Module 13 Controlling
Module 13 Controlling
4. What is control in the context of modern management? What is the idea of control?
-Control is the process of monitoring activities to ensure that they are being accomplished as
planned and of correcting any significant deviations
-Control is making something happen the way it was planned to happen
-An effective control system ensures that activities are completed in ways that lead to the
achievement of the organization’s goals
-The criterion that determines the effectiveness of control system is: how well it facilitates the
achievement of the goal
5. What are the three approaches to designing the control process?
-Market Control
An approach to designing control system that emphasizes the use of extensive market
mechanisms to establish the standards used in the control system
The approach is used by organizations in which the firm’s products or services are
clearly specified and distinct and where there is considerable market place competition
-Bureaucratic Control
Emphasizes organizational authority
Relies on administrative and hierarchical mechanism, such as rules, regulations,
procedures, policies, standardization of activities, well-defined job descriptions, and
budgets, to ensure that employees exhibit appropriate behaviors and meet
performance standards.
-Clan Control
Regulates employee behavior by shared values, norms, tradition, rituals, beliefs, and
other aspects of the organization’s culture
Often used by organizations in which teams are common and technology is changing
rapidly
6. What are the steps in the control process?
-Setting the standards/benchmark objectives
-Monitoring and measuring actual performance
-Comparing actual performance against a standard
-Taking managerial actions to correct the deviations or gap in performance
7. What are the sources of information to measure actual performance?
-Personal observation
-Statistical report
-Oral reports
-Written reports
8. How do you compare or measure performance against the standard?
-Some variations in performance can be experienced in all activities
-It is critical to determine the acceptable range of variations
-Size and direction of variation may be taken into account
-Deviations that exceed this range need the manager’s urgent attention
9. What are the options open to the manager in the face of deviations or gaps?
-Do nothing
-Correct the actual performance
-Revise the standards
10. What are the types of control
-Feedforward Control
Control that prevents anticipated problems
It takes place in advance of the actual activity
Requires timely and accurate information that is often difficult to produce
-Concurrent Control
Occurs while the activity is in progress
Management correct problems or deviations before they become too costly
It is direct supervision
-Feedback Control
Control imposed after an action has taken place
Financial statement is one example
Damage is already done
-Management by Walking Around
Manager goes out in the work area, interacting directly with employees and exchanging
information
11. What are the qualities of an effective control system?
-Accuracy
-Timeliness
-Economy
-Flexibility
-Understandability
-Reasonable criteria
-Strategic placement
-Focus on the exceptional
-Multiple criteria
-Corrective action
12. Standards at GE
-Profitability standards
ROI
Preventive maintenance that reduces labor costs and equipment downtime
-Market position standards
Market share (highest or second highest)
Anything below the target position will be sold to another firm
-Productivity standards
Production levels of the various segments of the organization
-Product leadership standards
Leadership in product innovation
-Personal development standards
List of training programs GE personnel should undergo to develop properly
-Employee attitudes standards
Positive attitudes
-Social responsibility standards
Create a better facility for a number of San Diego’s disadvantaged citizens
-Standards reflecting the relative balance between short and long-range goals
Short range goals exist to enhance the probability that long-range goals will be attained
13. Robins & Coulter Hierarchy of Controls
-Strategic Controls: Control mechanism that complements plans at all levels
Budget
Profitability
Social responsibility
Asset management
Human resources
Technological progress
Monitoring techniques for evaluating competitors, economic conditions, financial
trends, market behavior, technological advances, and a variety of social conditions
-Tactical Controls: Division heads are concerned with controls that match their planning
responsibilities
Functional performance expectations in production, marketing, finance, and human
resources
It is use for coordinating lower-level operational activities as well as for collecting
information used at higher levels by strategist
-Operational Controls: First line supervisors spend a relatively greater amount of time
controlling a firm’s activities
Monitor daily work
Adjust task activities
Report results
Focus is on sales, production scheduling, purchasing, inventory control, logistics
maintenance, and cash flow