Functions of Management
April Fraley
MGT 330
October 29, 2012
Angela Guest

Functions of Management
Introduction
Have you ever wondered what managers do to help improve production in organizations? It takes all four functions of management to ensure that goals for an organization are being planned out and achieved. The four functions are planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. If one function is left out then it is possible that goals may not be achieved. This paper will define each of the four functions of management and also provide some examples of each of the functions and how they relate to an organization.
Planning
Planning is the first function of management where decisions are made regarding goals for an organization and how those goals will be achieved. During this function it is also decided what type of activities and resources will be used to help the individuals of the organization achieve these goals. In working in a group home it is important to implement that planning function of management. This function helps the managers of the organization help figure out what type of people they want the organization to help and also what the goals of the organization would be. If this function was left out of the process then it would be very hard to figure out exactly what the organization and its employees are working towards.
Organizing
Organizing is the second function of management, in which all resources, such as finances, information, and people that are needed to achieve the goals that were decided during the planning function. Getting people to notice the organization, dolling out jobs, and getting workers to work together are also part of the organizing function of management. When managing a group home organization it is important the make sure that all job descriptions are figured out and positions are filled. The managers will be responsible for finding funding to help fund the organization and help achieve the goals set forth in the planning stage. If this function was left out it would be difficult for the organization to function because it would not know where to get financial resources to fund their organization or people to work for them.
Leading
The third function of management is leading. Leading means that the manager inspires the employees to achieve the goals set by the organization. In this function the managers encourage employees to give their ideas so the organization may use them to improve their goals. Leading is critical when working in group homes. Working with people that need help managers have to make sure that the employees are happy in what they are doing. They ask for feed-back from the employees so that they can improve on goals that are already in place and make necessary changes. Getting the feed-back from the employees can help provide good insight into if the employees enjoy working for the organization. If this function was left out then a manager of