Management

Management is composed of three groups: (1) operating management, consisting of supervisors; (2)
middle management, represented by department heads, division managers, and branch managers; and (3)
executive management, consisting of the president, executive vice-presidents, and executives in charge of
marketing, purchasing, engineering, manufacturing, finance, and accounting.

Management consists of many activities, including making decisions, giving orders, establishing policies,
providing work and rewards, and hiring people to carry out policies. Management sets objectives to be
achieved by integrating its knowledge and skills with the abilities of the employees. Planning and control
may be the centerpiece of an organization's approach to management. This was true in many organizations
in the past. Alternatively, planning and control may be pushed into the background and become almost
invisible to line workers unless a major problem or failure occurs. Even when the planning and control
functions are not in the forefront of day-to-day activities, management still must effectively perform the
basic functions of planning, organizing, and control to be successful. All three functions require
participation by all management levels.

Planning and control are divided tor theoretical purposes, just as time frames are divided into discrete
operating periods. However, these divisions are artificially designed for the convenience of analysis and do
not reflect the dynamic way in which an entity evolves. In reality, planning and control are simultaneous.
inseparable, and interwoven processes. Time frames such as short- and long-range periods are not clearly
distinguishable. Control of an activity takes place simultaneously with the planning for the next cycle of
that same activity, other planning for longer and shorter cycles of activity, and the control of other
activities.