Nature/ Characteristics features of principles of management
Nature of management principles stands for special features or characteristics of management principles. Following are the important features of the management principles:
Universal application: Principles of management are applied in every situation, where the objectives are attained through group efforts. All organizations such as social, political, cultural or even religious organizations apply for the successful operations of their activities. Every organization must make the best possible use of its available resources by the application of management principles i.e., planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling effectively and achieve the desired result.
Flexibility: Management principles are dynamic guidelines and not satic rules. management helps the business in multiplying its profit at minimum cost. The business situation and its socio-economic environment is enough to suit the size, nature, needs and situations of the business. Improvement and modification of management principles is a continuing process, so the principles of management is always flexible.
General Statement: Management principles are concerned mostly with human behavior which cannot be tested under controlled conditions i.e., a laboratory. Human behavior is always unpredictable. So, management principles are not as exact as the principles of physical science. In this way, the management principles are merely statements.
It influences human behavior: Human element is an essential factor of production. It activities and extracts work form other factor also. Every worker is individually different from the other workers as regards his ability, knowledge, skill, socio-economic status, attitudes and ideologies. Management is concerned with the integration of individual efforts and how to decentralize them towards achieving the desired results. so, management principles is said to be a work and group activity. Thus, management principles aim at influencing individual efforts and directing them to the minimization of profit with the minimum wattage and the best possible utilization of available resources.
Cause and effect relationship: The management principles also form cause and effect relationship. It indicates the consequences of its principles, for instance if wages are paid on the basis of piece-rate system the quantity of work will be more, but the quality will suffer. If the principles of unity of command is adopted, the confusion, duplication and overlapping will be avoided. In the same way, other principles also, indicate the relationship between principles, their consequences and results.
Equal importance: There is no inferiority or superiority between the principles no one principle has greater significance than the other. We cannot say the principles of unity of command is more important than the principle of unity of direction. In this way all the principles of management are equally important.
Careful and discreet application: Principles of management cannot be applied blindly, because there principles are relative, not absolute. Thus these principles should be according to organizational needs and situations.
Decision-making: Management in always concerned with decision making factors of production are scarce and they also have alternative uses. So, management has to decide the best possible combination of available resources, and most suitable techniques of production applied. In this way, management principles are therefore the basis of decision making.
A Article by Swati Gupta
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