Nature of Control

The nature of control is characterizes by following features:

1.    It is a pervasive function:

All business and non-business organizations’ control their activities. In business organizations, managers of all departments at all levels continuously control their departmental activities. All activities focus towards goal attainment. Managers at all levels-top, middle and low control the planned activities. The scope of this function, however, varies at each level. Top-level mangers are more actively engaged into he controlling function than middle and lower-level mangers as top managers are ultimately responsible to ensure that organizational goals are achieved with minimum deviations.

2.    It is a process:

Controlling involves a series of steps taken by managers. It is not a one-time process. Managers continuously watch the activities of subordinates to ensure that they conform to planned activities. It is not an after-the-event exercise that is, taking action when something goes wrong. Managers regularly measure the organizational performance and correct deviations whenever they arise in the input-output transformation process.

3.    It is an inevitable function of management :

Not performing the control function presuming that actual performance will be in conformity with the planned performance may prove fatal for the management. It is  a vital and necessary function of management because some deviation in the actual work performance may occur because of internal and external organization  environment. Changes do occur and since they connote always be predicted, manages face the challenge of change. Change is the basis of control.

4.    It is closely associated with the planning functions:

Control provides the basis for  planning. Monitoring orngiational activities ensures effective implementation of plans.

5.It is associated with all managerial functions:

Though controlling function is more closely associated with planning, it is related to other functions of management also. Control pinpoints mal-structured originations, inappropriate motivational and leadership policies that fail to satisfy the needs of workers or inability of the staff to carry out the activities assigned to them. Appropriateness of communication channels and media can also be checked through the control system.

6.It is a corrective device:

Controlling percents and corrects deviations. It influences the behavior towards predefined standards of performance. It measures actual performance against planed targets to review past performance and suggests guidelines for future courses of action. Correcting deviations not he basis of past experience makes control a corrective device. Correcting deviations on the basis of past provides a guide for future so that deviations do not occur in future. If not only assesses what has happened in the past but also makes things happen in future. The future is, thus, guided by the past. This makes control a preventive device.

7. It is a positive function:

Control is not a negative managerial function. The purpose of control is to promote activates which help to attain organizational goals. It measures actual  performance and improves it by setting better standards for future. Control provides a brighter future by setting profitable and attainable standards. Control does not mean taking action when something goes wrong. This is the negative approach to control where action is taken against people responsible for failure. The positive approach to controls find s deviations in the input-output conversion process as soon as they appear and prevents them from occurring in for. It believes in: ‘stitch in time saves nine; . It prevents deviations rather that correct them. It does not intend to punish people but aims at achieving results; in present and futures. It does not control the freedom of propel but promotes their efficiency and effectiveness.

8. It is a means, not an end:

Control does not mean punishing undesirable results. It improves a means to achieve objectives the desired goals. It guides actions towards pre-determined targets. It is a means to achieve objectives and frame targets for future and not and end.

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