing.
Example
School annual function: set goals and programme first (planning) → committees and duties (organising) → giving instructions → harmonising everyone's work → finally comparing with targets and fixing gaps (controlling).
Common mistake
Taking controlling to mean ‘giving orders’. Controlling = measuring performance, comparing with standards and correcting deviations.
Check yourself
Which function of management comes first?