Unit 5
Control
Concept
Ernest Dale in his book “Theory and Practice of Management” has stated that –
“The modern concept of managerial control envisages a system that not only provides a historical record of what has happened to the business as a whole but also pin points the reasons why it has happened and provides data that enable the chief executive or the departmental head to take corrective steps if he finds he is on the wrong track.”
Further, Koontz, O’Donnell and Weihrich have said-“Controlling as the measurement and correction of the performance of activities of sub-ordinates in order to make sure that enterprise objectives and the plans devised to attain them are being accomplished.”
Therefore, the managerial function of control implies measurement of actual performance comparing it with the standards set by plans and correction of deviations to ensure attainment of objectives according to plans.
Thus, control is an important function of management. It is an essential feature of scientific management. In fact much of the precision of managerial education is focused on the improvement of control techniques. It is generally used for putting restrains over the elements being controlled. In managerial terminology, control is ensuring work accomplishment according to plans. It is a process that guides activity towards some predetermined goals.
Process
The top management initially must decide what elements of the environment and the organisation need to be monitored, evaluated and controlled. The four key areas to be monitored and controlled are – the macro environment, mission and objectives, the industry environment and internal operations.
Step # 1. Key Areas to be Monitored:
I. Macro-Environment:
One of the key areas to be monitored is the macro-environment of the company. This area should be focused first. Normally individual companies cannot influence the environment significantly. But the external environmental forces must be continuously- monitored as the changes in the environment influence the implementation of the plans of the company.
II. Mission and Objectives:
This includes modifying any one or more of the areas like company’s mission, objectives, plans, goals, strategy formulation and implementation. The modification depends upon the nature and degree of changes and shifts in the environment.
III. Industry Environment:
The manager also monitors and controls the industry related environment. The environmental forces may not be as they were planned. The changes in the environment may provide new opportunities or pose new threats. The plan, therefore, should be modified accordingly.
The industry environment of the future should be considered by the top management for the purpose of evaluation and control.
IV. Internal Operations:
The manager has to evaluate the internal operations continuously in view of the changes in the macro-environment and industry environment. The manager has to introduce changes in internal operations when changes in the environment affect the plans.
Step # 2. Establishing Standards:
Evaluating an organisational performance is normally based on certain standards. These standards may be the previous year’s achievements or the competitor’s records or the fresh standards established by the management. Qualitative judgements like the qualitative features of the product or service in the last year may be used.
Quantitative measures like Return on Investment (ROI), Return on sales may also be used for judging the performance. Companies should establish the standards for evaluating the performance of the strategies taking several factors into consideration.
The standards may include:
1. Quality of Products/Services.
2. Quantity of Products to be Produced.
3. Quality of Management.
4. Innovativeness/Creativity.
5. Long-term investment value.
6. Volume of sales and/or market share.
7. Financial soundness in terms of return on investment, return on equity capital, market price of the share, earning per share etc.
8. Community and environmental responsibility in terms of amount spent on community development, variety of facilities provided to the community, programmes undertaken for environmental protection and ecological balance etc.
9. Soundness of human resources management in terms of percentage of employee grievances redressed, employee satisfaction rate, employee turnover rate, industrial relations situation etc.
10. Ability to attract, develop and retain competent and skilled people.
11. Use of company’s assets.
12. Production targets, rate of capacity utilisation, design of new products, new uses of existing products, rate of customer complaints about the product quality, suitability of ingredients etc.
13. Corporate image among the customers and general public.
14. Market place performance.
15. Standards relating to the organisational variables include freedom and autonomy, level of control, responsibility, formal organisation and degree of formality and informal organisation scope for innovation and creativity.
Step # 3. Measuring Performance:
The manager has to measure the performance of various areas of the organisation before taking an action. Performance may be measured through quantitative terms or qualitative terms. Reports and statements help to measure the actual performance through quantitative terms and managerial observations help to measure performance through qualitative terms.
Production, sales, profitability, staff cost etc. can be measured through quantitative terms and quality of the product, employee’s performance, attitude etc. can be measured through qualitative terms.
Step # 4. Compare Performance with Standards:
Once the performance of different aspects of the organisation is measured, it should be compared with the predetermined standards. Standards are set to achieve the already formulated organisational goals and plans. Organisational standards are yardsticks and benchmarks that place organisational performance in perspective.
The manager should set standards for all performance areas of the organisation based on organisational goals and strategies. Normally, the standards vary from one company to the other company. Further, they also vary from time to time in the same company. The standards developed by General Electric Company can be used as model standards.
These standards include:
i. Profitability Standards:
They include how much gross profit, net profit, return on investment, earning per share, percentage of profit to sales, the company should earn in a given time period.
Ii. Market Position Standards:
These standards include total sales, sales region-wise and product-wise, market share, marketing costs, customer service, customer satisfaction, price, customer loyalty shifts from or to other organisation’s products etc.
Iii. Productivity Standards:
These standards indicate the performance of the organisation in terms of conversion of inputs into output. These standards include capital productivity, labour productivity, material productivity etc.
Iv. Product Leadership Standards:
They include the innovations and modifications in products to increase the new uses of the existing product, developing new products with new uses etc.
v. Human Resources Standards:
These standards include providing competitive salaries, benefits and different aspects of quality of work life. They also include human resources performance, productivity, turnover rates, absenteeism rates providing challenging and creative jobs etc.
Vi. Employee Attitude Standards:
They include employees’ favourable attitude towards the nature of work, organisation, salaries, benefits, working environment, quality of work life, treatment by superiors etc.
Vii. Social Responsibility Standards:
All organisations discharge their responsibilities towards different sections of the society. These standards are related to the services of organisations towards community, government, employees, suppliers, creditors etc.
Viii. Standards Reflecting Balance between Short-Range and Long-Range Goals:
Short- range and long-range strategies should be balanced successfully. Standards in these areas should bring balance between these two goals.
Step # 5. Take No Action, if Performance is in Harmony with Standards:
If the performances of various organisational areas match with the standards, the manager need not take any action. He should just allow the process to continue. However, he can try to improve the performance above the standards, if it would be possible, without having any negative impact on the existing process.
Step # 6. Take Corrective Action, if Necessary:
Managers should take necessary corrective action, if performance is not in harmony with standards. If the deviation is positive i.e. performance is above the standards continuously, revises the standards. On the contrary, if performance is below standard, take steps to improve the performance.
The managers compare the performance with standards. If they find any deviation between the standards and performance, they should take corrective action to bridge the gap between the standards and performance.
Causes of Deviations:
It is very easy to conclude that someone made a mistake, when deviations are identified. But the deviations maybe the result of an unexpected move by a competitor, or changes in external environment.
Therefore, the manager should consider the following before making a decision, in this regard:
1. Was the cause of deviation internal or external?
2. Was the cause random, or should it have been anticipated?
3. Is the change temporary or permanent?
4. Are the present plans still appropriate?
5. Does the organisation have the capacity to respond to the change needed?
Corrective Action:
Corrective action may be defined as change in a company’s operations to ensure that it can more effectively and efficiently reach its goals and perform its established standards.
Plans that do not achieve standards produce three possible responses viz.:
(i) To revise plans,
(ii) To change standards and
(iii) To take corrective action in the existing process without changing standards and plans.
Change in plans may require a ‘fine tuning’ of the existing strategy or complete changes in plans. If it is realised that the existing standards are unrealistic under the present conditions, the manager should reset the standards taking the existing conditions into consideration.
Corrective action may be as simple as to increase the price or may be as complex as change the chief executive officer. Deviations require re-examination of the company’s mission, objectives, and relationship to its environment, internal strengths, weaknesses and plans. After having an idea of the process of control, now we shall study the types of control. Now, we shall discuss the control techniques.
Limitations
The defects or limitations of controlling are as following:
1. Difficulty in Setting Quantitative Standards:
It becomes very difficult to compare the actual performance with the predetermined standards, if these standards are not expressed in quantitative terms. This is especially so in areas of job satisfaction, human behaviour and employee morale.
2. No Control on External Factors:
An organization fails to have control on external factors like technological changes, competition, government policies, changes in taste of consumers etc.
3. Resistance from Employees:
Often employees resist the control systems since they consider them as curbs on their freedom. For example, surveillance through closed circuit television (CCTV).
4. Costly Affair:
Controlling involves a lot of expenditure, time and effort, thus it is a costly affair. Managers are required to ensure that the cost involved in installing and operating a control system should not be more than the benefits expected from it.
Effective Control System (9 Principles of Designing Effective Control System) Managers are responsible for controlling in the organization and a manager must improve the effectiveness of the organization’s control system; as can do a great deal to improve the effectiveness of their control systems.
Controlling is the last step of management where how the implemented plan is working is assessed and evasive actions are taken.
9 principles of the effective control system are;
- Matching controls to plans and position.
- Ensuring flexibility to control.
- Ensuring accuracy.
- Seeking objectivity of controls.
- Achieving the economy of controls.
- Tailoring control to individual managers.
- Pointing up exceptions.
- Fitting the system of control to the organizational culture.
- Ensuring corrective action through control.
To design an effective control system without error for the organization; these 9 principles must be followed. They are more than just principles.
These are guidelines for managers for designing a control system that works.
Matching controls to plans and position
Control techniques should reflect the plans they are designed to follow. Managers need the information that will tell them how the plans for which they are responsible are progressing.
Controls should also be tailored to positions, i.e. they may differ in between positions.
Some control techniques, such as those involving standard hours and costs, budgets, and various financial ratios, have general application in various situations.
However, none of these techniques are completely applicable in any given situation. Managers should, therefore, be aware, of the critical factors in their plans requiring control, and they must use techniques and information suited to them.
Controls should also reflect the place in the organization wherein responsibility for action lies, thereby enabling managers to correct deviations from plans.
Ensuring flexibility to control
Flexibility is another essential characteristic of an effective control system. This means that the control system itself must be flexible enough to accommodate the change.
In other words, the controls should remain workable in the face of changed plans, unforeseen circumstances, or outright failures.
The illustration may be of an organization whose diverse product lines require 101 different raw materials. The company’s inventory control system must be able to manage and monitor the current levels of inventory for all the 101 materials.
When a change in the product line changes the number of raw materials needed, or when the required quantities of any of the existing materials change, the control system, should be able to accommodate the revised requirements.
Yet the seniors and probably other students with certain problems may simply have to take the course and they will be accommodated in its flexible computerized admission registration system.
Ensuring accuracy
Control systems must also be accurate managerial decisions based on inaccurate information that may prove costly and harmful.
If for example, sales estimates are artificially high, a manager might either cut advertising on the assumption that it is no longer needed or increase advertising to enhance the sale.
In either case, the action may not be appropriate.
Similarly, a manager, unaware of the hidden production cost, may quote a sales price much lower than is desirable. The accuracy of control systems goes a long way in preventing such damaging upshots.
Seeking objectivity of controls
As far as possible the information provided by the control system should be objective.
If on the other hand, controls are subjective, a manager’s or an executive’s personality may influence judgments of performance and make them less accurate.
Thus, the control system should ideally provide objective information to the manager for evaluation and action.
Achieving the economy of controls
A limiting factor of control: systems are their cost.
So to be effective, controls must be worth their cost.
Although it sounds simple, it is very difficult to accomplish. If tailored to the job and the size of the enterprise, control will probably be economical.
To be precise, control techniques and approaches can be called efficient when they bring to light actual or potential deviations from plans with the minimum of cost.
Tailoring control to individual managers
Control systems and information are, of course, intended to help individual managers carry out their function of control.
If they are not of a type that a manager can or will understand, they will not be useful.
What managers cannot understand they will not be useful; what managers cannot understand they will not trust; and what they do not trust they will not use.
Pointing up exceptions
One of the best ways to make control effective is to make sure that it is designed to point up exceptions.
Controls that concentrate on exceptions from planned performance allow managers to benefit from the time-honored exception principle and detect those areas that require their attention.
Fitting the system of control to the organizational culture
An effective control system must fit in with the organizational culture.
For example;
If employees have been managed without allowing them any participation in decision making, the sudden introduction of a permissive control system will hardly succeed.
On the other hand, in an organization where people have been allowed participation and freedom, the tight control system may fail to produce positive results.
Ensuring corrective action through the control
An effective control system will disclose where failures are occurring and who is/are responsible for the failures and it will ensure that some corrective action is taken.
Control is justified only if deviations from plans are corrected by an appropriate authority.
Taking the proper corrective action necessitates sufficient authority to accomplish this task.
Conclusion
An effective control system is important for an organization to run properly and achieve its goals. Any good control system will pass these 9 principles.
If any part of it is ignored; then controlling the organization’s resources will be very difficult for managers.
Control is a fundamental managerial function. Managerial control regulates the organizational activities. It compares the actual performance and expected organizational standards and goals. For deviation in performance between the actual and expected performance, it ensures that necessary corrective action is taken.
There are various techniques of managerial control which can be classified into two broad categories namely-
- Traditional techniques
- Modern techniques
Traditional Techniques of Managerial Managerial Control
Traditional techniques are those which have been used by the companies for a long time now. These include:
- Personal observation
- Statistical reports
- Break-even analysis
- Budgetary control
1. Personal Observation
This is the most traditional method of control. Personal observation is one of those techniques which enables the manager to collect the information as first-hand information.
It also creates a phenomenon of psychological pressure on the employees to perform in such a manner so as to achieve well their objectives as they are aware that they are being observed personally on their job. However, it is a very time-consuming exercise & cannot effectively be used for all kinds of jobs.
2. Statistical Reports
Statistical reports can be defined as an overall analysis of reports and data which is used in the form of averages, percentage, ratios, correlation, etc., present useful information to the managers regarding the performance of the organization in various areas.
This type of useful information when presented in the various forms like charts, graphs, tables, etc., enables the managers to read them more easily & allow a comparison to be made with performance in previous periods & also with the benchmarks.
3. Break-even Analysis
Breakeven analysis is a technique used by managers to study the relationship between costs, volume & profits. It determines the overall picture of probable profit & losses at different levels of activity while analyzing the overall position.
The sales volume at which there is no profit, no loss is known as the breakeven point. There is no profit or no loss. Breakeven point can be calculated with the help of the following formula:
Breakeven point = Fixed Costs/Selling price per unit – variable costs per unit
4. Budgetary Control
Budgetary control can be defined as such technique of managerial control in which all operations which are necessary to be performed are executed in such a manner so as to perform and plan in advance in the form of budgets & actual results are compared with budgetary standards.
Therefore, the budget can be defined as a quantitative statement prepared for a definite future period of time for the purpose of obtaining a given objective. It is also a statement which reflects the policy of that particular period. The common types of budgets used by an organization.
Some of the types of budgets prepared by an organisation are as follows,
- Sales budget: A statement of what an organization expects to sell in terms of quantity as well as value
- Production budget: A statement of what an organization plans to produce in the budgeted period
- Material budget: A statement of estimated quantity & cost of materials required for production
- Cash budget: Anticipated cash inflows & outflows for the budgeted period
- Capital budget: Estimated spending on major long-term assets like a new factory or major equipment
- Research & development budget: Estimated spending for the development or refinement of products & processes
Modern Techniques of Managerial Control
Modern techniques of controlling are those which are of recent origin & are comparatively new in management literature. These techniques provide a refreshingly new thinking on the ways in which various aspects of an organization can be controlled. These include:
- Return on investment
- Ratio analysis
- Responsibility accounting
- Management audit
- PERT & CPM
1. Return on Investment
Return on investment (ROI) can be defined as one of the important and useful techniques. It provides the basics and guides for measuring whether or not invested capital has been used effectively for generating a reasonable amount of return. ROI can be used to measure the overall performance of an organization or of its individual departments or divisions. It can be calculated as under-
Net income before or after tax may be used for making comparisons. Total investment includes both working as well as fixed capital invested in the business.
2. Ratio Analysis
The most commonly used ratios used by organizations can be classified into the following categories:
- Liquidity ratios
- Solvency ratios
- Profitability ratios
- Turnover ratios
3. Responsibility Accounting
Responsibility accounting can be defined as a system of accounting in which overall involvement of different sections, divisions & departments of an organization are set up as ‘Responsibility centers’. The head of the center is responsible for achieving the target set for his center. Responsibility centers may be of the following types:
- Cost center
- Revenue center
- Profit center
- Investment center
4. Management Audit
Management audit refers to a systematic appraisal of the overall performance of the management of an organization. The purpose is to review the efficiency &n effectiveness of management & to improve its performance in future periods.
5. PERT & CPM
PERT (programmed evaluation & review technique) & CPM (critical path method) are important network techniques useful in planning & controlling. These techniques, therefore, help in performing various functions of management like planning; scheduling & implementing time-bound projects involving the performance of a variety of complex, diverse & interrelated activities.
Therefore, these techniques are so interrelated and deal with such factors as time scheduling & resources allocation for these activities.
Managerial function are keys to organizational success. Therefore several challenges confront today and these challenges mainly arise from the significant change in the outside world. Some of the major emerging issues and challenges that all management faces are listed below:
For the better management of the organization, the managers must be able to adjust to the emerging new challenges. Some challenges are:
- Globalization
- Ethics and Social responsibility
- Workforce diversity
- Empowerment
- Technology
- Building a Competitive Advantage
- Development of the environment
- Quality and productivity
- Innovation and change
- Knowledge management
- Multicultural effects
1.Globalization:
The globalization of business is the major emerging challenges for management. It occurs when an organization extends its activities to other parts of the world, actively participates in other markets, and competes against organizations located in other countries. Transactions of business organizations take place across national boundaries. Globalization made the world a global village. In this process, a manager’s job is changing with the following Emerging Issues and Challenges for Management:
Increased foreign assignments
Working with people from different cultures
Coping with anti-capitalism backlash
Overseeing movement of jobs to countries with low-cost labor
There is external competition for markets, and also for resources.
2. Ethics and Social responsibility:
The increasing concern of roles and state of ethics in business. Managers are concerned because of the complexity of ethics in decision making. Society is generally expecting more from business organizations. These organizations expect to contribute to the quality of life and society. Environmental issues have become matters of widespread concern. The manager will determine the extent to which these social responsibilities and ethical issues are handled and managed.
Some bullets points for ethics and social responsibility are listed follows:
- Ethics is about an individual’s personal beliefs about what constitutes right and wrong
- The most vital ethical concern of modern managers is to know how an organization treats its employees
- Social responsibility is the set of obligations that an organization has to fulfill towards the society
3. Workforce diversity:
The people in organizations are becoming more heterogeneous demographically (disability, gender, age, national origin, non-Christian, race, and domestic partners). A diverse workforce includes women, physically disabled, senior citizens, etc. Managing this diversity has become a global concern.
Diversity is not managed properly. There is a potential for higher turnover, more difficult communication, more interpersonal conflicts. Managers should recognize
The differences among employees and respond to them in ways that will ensure employee commitment.
Some bullets points for workforce diversity are listed follows:
- The workforce is increasing in organizations today because of changing population dimensions
- There are several dimensions of diversification; the important are age, gender, and ethnicity
- The diversification in the workforce can affect the organization differently
In one hand it can be the source of cost advantage and on the other hand, it could be a source of conflict in an organization
4. Empowerment: Decision making is pushed down to the operating level. Workers are now being given the freedom to make choice about the schedule, procedures, and solving work-related problems. Earlier managers were encouraged to get their employees to participate in the work-related decision. Now managers allow employees full control of their work. Thus managers engaged in empowering employees. Similarly, the manager provides more information to employees to make them aware of the problem and the prospects of their organization.
Some bullets points for empowerment are listed follows:
- Employees are the major element of the internal environment of an organization
- When managers and employees embrace the same values and have the same goals, it becomes convenient to achieve organizational objectives
- At present, employees have become more powerful due to decentralized authority and labor unions affiliated to political parties
5. Technology:
The technological environment consists of innovations, techniques, and the organized knowledge of the way of doing things. The modern business is characterized by newer and ever-changing technological developments. This calls for the technological perspective in management. They need to recognize and anticipate technological changes. Technological changes result in a modification in products and services; in the way, they are produced and marketed. The managers must, therefore grasp a proper understanding of these aspects of technological context.
Some bullets points for technology are listed follows:
- Technological development tends to increase the aspirations and expectations
- It develops the concept of a competitive environment among the manufacturers and supplies
- The most important challenges of present-day managers are to identify and predict the ever-developing new technology
- It is the responsibility of managers to keep pace with the changes in technology and grab the opportunity to make the business a success
6. Building a Competitive Advantage:
Increasing Efficiency in reducing the number of resources used to produce goods and services. Also, increasing Quality Introducing Total Quality Management (TQM) to improve quality. Similarly, to increasing Speed, Flexibility, and Innovation Adapting to bring new products to market faster. Increasing Responsiveness to Customers Empowering employees to deal with customers.
7. Development of the environment:
Environmental issues are major issues in management these days. These issues like deforestation, global warming, depletion of the ozone layer, toxic wastage, and pollution of land, air, and water. May not be these issues are a matter of to an enterprise. But, these matters draw the attention of different social, business and political institutions.
Some bullets points for the development of the environment are listed follows:
- The environmental issues are the major issues in management
- These issues may not be a matter of interest to an enterprise, especially in developing countries
- But politicians and social activists have picked up the environmental banners
- The green movements have spread into different parts of the world
- Present managers have the challenge to develop their enterprise creatively but without harming the environment
8. Quality and productivity:
It is practically the quality and productivity that are supplementary or auxiliary to each other. Quality supports to maximize productivity and which ultimately minimizes per unit cost of output. And, minimizing cost depends on the skills of the manager.
Some bullets points for quality and production are listed follows:
- In the past, many managers assumed that they could increase output only by decreasing quality, but present managers disagree
- Present managers have recognized that quality and productivity are interrelated to each other
Three positive results to the management:
- Low return of defects from customers
- Minimized wastage of resource
- Reduces the need for an inspector
9. Innovation and change:
The innovation of new knowledge and change of expectation of stakeholders are emerging challenges to the present manager or management. Where facing the change is a critical challenge to the manager. It or change may occur in the attitude and behavior of stakeholders like competitors, customers, employees, suppliers, and lenders. Thus, it is an important responsibility of managers to handle such a change in a scientific and practical way.
Some bullets points for innovation and change are listed follows:
- The innovation of new knowledge to fulfill the expectations of stakeholders is increasing today
- At present managing change is a critical challenge to managers
- It is the responsibility of managers to handle such a change in a scientific and practical way
- Managers can use a variety of tools to harmonize the working environment of the organization
10.Knowledge management:
Employees are the primary source of knowledge. And as far as possible their ideas should be accumulated to prepare plans and policies. It is due to the expectation of society such as new ideas, new things and creativity in the product or service from any organization. And, on the basis of requirement, it is essential to hire new knowledge from outside.
Some bullets points for knowledge management are listed follows:
- Knowledge has become a power
- The society expects new ideas, things, and creativity in product and service
- To fulfill such social expectations, the manager has to accumulate knowledge and ideas from all the members involved in the organization
- A model manager must be flexible to manage knowledge and should also consider the situational factor
11.Multicultural effects:
An innovation of modern communication and transportation system has tied the multi-cultured people together. They work together to meet their common and professional goals or objectives. In the present context, the involvement of cross-cultural professions in the organization is continuously increasing. Therefore, the involvement of multicultural people having different traditions, values, social attitudes, religious beliefs, and living approaches creates a new challenge to the manager.
Some bullets points for multicultural effects are listed follows:
- The innovation of the modern transportation system has tied the multi-cultured people together
- They work together to meet their common objectives even if they have different traditions, values, social attitudes
- Management is effective only when it is able to maintain coordination among multicultural professionals
Hence, these are the following Emerging Issues and Challenges in Management.
References:
- “Principles of Business Management” by Dan Voich and Daniel A. Wren
- “Principles of Business Management” by Dr. S. C. Saksena
