Management techniques

 

INTRODUCTION

 

          Management techniques are systematic procedures of investigating a planning, controlling and supervising which can be applied to the management problems.

 

          Management infers planning, organizing, directing, co-ordinating and controlling of human and other resources to achieve the specified goals.

 

          Technique is a set of procedural steps which may be loosely or rigorously stated, which embody a multiple idea content and which are concerned with doing a work to achieve goals.

CLASSIFICATION

 

          Its based on the objectives of the technique by MJ Clay.

1. Detection

          To find out or discover something techniques in detection are

·        Input output detection

·        Attitude survey

·        Production study

·        Activity sampling

·        Critical examination

·        Break even analysis

2. Evaluation

          To measure or estimate the value of an item

Techniques in evaluation

·        Job evaluation

·        Work measurement

·        Work estimation

·        Performance

·        Appraisal

·        Cost benefit Analysis

·        Network Analysis

3. Improvements

To improve performance techniques for improvement

·        Management by objectives

·        Method study

·        Value analysis

·        Management by exception

4. Optimisation

To optimize performance techniques for optimisation

·        Linear programming

·        Erogonomics

·        Operational Research

5. Specification:

To specify a desired value of situation or action.

Layout planning for offices and plants

6.Control

Techniques used here are

·        Cost control

·        Credit Control

·        Labour Control

·        Inventory control

·        Production control

·        Budget control

7.Communication

To communicate information techniques used are

·        Visual aids

·        Suggestion schemes

·        Report writing

·        Communications theory

·        Information theory

·        Management information

8. Demonstration

Techniques used are

·        Programmed learning

·        Job instruction

·        Management development

·        Training

New techniques and its utilization

Job analysis

          It’s the process of gathering information of all aspects of specific job.  Job analysis is a “scientific study and statement of all the facts about a job which reveal its content and the modifying factors which surround it.

PURPOSE OF JOB ANALYSIS

1.   It provides solid base upon which to choose the right people and to plan right training for them.

2.   It reveals the inessentials, the irrelevant and absolute practices which often encrust the job in actual performance.

3.   It shows where there is overlapping or duplication of work and the faulty use of existing personnel.

4.   It provides basic material for the production of work and procedure manuals.

5.   It helps to promote good morale in that enables the administrator to deal intelligently with complains.

6.   It also helps the administrator to establish definite lines of promotion.

Cost benefit analysis:

          It’s a tool with great potential for the decision maker so long as he or she recognizes the difficulty in determining the true costs and benefits of various alternatives.

Z =

Cost effective analysis

          Cost effective methods are those that search for the least costly way of achieving a defined result.

ABC / VED analysis:

          It’s a technique which enable a busy executive to chase those activities ardently which would quicken the wheels of administrative machinery.

VED = Vital, essential and Desirable analysis

A – Item : high Cost Centres

Right Controls

Rigid Estimates

Strict and Close watch

Safety stocks should be low.

Management may be done at top level

B – Items : Intermediate Cost Centres

Moderate control

        Purchase based on rigid requirements reasonably strict watch and control.

Safety stock moderate

          Management may be done at middle level

C Items: Low cost centres

·        Ordinary control measure

·        Purchase based on usage estimates

·        Safety stocks high

MANAGEMENT OF OBJECTIVES (MBO)

 

          The MBO idea is simply that every person in an orgnaisation should have specific, attainable, measurable objectives that mesh with those of the organisation and that each persons performance should be assessed against achievement of these objectives.  This is noted by Prof.Peter.F.Drucker of New York University.

          The Wendell.L.French suggests that MBO is a process in which there is “periodic agreement between a superior and a subordinate particular period and a periodic review of how well the subordinate achieved those objectives”.

          MBO is not a panacea for managers, but it does provide a number of benefits a follows

1.    It lets individuals know what is expected of them.

2.    It helps in planning by making managers establish objectives and target dates.

3.    It improves communication between managers and subordinates.

4.    It makes individuals more aware of the orgnaisations of objectives.

5.    It makes the evaluation process more equitable by focusing on specific accomplishments.  It also lets subordinates to know how well they doing in relating to the organizations objectives.

 

NETWORK ANALYSIS

A) Programme Evaluation and Review Techniques

          It is an important tool in the timing of decisions.  In simplest form of PERT a project is viewed as a total system and consisting of setting up of a schedule of dates for various stages and exercise of management control, mainly through project status reports on its progress.  The basic tool used in the PERT approach is the network or flow plans.

 

Advantages of PERT

a.   It encourages logical discipline in planning, scheduling and control of project.

b.   It encourages more long – range and detailed project planning.

c.    It provides a standard method of documenting and communicating project plans, schedules, time and cost performance.

d.   It identifies the most critical elements in the plan, thus focusing management attention on the 10-20 percent of the project that is more constraining on the schedule.

e.    It illustrates the effects of technical and procedural changes on overall schedules.

 

          To make the network understandable and usable, the time between various events (activity) time must be computed.  As anyone concerned with large scale project knows, it is not always possible to estimate  accurately how long it will take to complete the various parts of the project.  However, a method does exist whereby fairly accurate estimated time between events can be determined.  This approach involves estimating three different times for each activity.

1.    Optimistic time this occasionally happens when everything goes right.  This estimate is predicated on minimal and routine difficulties in the activity.

2.    More likely time – It represents the most accurate forecast based on normal developments if only one estimate was given this would be it.

3.    Pessimistic time: This is estimated on maximum potential difficulties.  The assumption is that here is whatever can go wrong will go wrong.

         

          The characteristics of these three time estimates are best described by a beta curve as follows

 

Optimistic            More Likely                   pessimistic

          O                          M                                   P

 

          A formula based on the probability distribution of time involves in performing the activity is then used

          The formula is

          Activating time =

 

Where as    O is optimistic time

                   M is most like time and

                   P is pessimistic time

 

 

B. CRITICAL PATH METHOD (CPM)

          The critical path method is basically a technique to reduce the time required to implement a project.  By breaking the project into activities that must be undertaken for its implementation and by determining their time sequence, it is possible to isolate the most critical path schedule  for their implementation.

          Network analysis promotes the community health nurse to examine a clients relationships in a dynamic rather than a static capacity.  Network analysis is a mechanism for ordering the potential overflow of random information about a client and his or her environment.  It provides a systemic approach to assessment that can be adapted to different kinds of a clients with different kinds of health problems.

CONCLUSION

 

          Management techniques are systemic procedures of investigating, planning, controlling and supervising which can be applied to the management problems.