FUNCTIONS OF ADMINISTRATION

INRODUCTION

The word “administer” is derived from the latin word “ad” + “administrate”, means to care for or to
look after people- to manage affairs. Administrative means “serve”—the meaning is suggestive
enough as it insists on the administrator to regards himself as servant, not that the master tolook
after, perform all functions. Administration is the process permeating all collective efforts, be public
or private, civil or military, large scale otherwise, and is that of universal in nature. It is the
cooperative efforts, directed towards the realization of a consciously laid down objectives, hence it is
the center of all human affairs.

Definition of administration

Administration is the organisation and direction of human and material resources to achieve desired
objective.

----Pfiffner and Presthus

Administration is the direction, coordination and control of many persons to achieve some purpose
or objective.

----LD White

Definition of management

Management is art of getting things done through and with people in formally organized group.

----Harold Koontz

Management is a process by which co-operative group directs action towards common goals.

----Joseph Massie

Functions of administration

1. Planning – Defining goals, establishing strategies to achieve goals, developing plans to integrate
and coordinate activities. Planning means to decide in advance what is to be done. It charts a course
of actions for the future. It is an intellectual process and it aims to achieve a coordinated and
consistent set of operations aimed at desired objectives.

2. Organizing – Arranging and structuring work to accomplish organizational goals. Once the
objectives have been established through planning, management concern must turn to developing an
organization that is capable of carrying them out. The management function of organizing can be
defined as,”relating people and things to each other in such a way that they are all combined and
interrelated into a unit capable of being directed toward the organizational objectives.”

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 Horizontal differentiation (i.e.. Dividing the organization into operational units for more effective
and efficient performance.)Horizontal differentiation refers to the number of different units at the
same level. This means if the number of activities which require more specialized skills, the
organization will tend to be more complex. Specialization and departentation are good examples of
such differentiation.
 Vertical differentiation (i.e.. Establishes the hierarchy and the number of levels in the organization)
Vertical differentiation refers to the number of levels in the organization. It reflects the depth of the
hierarchy in the organization. This means that increase in hierarchical level enhances complexity in
the organization. In such organization, coordination and communication become difficult.

3. Staffing- Staffing is the selection, training, motivating and retaining of a personnel in the
organization. Before selection we have to make analysis of the particular job, which is required
in the organization, then comes the selection of the personnel. It involves manpower planning to
have the right person in the right place and avoid “square peg in the round hole”.

4. Controlling – Monitoring, comparing and correcting work. Controlling is determining what is

being accomplished and evaluating the performance and if necessary, applying corrected measures
so that the performance takes place according to plan.

5. Directing- Directing means the issuance of orders, assignments and instructions that permit the
subordinate to understand what is expected of him, and the guidance and overseeing of the
subordinate so that he can contribute effectively and efficiently to the attainment of organizational
objectives.Directing includes the following activities-

 Giving orders: the central task in directing is giving orders. The order is the technical means
through which a subordinate understands what is to be done. To facilitate this there are certain
characteristics of good orders which manager should be aware of:

o The order should be clear, concise and consistent to give sufficient information to ensure
understanding

o Order should be based on obvious demands of a particular situation, it seems logical to the
subordinates and not just an arbitrary whim of the manager.

o The tone of the order is very important. The manner in which the manager delivers the order has a
great deal to do with its acceptance by the subordinate.

o Whenever possible, the reason for the order should be given. A subordinate will accept an order
more readily if he understands the need for it.

o In some instances the manager uses delegation of authority instead of issuance of orders for
avoiding too many specific orders.

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 Supervision:Supervision is the activity of the management that is concerned with the training and
discipline of the work force. It includes follow up to assure the prompt and proper execution of
orders.Supervision is the art of overseeing, watching and directing with authority, the work and
behaviour of other.

 Leading:Leadership is the ability to inspire and influence others to contribute to the attainment of
the objectives. Successful leadership is the result of interaction between the leader and his
subordinates in a particular organizational situation.There are number of styles of leadership that
have been identified such as autocratic, democratic participative leadership.The continuum of
leadership styles, ranges from the completely authoritarian situation with no subordinate
participation to a maximum degree of democratic leadership, enabling the subordinate to participate
in all phases of the decision making process.

 Motivating:Motivation refers to the way in which the needs (urges, aspirations, desires) control,
direct or explain the behaviour of human beings. The manager must motivate, or cause, the
employee to follow directives.

 Communicating:Communication is the passing of information and understanding from a sender to

receiver. Communication is vital to the directing function of the management, one way to visualise
this importance is to view the manager on one side of a barrier and the work group on the other.
Communication is the means the manager has of reaching through the barrier to attain work group
activity.

6. Coordinating- It is the act of synchronising people and activities so that they function smoothly in
the attainment of organization objectives. Coordination is more important in the health services
organization, because functionally they are departmentalized. Different kinds of organization require
different amount of coordination.

7. Reporting and Recording- Reports are oral or written exchanges of  information shared between
caregivers or workers in a number of ways. A report summarizes the services of the person,
personnel and of the agency. Reports are written usually daily, weekly, monthly or yearly.

8. Budgeting- Budgeting, though primarily recognized as a device for controlling, becomes a major
part of the planning process in any organization. It is expressed in financial terms and based on
expected income and expenditure. Budget is the heart of administrative management. It served as a
powerful tool of coordination and negatively an effective device of eliminating duplicating and
wastage.

PLANNING

Introduction

Planning is the foremost function of the nursing management. It is the foundation of nursing
management as the other functions of nursing management viz. organizing, staffing, directing and

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 controlling. Plan is commitment to a particular course of action believed necessary to achieve
specific result.

Definition

According to Oxford dictionary, planning is the act or process of making plans for something.

Planning is the function of a manager, which involves the selection from among alternatives for the
enterprise as a whole and each department within it. (Koontz and O’Donnell)

Planning means the determination of what is to be done, how and where it is to be done, who is to do
it and how results are to be evaluated. (James Lundy)

Meaning

Planning means to decide in advance what is to be done. It charts a course of actions for the future. It
is an intellectual process and it aims to achieve a coordinated and consistent set of operations aimed
at desired objectives.

Nature of planning

On the basis of definitions, the following features can be derived.

1. Planning is a goal oriented process, consisting of various sub-activities and determines the future
course of actions and leads to achievement of the specific nursing objectives.
2. Planning is basic to all managerial function. It logically precedes the performance of all other
managerial activities. It assists in manpower planning and designing of training programs for the
nursing staff.
3. Planning is futuristic or forward looking. It requires forecasting of future situation in which the
nursing organization has to function.
4. It involves selection of suitable course of action. Planning is undertaken at all levels of nursing
organization.
5. It is flexible. As such, an adjustment is needed between the various factors and planning.
6. It is continuous process, involves various activities including decision-making and action oriented.
7. Planning is an intellectual process. It involves vision and foresightedness to decide the things to be
done in future and involves the mental faculties by the nurse managers.
8. Planning process must allow flexibility to meet the new challenges.

Approaches of planning

1. Planning: A rational approach

The concept of rationality denotes the choice of appropriate means for achieving stated objectives.
Planning as a rational approach tries to fill the gap between actual status and desired status. The
actual and desired status is usually expressed in terms of objectives that can be achieved by an action
or set of actions.
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2. Planning: Open system approach
It indicates that the identification of gap between the current status and desired status in future and
the actions required to bridge the gap is influenced by environmental factors- political, legal, and
technical and other organizational factors. These factors are dynamic and change with the time. So
while planning nurse managers have to take into account all the external and internal environmental
factors.
3. Planning: Pervasiveness approach
Planning being pervasive extends throughout the organization. In hospital setting, planning is
required at all levels of nursing management i.e. at top level, middle and at the operational level.

Objectives of planning

1. To set the objectives- Planning actually starts with the formulation of objectives and planning
action to achieve those objectives. The objectives are defined in the meaningful and technical terms
so that managerial actions could be possible.
2. To focus on meaningful activities- Effective planning lays down various courses of action, which
are useful to accomplish the objectives. The chances of unproductive activities are reduced to a great
extent. Planning makes it clear for the nursing personnel working at different levels as to how their
operations can contribute to the nursing organizational objectives that are in consistent with the
objectives of the hospital.
3. To economize the time and effort and other resources - Planning at all levels keeps the whole
process in order. Money, men, machines and materials are properly utilized and wastages are
minimized. Time and efforts of the staff working is saved if they know ahead that what is expected
from them.
4. To maintain coordination- Planning is the basis of coordination. With the help of plans the
departments work in harmony and achieve their respective goals without any failure.
5. To reduce risk and uncertainty- Proper planning is made considering various environmental factors
including the human and other factors since there is diversity in these factors. There is always a
scope of flexibility or alternatives in good planning that reduces the risk and uncertainty arising out
of them.
6. To ensure proper control- In planning there is a scope to lay down the methods of performance
evaluation, against the laid down standards and targets. When these are actually measured and
compared with standards gives good control to assure the accomplishment of objectives as set by the
plans.
7. To achieve the organizational effectiveness- The planning states the objectives within a specific use
at a particular time. Thus planning along with the control measures and ensures that the resources are
utilized as per plan that helps to achieve the organizational effectiveness. If this is not done, the
reasons are explored and various other measures are re-planned, that helps to improve the
effectiveness of the organization.

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8. Planning promotes creativity- Planning is basically the thinking function of the management. It
helps innovative and creative thinking. Many new ideas come to mind of a nurse manager when she
is planning. Thus planning promotes creativity and innovation.
9. To promote efficiency- Planning determines as to when and how various tasks are to be performed
by different nursing units. This brings about efficiency in the working of various units. Wastages are
reduced and needless efforts are avoided by advance planning.

Principles of planning

1) The Principle of Passion

When we're passionless, we procrastinate on the plan or burnout trying to execute it. With passion,
we approach our plans with excitement and a sense of urgency. Passion gives planning energy.
Passion also gives planning focus. As Tim Redmond says, "There are many things that will catch my
eye, but there are only a few things that will catch my heart. It is those I consider to pursue." Passion
narrows our vision so that the plan dominates our attention and distractions fade into the
background.

2) The Principle of Creativity

Of the seven planning principles, we violate the principle of creativity the most. By gravitating to
concreteness, we sacrifice creativity. We settle for what's easy to wrap our minds around, and we
neglect to wrestle with harder, more difficult dilemmas. I'm convinced that leaders are too busy
doing to think and provide ideas. Even the rare leaders who think creatively often neglect to
encourage the people around them to do the same. Consequently, a majority of teams rely on one
person for creative thought and end up starved for good ideas.

3) The Principle of Influence

When you prepare your plans, ask yourself the question, "Am I able to influence the resources
needed to fulfill my planning and mission?" To accomplish your plan, you'll need influence over
people, finances, and your schedule. The support of people, especially other influencers, can make or
break your plan. Make a priority to build relationships with them. In particular, find the key to their
lives by learning what matters most to them. If you continually add value to the influencers around
you in meaningful ways, then you'll be more likely to receive their assistance when you need it.

4) The Principle of Priorities

I'm amazed by the amount of people who begin to plan their careers before taking the time to
prioritize their lives. You have no right, nor any reason, to start planning your life until you know
what you're living for and what you're willing to die for. It's important to find your purpose so that
you run, not on the fast track, but on your track. The key to a prioritized life is concentration
followed by elimination. As Peter Drucker observed, "Concentration is the key to economic results.
No other principle of effectiveness is violated as constantly today as the basic principal of
concentration. Our motto seems to be, let's do a little bit of everything." We must cease to dabble in
everything before we can become excellent at anything.

5) The Principle of Flexibility

In leadership, be mentally prepared that not everything will go according to your plans. Then, when

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 plans unfold unexpectedly, you'll be prepared to see new opportunities. Some of the best things I've
received in life have been surprises that I could never have planned in advance. When plans go awry,
don't just stand there. By staying in motion, you create movement. Be resourceful enough to
improvise when circumstances push you off course.

6) The Principle of Timing

Most of the time, our decisions are based on our emotional environment rather than reality. When
we're in the valleys of life, we don't see clearly. Our perspective is limited, and all we see are the
problems around us. In the valleys we make decisions, not to better ourselves, but to escape our
problems. Never make a major decision in the valleys. Wait until you get to the peak where you can
see clearer and farther. By reserving big choices for the peaks, you'll avoid making rash decisions
that you'll regret later.

7) The Principle of Teamwork

A worthwhile plan ought to be bigger than your abilities. You shouldn't be able to accomplish it
alone. Each of us has areas of weakness, blind spots, and shortcomings. Unless we rely on a team to
help us, our plans succumb to our personal limitations.

Other principles:
1. Planning should be based on clearly defined objectives.
2. Planning must be precise in its scope and nature.
3. Planning must have an organizational identification.
4. Planning should be a continuous process.
5. Planning should be simple and concise.
6. Planning should be flexible.
7. Planning should be balanced.
8. Planning should provide for a proper analysis and classification of action.
9. Provision should be made to use all available resources.
10. There should be good harmony with organization and environment.
11. Planning should always be documented.

Importance of planning

1. It provides a framework and a clearly defined direction that guides and supports management of the
organization.
2. A uniform vision and purpose that is shared among all staff.
3. Focus on an increased level of commitment to the organization and its goals.
4. Facilitate improved quality of services for clients and a means of measuring the service.
5. Promotes creativity and innovation.
6. Secures economy in operations through proper allocation of resources to various operations.
7. It provides a framework and a clearly defined direction that guides and supports management of the
organization.
8. A uniform vision and purpose that is shared among all staff.
9. Focus on an increased level of commitment to the organization and its goals.

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10. Facilitate improved quality of services for clients and a means of measuring the service.
11. Promotes creativity and innovation.
12. Basis of control by establishing benchmarks for appraisal of actual performance.
13. Reduction of uncertainty and the ability to deal with risks from the external environment.
14. Achieve coordination among all departments.
15. A process to help with crisis management.

Essentials of good planning

1. Yields reasonable organizational objectives and develops alternative approaches to meet these
objectives.
2. Helps to eliminate or reduce the future uncertainty and chance.
3. Helps to gain economical operations.
4. Lays the foundation for organizing.
5. Facilitates co-ordination.
6. Helps to facilitate control.
7. Dictates those activities to which employers are directed.

Planning process

The process of planning usually comprises of following steps:

1. Identification of situation- Before carrying out the actual planning, one needs to explore and
gather the relevant and related information regarding the possible opportunities. Analyze the
information.
2. Formulation or setting of objectives - Based on the availability of opportunities and resources, the
objectives are framed. Objectives specify the results expected and indicate the end point of what is to
be done, where the preliminary emphasis is to be placed and what is to be accomplished. These then
serve as the means of accomplishing the overall objective of the organization.
3. Developing premises or conditions (forecast future) - These are the expected environmental or
external or internal conditions under which planning activities will be undertaken. These can be
viewed as asset of forecasts regarding these conditions or factors and the success of planning
depends upon the accuracy of these forecasts.
4. Identification of alternatives- After determining the various planning assumptions, the next step is
to work onto find out maximum alternatives based on empirical evidences or experiences or
intuitions. Then short listing of the alternatives is done for detailed analysis.
5. Evaluation of alternatives- In this step, an attempt has been made to evaluate the selected
alternatives as per the criteria required for achieving particular objectives. All the merits and
demerits of the alternatives are listed.
6. Selection of the best possible alternative- After evaluating all the short-listed alternatives, the
most appropriate is taken up. This is the actual stage of decision making in the process of planning.

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7. Formulation of supporting plans- After selecting the best plan, various derivative plans such as
policies, procedures, schedules, methods, budgets, etc. are put into practice. These supportive plans
are the subsidiary plans formulated for various units, sections and activities in the light of the master
plan to help the organization to achieve its objectives in a unified manner.
8. Defining various activities and preparation of action plan - Various related activities according
to plans are developed and refined. Time plans are prepared by using various managerial techniques
e.g. PERT (program evaluation and review technique) and CPM (critical path method). These
planning cum control technique are important to minimize the time and cost and for ensuring the
completion of projects.
9. Communication of plans and securing cooperation - The supportive plan should be properly
communicated to the lower levels in the organization. The staff should be made aware of the plans,
its scope and benefits.
10. Follow up and review- After the plan has been put into practice it is essential to follow it up so as
to remove difficulties in its implementation. If needed, the plans may even be modified or revised to
achieve the intended goal or objectives.

Types of planning

1. Long term and short term planning- Long term planning involves more than one year period,
usually 3-5 years. The planning of functional area is long term, where the environmental factors are
considered at the time of planning. Short term planning is also known as tactile planning, usually,
cover one year. It is made with reference to long term plans as short term plans contribute to long
term plans.
2. Proactive and reactive planning- Proactive planning is the planning in anticipation. The suitable
courses of action are designed considering the changes expected in the relevant environment.
Whereas the reactive planning is the type of planning that is done after the environmental changes
have taken place. This approach of planning is useful in environment, which is fairly stable over a
long period of time.
3. Formal and informal planning- This type of planning is based on the degree of formalization i.e.
used for undertaking planning activities. Formal planning is based on systematic evaluation of
environmental variables and is in the form of well-structured and systematic process where different
steps are taken for planning. Informal planning is usually based on managers own experiences and
intuitions.
4. Strategic and operational planning- Long term planning is of strategic in nature and usually
involve more than one year period extending to 20 year or so. It sets the future of the organization to
meet a particular aim or sets of aims, taking into account internal and external factors. It is the
process of deciding on objectives of organization, on changes on these objectives, on the resources
used to attain these objectives and on the policies that are to govern the acquisition, use and
deposition of these resources. Operational planning is short term planning, usually covers one year
or so. It confines itself to devise actions to proceed in that direction.

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5. Management (corporate) and functional planning- Management planning denoted planning
activities at the top level, also known as corporate planning. It usually covers all the planning
activities of the organization. The basic focus is to determine the long term objective of the
organization as a whole and then generate the plans. Functional planning is the segmental and it is
taken for each major function of the organization, for e.g. for personnel management, finance etc. It
derives from management planning and should contribute to it.
6. Physical planning- It aims at guiding and controlling the development of cities in orderly fashion
instead of leading them to grow in a hap hazard manner.
7. Economic and social planning- Economic planning involves advance determination by state
agencies of the needs of the country for the more essential economic goods and services over a given
period, arranging them into a scheme of priorities and controlling both production and consumption
with a view to their fulfillment with that period.
8. Administrative planning- It is a phase of management and involves drawing up a program of
operations in advance and the provision of the requisite organization, personnel, material and
procedure for carrying it out.
9. Comprehensive planning- It connects planning for the totality of the economy. It takes into
account the aggregate targets to be reached by the economy as a whole.
10. Partial planning- To many under developed countries, the economy is now divided between the
public sector and the private sector. In this context, partial planning could be identified as the
planning of the public sector.
11. Imperative planning- It not only covers every branch of activity but embraces many aspects of
economic life including volume of output, prices, employment. It is controlled by the financial
organizations and above all by the political authority.
12. Indicative planning- It gives for greater scope to the freedom in the economic systemas compared
with imperative planning.
13. Planning by compulsion- It includes whole battery of physical controls like allocation of raw
material to various production units in industry and agriculture and licenses for setting up industries.
14. Totalitarian and democratic planning- Totalitarian planning is described as one where the
almighty state or the planning authority imposes a pervading discipline of planning. On the other
hand democratic planning is described as the planning process in which people participate in both
formulation and implementation of plans.
15. Sectorial and spatial planning- Traditionally, plans are broken into sectors/primary, secondary
and tertiary. Primary sector covers activities like forestry, fishery and mining. Secondary sector
covers commerce, trade, transport etc. Spatial planning is helpful in geographical dispersal of the
efforts and fruits of planning in a scientific manner.

Planning components

1. Selecting the architect and consultant- To plan anything with competence requires the study and
extensive experience. For planning we should study the subject.

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2. The comprehensive approach- Comprehensive approach is to administrative planning is greatly
needed, yet seldom practiced. This is imparting due to lack of knowledge of this branch of planning.

Methods of expressing plans

Plans may be expressed in three ways.

1. A procedural plan- Such as taking the blood pressure of a patient.

2. A declarative plan specifies only a desired outcome - Outcome and action for those executing and
responsible for choosing the sequence of actions necessary to achieve it.
3. Other plans may be expressed in narrative form- Such as a description of a personal policy.
Generally, a plan is expressed in terms of quantitative variables.

Advantages of planning

1. Purposeful and orderly activities: All efforts are pointed towards desired results and an effective
sequence of efforts is accomplished, unproductive work is minimized.
2. Visualize future change: Planning helps to visualize future possibilities and to appraise new key
future fields for possible participation.
3. Removal of doubt: Answers permit a planner to see through a complexity of variables that affect
what action one decides to take.
4. Provision of basis for control: The standards of planning make sure that the planning is bringing
about the results as earlier sought.
5. Encouragement to achievement: The act of putting thoughts down on papers and evolving a plan
provides the planner with guidance and a drive to achieve.
6. Planning provides direction: It provides direction and a sense of purpose for the organization.
7. It provides a unifying framework: It forces people to continually address their efforts to the most
important work, rather than the least important.
8. It is economical: Effective plans coordinate organizational work and eliminate unproductive effort.
9. It helps management to adopt and adjust to changing environments: Planning helps managers
anticipate problems before they arise and deal with them before they turn into emergencies.
10. It enhances the behavior climate : Planning provides a basis for team work, educate the people and
orient the people.
11. It facilitates control: Planning and control functions are in separable. There is nothing to control
without planning and without proper control planning process.
12. Visualization to entirety: The overall comprehension is valuable. It enables the manager to gain a
fuller understanding of each activity.
13. Balancing of utilization of facilities : Many managers point out that planning provides for a greater
utilization of available facilities of an enterprise.
14. Helping management status: Proper planning helps a manager to provide confident and effective
leadership.

Disadvantages of planning

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1. Limitation of accurate information: The usefulness of a plan is affected by both the current and the
subsequent correctness of the premises used.
2. Addition in costs: Some argue that the cost of planning work adds cost to actual one.
3. Limitation in achievement by psychological barriers: A prevalent barrier is that people have more
regard for the present than the future.
4. Restraints on initiative: Some feel that planning forces managers into a rigid mode of executing
their work.
5. Delayed actions: Emergencies and sudden uprisings of unusual situations demand on the spot
decisions.
6. Overdoing tendencies: Some critics state that those performing planning tend to over do their
contribution.
7. Limitation of practical value: Some contend that planning is not only too theoretical but other
means are more practical.

CONTROLLOING

Introduction

Control is one of the fundamental functions of a manager which is concerned with securing good
individual performance at a desirable level. It is closely related to other functions of management
such as planning, organizing, staffing and directing. It is said that planning is the basic action which
is the essence, delegation is the key and information is the guide for control. It is the process through
which manager assures that actual activities confirm to the planned activities. Control in
management means setting standards, measuring actual performance and taking corrective action.

Definition

Terry defined as “Controlling is determining what is being accomplished and evaluating the
performance and if necessary, applying corrected measures so that the performance takes place
according to plan”.

Controlling can be defined as the regulation of activities in accordance with the requirements of
plans.

Features of control

1. Control is forward looking because one can control future happening and not the past.
2. Control is both executive process and from the point of view of the organization of the system, a
result. As an executive process, each manager has to perform control function in the organization; it
is true that according to the level of a manager in the organization, the nature, scope and limit of his
control function may be different as compared to a manager at other level.

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3. Control is continuous process. Through managerial control enables the manager to exercise control
at the point of action, it follow a define pattern and time table, month after month and year after year
on a continuous basis.
4. A control system is a coordinated-integrated system. This emphasizes that although data collected
for one purpose may differ from those with another purpose; these data should be reconciled with
one another. In a sense, control system is a single system but it is more accurate to think of it as asset
of interlocking sub-systems.
5. Control is a tool for achieving organizational activities.
6. Control is a management process.

Importance

(1) Reduces Risk: Control eliminates the risk of non-conformity of actual performance with the
main goals of the organization. Control is the function which regulates the operation to ensure the
attainment of the set objectives.

Regular measurement of work in progress with proper adjustments in operations puts the
performance on the right track and helps in the achievement of goals.

(2) Basis for future action: Control provides the information and facts to the management for
planning and organizing when the work is completed and the result is evaluated. In fact, evaluation
of results helps the management replant for non-repetitive operations and rewarding, punishing and
discipline the workers.

It would be better to say that future long term planning is not possible unless and until control
information is available in time to the managers for the operation of work.

(3) Size of the business: In large scale business in the modem times it is quite impossible to work
without proper policies, procedures and quality of different varieties of goods. That is why in a large
scale organization there is always the need of a scientific system of control to solve the day to day
problems.

(4) Indicator for managerial weakness: In the organization there will be certain unforeseen and
unknown problems which cannot be traced out by mere planning, organizing and staffing efforts. It
is the control process that can trace these out. That is why it is known as an indicator of the
managerial weakness. Control not only finds out the weakness of managers but also provides
solutions and remedial action to solve the problems.

(5) Facility of coordination: Management and coordination of the business activities and workers is
a very important role. It binds all the workers and their activities and motivates them to move
towards the common objectives through coordination.

Control will play the role of a middleman between the workers and management to provide the
required information in time to the workers.

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 (6) Simplifies supervision: A systematic system of control helps in finding out the deviation
existing in the organization which also simplifies the task of the supervisor in managing his
subordinates. So through control it becomes simpler for the supervisor to supervise and guide the
workers to follow the right track and fulfill the required goals.

(7) Extension of decentralization: Control system helps the top management to extend the frontiers
of decentralization without the loss of control. When proper procedures, policies, targets, etc, are
clearly communicated to the subordinates, they develop self-confidence and need not always refer to
their supervisors with the problems.

The basic control process

Control techniques and systems are essentially the same for cash, office procedures, moral product
quality or anything else. The basic control process wherever it is found and whatever is being
controlled, involves three steps.

1. Establishing standards- Because plans are the yardsticks against which managers devise controls,
the first step in the control process logically would be to establish plans. However, since plan varies
in detail, kind, complexity and since managers cannot usually watch everything, special standards
are established.
2. Measurement of performance- Although such measurement is not always practicable. The
measurement of performance against standards should ideally be on a forward looking basis so that
deviations may be detected in advance of their occurrence and avoided by appropriate actions.
According to Peter Drucker, it is very much desirable to have clear and common measurement in all
key areas of business. In his opinion, for measuring tangible and intangible performance,
measurement must be
a) Clear, simple and rational.
b) Relevant.
c) Direct attention and efforts.
d) Reliable self-announcing and understandable without complicated interpretation or philosophical
discussions.
3. Correction of deviation- This is the last step in the control process which requires this action
should be taken to maintain the desired degree of control in the system or operation. An organization
is not a self-requesting system such as thermostat which operates in a state of equilibrium put there
by engineering design. Some additional actions are required to maintain the control. Such actions
may be:
a) Review of plans and goals and change on the basis of such review.
b) Change in the assignment or talk.
c) Change in existing techniques of direction.
d) Change in organization structure: provision for new facilities etc.

Steps of control: The control function whether it is applied to cash, medical care, employee morale
or anything else, involves four steps.

14
1. Establishment of standards.
2. Measuring performance.
3. Comparing the actual results with the standards.
4. Correcting deviations from standards.

Essentials of good control system

Control is necessary in every organization to ensure that everything is going properly. Every
manager, therefore, should have an effective and adequate control system to assist him in making
sure the events confirm to plans. There are certain requirements which should be kept in mind.

1. Suitability- The nature and needs of the activity will help in determining a good system of control.
Control in production department will be different from those used in marketing department; control
for the production manager will be different from control for supervisor.
2. Timely and forward looking- It should report deviations promptly. This would help the manager to
take immediate corrective action before the problems develop.
3. Objective- To have an effective control there should be objective precise and suitable standards.
They should be definite, determinable.
4. Flexible Flexible - It should be adjusted to the changing need of the organization.
5. Economical- The benefit derived from the control system should be more than the cost involved.
6. Simple and acceptable to the personnel in the organization.
7. Motivation- It should motivate the people for a high level of performance.
8. It should detect deviation from the standards and should provide for solutions to the problems that
cause deviations.
9. Based on scientific practice.

Types of control system

1. Budgeting- Budgetary control is a process of comparing actual results with the corresponding
budget data in order to approve accomplishments or remedy differences. Budgetary control can play
three roles in an organization:
a) A tool for planning.
b) A tool for control.
c) An aid for coordination.
2. Internal auditing- It is controlled technique performed by an internal auditor who is an employee
of the organizations. He makes an independent appraisal of financial and other operations. In
addition, no one appraises the policies, plans and pinpoints the defects in the policies or plan and
gives suggestions for eliminating defects.
3. External auditing- It is an independent appraisal of the organizations financial accounts and
statements. The external auditor is a qualified person who has to certify the annual profit and loss
account and prepares a balance sheet after careful examination of the relevant groups of accounts
and document.

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4. Reports- A major part of control consists of preparing reports to provide information to the
management for the purpose of control and planning. It may include the balance sheet, position or
stock, appropriate statistics of the organizations, departmental operations, general achievement etc.
5. Standing orders, rules and limitations - These are also considered as control techniques used by
the management.
6. Job descriptions- It can be considered as a standard set to provide excellent service in view of the
objective of the organization.
7. Personal observation/supervision- A manager can also exercise fruitful control over his
subordinates by observing them while they are engaged in work. Personal observation helps the
manager not only in knowing the worker’s attitude towards work but also in correcting their works
and methods if necessary.
8. Program evaluation and review technique (PERT) - It is primarily oriented towards achieving
better managerial control of time spent in completing a project. Under this technique the project is
broken down into activities and then all activities are integrated in a highly logical sequence to find
the shorter time required to complete the project.
9. Human resource accounting- Working on the idea that human assets in an organization are the
less important than its material assets, human resource accounting refers to the method of reflecting
the rupee value of human asset in the organizations balance sheet.

 Advantages of control
1. It act as basis for future actions.
2. Acts as indicator for managerial weaknesses.
3. Provides facility of coordination.
4. The risk of non-conformity of the actual performance with the inteneded goals is largely
eliminated by the control process.
 Limitations of control
1. Lack of satisfactory standards.
2. Imperfections in measurements.
3. Limitations of corrective actions.
4. Human reactions to control.

CO-ORDINATION

Introduction

Coordination is the essence of nursing management. It is the life line for the management. Health
care organization which is unique and complex entity consisting of groups of specialized people with
specific purpose in the set of rules, policies, procedures, relationships and culture, coordination is
must.

Meaning

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Co-ordination is the process in which different people or things work together to attain specific goals
or aims. It is the way through which people can be made to work together and to cooperate with each
other to attain the final aims of the organization.

The greatest challenge to coordination is the inherent difficulty of identifying a common purpose and
approach among agencies whose mandates, methods, resources and systems are diverse. Lack of
coordination results in conflicts and misunderstanding.

Definitions

Co-ordination is the integrating process in an orderly pattern of group efforts in an organization

toward the accomplishment of a common objective.

Co-ordination is the achievement of orderly group efforts and unity of action in the pursuit of
common goals. (Mooney and Railey).

Coordination is the orderly synchronizing of efforts of the subordinates to provide amount, timing
and quality of execution so that their unified efforts lead to the achievement of the stated objective,
namely the common purpose of the enterprise. (Theo Hairmann, 1988).

Co-ordination is the orderly synchronization of efforts to resulting in harmonious and unified action
to a stated objective (NEW MAN,1953)

Difference between coordination and cooperation

Sr. No. Basis Coordination Cooperation

1. Meaning Deliberate group effort Voluntary collective effort.
2. Purpose The synchronization of efforts of Collective action of members for
individuals. certain common goals.
3. Requirements Coordination is required by
Cooperation is emotional in nature as
employees and departments at work depends on the willingness of people
irrespective of their work. working together.
4. Process The function of coordination is The functions of cooperation are
performed by top management. prepared by persons at any level.
5. Scope Broader than cooperation. A part of coordination.
6. Relations Achieved through formal and Arises through informal relations.
informal relations.
7. Result Seeks whole hearted support of Cooperation without coordination is
individuals and groups in the fruitless in any group activity and led
organization. to unbalanced developments.
8. Basic principles Direct contact, continuity of efforts,
Voluntary association, democratic
reciprocal relations among persons. process in performance of activities,
common welfare, a spirit of
dedication.

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 Characteristics

1. Group effort- The financial, human and technical resources are properly organized and coordinate.
Co-ordination transcends and permeates all managerial functions.
2. Unity of action- Co-ordination applies to the group efforts, not individual efforts, co-ordination
stress the unity of effort and unity of action.
3. Essence of management- Coordination is not a distinct function but the very essence of
management. It is inherent in the managerial job.
4. Conscious activity- Coordination does not arise spontaneously or by the force. Coordination is
conscious activity since various skills are required to have the coordination within the department.
5. Responsibility of management- Coordination is the basic responsibility of management and it can
be achieved through managerial functions. No manager can evade or avoid this responsibility. As
coordination is the responsibility of each and every manager.
6. Continuous and dynamic process- Coordination is the continuous or ongoing process. It is also a
dynamic process. It has to achieve through the managerial activities and required to be maintained
continuously.
7. Unity of purpose- The heart of coordination is the unity of purpose which involves fixing the time
and manner of performing various activities.
8. Integration of activities- Coordination is achieved through integration of various activities.
9. Pervasive function- It is required at every level and by every manager.
10. Common purpose- coordination has a common purpose of getting organizational objectives
accomplished.

Common purpose

1. Effective co-ordination is good management. Co-ordination is not a one short deal.

2. It is a never ending process of ensuring the achievement of organizational goals effectively.

Important features of co-ordination

1. Co-ordination is an integrity process.

2. If subdivision of work is in escapable, co-ordination becomes mandatory.
3. Undue confusion is a symptom of poor co-ordination.
4. It is a process of achieving integration among different organizational units.
5. Unity of efforts is the heart of co-ordination problem. The idea that co-ordination is a fixed entity
that either exist or does not exist is totally unrealistic. Co-ordination is present in all organization but
in varying degrees.
6. The chief objective of co-ordination is a common purpose.

Principles of co-ordination

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 Co-ordination is a process whereby an executive develops an orderly pattern of group effort among
his subordinates and secure unity of actions in the pursuit of common objectives. Co-ordination is
the continuous and dynamic process and emphasizes unity of efforts of achieve the desired
objectives. Co-ordination the managerial responsibilities.
1. Principle of direct contact- Co-ordination can be achieves by direct contact among the responsible
people concerned. Co-ordination can be easily obtained by direct inter-personnel relationships and
direct personnel communication.
2. Principle of early stages- Co-ordination should start from the very beginning of planning process.
At the time of policy formulation and objective setting.
3. Reciprocal relationships- As the third principle: all factors in a situation are reciprocally related, in
other words all the parts influence and are influenced by other parts. (for example when A works
with B and he is turn works with C and D, each of the four finds himself influenced by others
influenced by the people in the total situation).
4. Principle of self-co-ordination- In this when a particular department affects other functions or
department or function in term affected, may not have direct control over the other department i.e.
influencing the said department.

Elements of coordination

There are three elements of coordination.

1. Balancing- To create a balance between the resources of different departments and individuals.
2. Timing- Timing means adjusting the time schedules of different activities so that they support and
reinforce each other.
3. Integrating- It is involving unification of the diverse interests under the common purpose.

Importance of co-ordination

Co-ordination is crucial factor in the survival of any enterprise.

1. It resolves conflicts between line and staff inter-department, intradepartmental conflicts and restores
harmony in operations.
2. It results in the accomplishment of organizational goals.
3. It helps to increase the effectiveness of management.
4. Co-ordination pulls all the functions and activity together.
5. Co-ordination brings unity of action and direction. It resolves effectively the dangerous conflicts
between the individual and organizational goals.
6. Activities are dividing and sub divide in organization.
7. Modern organizational are considered as open systems. These open systems are characterized by
information flows, resource flows and the flows of activities.
8. Co-ordination ensures the smooth flow of resources into productive units and brings required
quality output.

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 Techniques to achieve co-ordination

1. Co-ordination by rules or procedure- The work that meets to be accomplished is highly predictable
and hence can be planned in advance, a manager can specify a head of time but actions his
subordinating the routine rescuing activities, rules and procedures are helpful which specify in detail
a head of time, what courses of action the subordinates should take if some some situation should
arise.
2. Co-ordination by targets or goals- Most of the managers assign specific goals/targets to their
subordinates facilitates co-ordination.
3. Co-ordination through hierarchy- Rules, regulations and procedure as well as the goal apart,
managers also use the chain of command to co-ordination. When situation arise the specified rules or
targets do not cover that, subordinates are trained to bring the problem to their concerned manager.
Co-ordination through the hierarchy works well as long as the number or problems that must be
brought to the boss is not great.
4. Co-ordination through departmentalization- Departmentalization also serves as a technique to bring
about affective co-ordination. Some forms of departmentalization also facilitate co-ordination better
than do others. A matrix approach means each project has the continuous and undivided attention of
its own project manager and the project team.
5. Using a staff assistant for co-ordination- To make his job of coordinating easier, a manager may
hire an assistant. When subordinate brings a problem to him, the assistant can comic the information
on the problem, research the problem, provide alternative solutions available. This increases,
undoubtedly, the manager’s ability to handle the problems and coordinate the work of his
subordinates.
6. Using a liaison for coordination- In some big organization where the volume of contacts between
two departments grows, many managers appoint a special liaison person facilitate coordination.
7. Using committee for coordination- Another second technique of coordination is to form committee
for understanding various functions and problems. Committee are increasingly useful for
coordinating, planning and executing programs and controlling the various activities.
8. Using independent integrators for coordination- In some special circumstances, independent
integrator may be recruited by organisations. An independent integrator’s job is to coordinate the
activities of several interdependent departments.
9. Conferences- Conferences at regular interval also ensure better coordination. Conferences provide
adequate platform for discussion of various problems being encountered by different departments.
10. The techniques of communication- To promote coordination, communication system must be
perfect. It must be well designed. Communication is an artery through which the decisions flows top
to bottom and reports flow from bottom to top.
11. Miscellaneous- Other coordinated techniques include: grouping the similar activities, reorganization
of departments to ensure coordination, cross functioning of the departments, project management

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 organization hierarchy, planning techniques, creation of certain staff positions, periodical staff
meetings etc.

Types of co-ordination

Co-ordination can be classified into two broad categories. One on the basis of its shape in the
organization and other on the basis of its scope and coverage. On the former basis, it can be
classified into vertical and horizontal coordination and on the latter basis, into internal and external
coordination.

1. On the basis of hierarchy

a. Vertical coordination- The term vertical coordination is used when coordination is to be achieved
between various links or different levels of the organization vertical coordination is needed to ensure
that all the levels in the organization act in harmony and in accordance with organizational policies
and programs. It is the function of the top executives to bring about this coordination. Vertical
coordination is secured through delegation of authority and with the help of directing and
controlling.
b. Horizontal coordination- In term horizontal coordination is used when coordination has to be
achieved between departments on the same level in the management hierarchy. Thus, when
coordination is brought between production department, sales department, personnel department etc.
it is said to be horizontal coordination.
2. On the basis of scope
a. Internal coordination- Coordination may be internal or external to be organization. Coordination is
internal when it is achieved between different departments, sections and units of an enterprise. It is
both vertical and horizontal.
b. External coordination- The various factors with which it has interaction include government,
customs, supplies and competitors. An enterprise has to keep proper coordination with these, such
type of coordination is known as external coordination and it is essential for the survival of the
enterprise. External coordination also involves interaction with other business, economic and
research institutions to have the benefits of latest information and technological advances.
3. Procedural and Substantive Coordination
a. Procedural coordination implies the specifications of different units in the same organization. It is
the generalized description of the behaviors and relationships of the members of the organization.
This establishes the lines of authority and outlines the sphere of activity and authority of each
member of the organization.
b. Substantive coordination is concerned with the content of organizational activities. In an
automobile factory, an organization chart is an aspect of procedural coordination, while blueprints
for the engine block of the car being made are an aspect of substantive coordination.

Preconditions to coordination

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 The chances of achieving effective coordination are greatly enhanced when several preconditions
have been met. These are-

1. Participation- Coordination becomes viable when organization actively participates in the

coordination process. Organizations need to participate in deciding the policies, procedures,
strategies and plans that will affect their operations. Participants must act to secure and maintain the
confidence of others, thereby creating an atmosphere of respect and good will.
2. Impartiality- Coordination should achieve the principle of impartiality.
3. Transparency- Coordination requires trust and trust requires transparency; the willing flow of
information and open decision making processes.

DIFFICULTIES OF COORDINATION

1. Lack of coordination and understanding between and among individuals, groups and departments.
2. Lack of good interpersonal relations.
3. Failure in accomplishing objectives according to time and work schedule.
4. Lack of direction and consequently aimless individual efforts.
5. Functioning of departments in the organization as watertight compartments.
6. Lack of initiative and loyalty towards the organization.
7. Lack of Ad hoc communication.
8. Lack of trust.
9. Personal work style differences.
10. Different background of members.

Skills to achieve effective coordination

1. Sound planning- The goals of its units must be clearly defined. Planning is the ideal stage of
coordination.
2. Effective communication- It is the key to coordination. It helps in resolving differences and in
creating mutual understanding. Personal and face to face contacts are the most effective means of
communication and coordination.
3. Effective leadership and supervision- A good leader can guide the activities of his subordinates in
the right direction and can inspire them to pull together for the accomplishment of common
objectives.
4. Proper delegation- Delegation is often required; hence delegation skills are required to get the work
done.
5. Voluntary coordination- Self-coordination is possible in a climate of dedication and mutual
cooperation. It results from team spirit among the members of the organization.
6. Evaluation skills- The evaluation skills are required to determine either the outcomes are achieved
as well as when to make adjustments.
7. Coordination through committees- Committees ensure at the problems arise out of relationship can
be solved by group decisions.

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8. Meetings- Periodic meetings are very effective in promoting the coordination, if organized
properly.

DELEGATION

Delegation is defined as transferring of responsibility to subordinates on behalf of the manager. It is

an act through which a manager gives authority to others to attain certain assignments.

Meaning

According to Moone: Delegation means delegation of power by higher officials to lower officials. It
means delegation of power by top most officer to his agent as subordinate under his control and
supervision. Legally, delegated power remains to the officers who has delegated power but
practically, it is used by agents or subordinates.

According to Terry: “Delegation means delegation of powers by executive officer or organisatory

unit to other”. It is not necessary that higher officer must delegate powers to lower official. It can be
given as under:

a. Downward- Here, higher or top level managers give power to first level managers as sales
managers to salesman.
b. Upward- Here, first level managers delegate powers to top level managers. For example share
holder to board of directors.
c. Sideward- Here power is delegated on equality basis.

Salient features

1. Not to delegate total authority.

2. Not to delegate authority which he himself does not possess.
3. Should be only for organizational purpose and not personal purpose.
4. It does not imply reduction in power.

Characteristics

1. Delegation of authority can be exercised only by higher authority.

2. Delegation can be of any kind.
3. Delegation does not mean transfer of final authority.
4. Does not involve surrender of power.

Elements of delegation

Newmann, Summer and Warren point out that duty, authority and obligation are three indispensable
features of delegation. Therefore the main elements of delegation are:

23
1. Assignment of task or duties- In the process of delegation the delegator assigns the duties. He
decides what work the subordinates is required to do. Delegation implies a prior division of work.
2. Granting of authority- It is the second step of delegation. Granting of authority refers to
conferring of rights to the subordinates to use the necessary resources to carry out task assigned.
Assignment of duties would be meaningless without granting of requisite authority. The authority
flows from top to bottom in the whole enterprise.
3. Creation of an obligation- The delegation creates an obligation i.e. the subordinate takes on an
obligation to his boss to complete the job. It is the obligation of the subordinates to satisfy his
superior that he performed his duties wisely according to the best of his abilities.

Kinds of delegation

Delegation can be divided into several categories.

(A) Thus according to its jurisdiction, delegation can be:

(1) Specific i.e. related to particular jobs or area of responsibility such as preparation of balance
sheet, installation of a machine; or

(2) General i.e., extended over a broad area such as assisting in the general management of an
enterprise, management of personnel, production and so on.

(B) According to the manner of communication, delegation can be-

(1) Verbal i.e., by word of mouth; or

(2) Written i.e., in black and white, which means that duties and authorities are laid down in written
words.

(C) On the basis of its direction, delegation can be

(1) Downward (2) upward or (3) lateral.

(1) Downward Delegation:

Generally all delegations are downward i.e., by a superior officer to his subordinates.

(2) Upward Delegation:

Sometimes, however, on the ground of personal incapacity, or lack of suitable power or resource a
subordinate may transfer back a part of his job to his superior. In practice some clever, subordinates
are in the habit of shirking responsibility by pleading ignorance or giving some other false pretext.

(3) Lateral Delegation:

24
 These are informal arrangements made by the managers concerned. In case of splintered authority
(as between three managers of equal rank) two of them can each transfer their respective authorities
to the third man who thus gets full power to perform the work.

Other kinds

1. Full delegation means complete conferment of the boss’s powers on the subordinates.
2. Partial delegation means partial conferment of the boss’s powers on the subordinates
3. Conditional delegation is subject to boss’s right to confirm or revise the action by the subordinate.
4. Unconditional delegation is free from reservation.
5. Formal delegation means when it is not formally written.
6. Informal delegation means when it is formally written.

Principles of delegation

1. Determine what you will delegate. Effective delegation begins with defining your
responsibilities. Write down all of your activities and responsibilities. Review your master list and
categorize all of the items into two secondary lists: things you alone must do and things that others
could do or help you complete. Anything that falls into the second list presents an opportunity for
delegation.

2. Choose the right person to delegate the task to. Andrew Carnegie said, "The secret to success
lies not in doing your own work, but in recognizing the right person to do it." The key to finding the
right person to delegate an assignment to is matching skills and attitude to the task at hand.

3. Clarify the desired results. When the results are clear, it allows the employee to use his or her
own creativity and resources to accomplish the task. An added benefit of effective delegation is the
individual may find a better and more effective way to accomplish the task or achieve the desired
results.

4. Clearly define the employee's responsibility and authority as it relates to the delegated task.
Clearly communicate the expectation, responsibilities, and timeline. Be sure to ask the employee to
share his or her understanding.

5. Establish a follow up meeting or touch points. The follow up meetings should be focused on
two things-monitoring progress and determining the need for assistance. The number of follow up
meetings will vary based on the scope of the task or project and whether the employee is new or a
long term member of the department.

Other principles

1. Should be written and specific.

2. Authority and responsibility should be equal.
3. Should be properly planned and exercised.
4. Right person should be chosen.

25
5. Good reporting system should be established.
6. Should have certain objectives to get certain results.
7. Superiors should be ready to give support and guidance.
8. Overall responsibility lies with the superior.

Symptoms of poor delegation

1. Dissatisfied subordinates.
2. Disorganized efforts.
3. Long queue in front of boss office.
4. Boss always busy.
5. Boss carrying big suitcase.
6. Work never completed in time.
7. Constant time pressure.
8. Hold up of activities due to pending orders from boss.

Benefits of delegation of authority

1. Delegation of authority reduces the burden of work of the executives.

2. Delegation brings coordination of the various managerial activities of the executives.
3. Delegation boosts up the morale of the employees as they feel more involved in the functioning of
the business.
4. Delegation provides opportunity for the development and training of young executives.
5. It encourages opportunities for division of labour.
6. Delegation prompts quick decision making.
7. Delegation of authority creates organizational framework i.e. it creates superior subordinates
relationships which is an essential feature for creation of organizational framework.

Obstacles or difficulties in delegation

Outwardly delegation may seem to be a simple process yet in practice many difficulties or obstacles
may crop up in the way of delegation of authority. These difficulties arise due to many reasons some
of which are discussed below:

1. On the part of the boss or the supervisor

a. Feeling on the part of the boss that he can do better - Some executives tend to think that they can
perform the job in a much better way than the other employees. This feeling of perfectionism stops
them from delegating the authority.
b. Inability of the boss- Another obstacle in the way of delegation of authority is inability on the part
of the boss or executive to identify and communicate the essential features of his plans.
c. Lack of confidence in the ability of the subordinates - If the boss has little or no confidence in the
ability of the subordinates then he may hesitate in delegating the authority to his subordinates.

26
d. Lack of control- In cases, where the executive has practically no means of knowing of serious
difficulties in the organization in advance, the executive in charge of operation may hesitate in
delegating authority.
e. Cautious and conservative attitude- The conservative and cautious attitude of the supervisor
generally acts as an obstacle in the way of delegation of authority. In risky projects, the supervisor
may not like to delegate the authority to the subordinates.
2. On the part of subordinates
Sometimes, the supervisors are willing to delegate the authority to the subordinate but subordinates
on their part are not fully capable and avoid shouldering responsibilities due to the following
reasons:
a. Fear of criticism- Sometimes, the subordinate for even small mistake of his, would go in for
uncharitable criticism; he would avoid accepting the authority even though the supervisor is
prepared to delegate authority to him.
b. Dependence on the superior for decisions- If the subordinate finds it easier to ask the boss for
taking decisions while tackling problems he may be reluctant in accepting authority even though the
boss may be prepared to delegate it.
c. Fear of failure- The fear of failure demotivates the subordinates to accept the authority even though
the boss may be ready to delegate the authority. This usually happens to those subordinates who
have low self-confidence.
d. Inadequacy of incentives- The subordinate may be reluctant to accept the work delegated to him by
the superior if he is of the opinion that his effort would be properly rewarded in the form of pay
increase or improved opportunity for promotion, personal recognition or appreciation by the boss.
e. Lack of information and resources to do a good job- If the subordinate is of the opinion that he does
not possess the requisite information and resource to perform the job the best of his ability, he may
be unwilling to accept the authority.
3. On the part of organization
a. Inadequate control mechanism in the organization.
b. Improper and unclear organizational structure.
c. No clear cut planning of policy.
d. No compliance of principle of unity of command.

Methods of removing the obstacles

1. Strong and well defined organization should be present.

2. Clear and definite goals should be established so that the subordinate knows why his work is both
necessary and important.
3. Proper incentives in the form of increased wages, promotion reorganization etc. motivate the
employees. Such incentives help make delegation of authority more effective.
4. Better delegation can be secured by establishing adequate controls to enable the subordinates to
know measure and evaluate his performance.

27
5. Delegation is a difficult process and can be simplified by providing training to the subordinate in
accepting delegation.
6. Requiring completed work of the subordinates by making clear cut assignments, specifying what
coordination is necessary for the proper completion of work, specifying information regarding
progress required to be submitted, providing guidance to the subordinate etc.
7. Strict compliance and adherence to the principle of delegation like parity of authority and
responsibility, unity of command and absoluteness of accountability is essential for achieving better
delegation.

Delegation of responsibility in nursing services

At the managerial level the responsibilities in hospital nursing services are categorized into two
broad headings.
 Administrative
 Supervisory

The activities related to administration are carried out by the nurse administrators and
supervisory activities by middle level nurse administrators designated as nursing sisters/ward sisters.
These responsibilities are however are carried out by them usually in the morning hours but for
evening and night hours, these responsibilities are delegated to some extent.

In most of the hospitals, nursing administrators work from 8 am to 2 pm or up to 4 pm in morning

hours depending upon the policy of the organization/state for timing schedule. Thereafter, nursing
sisters handle the administrative problems if arises; otherwise routine administrative problems are
solved by the nurse administrators only. The supervisory activities are carried out by nursing sisters
during morning hours in their respective units.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Deepak K, Sarath C. A comprehensive textbook on nursing management. 1 stedi. Bangalore:

EMMESS medical publishers. 2013; Pp- 44-48
2. Jogindra V. Principles and practice of nursing management and administration. 1 stedi. New delhi:
Jaypee publishers. 2013; Pp- 153,271
3. KumariN. A textbook of management of nursing services and education. 3 rdedi. Jalandhar: pee vee
publishers. 2011; Pp-248-349
4. Masih S. essentials of nursing management in service and education. 1 st ed. Jalandhar : lotus
publishers. 2011; Pp-147-55
5. Education and Communication for Developmentbooks.google.co.in/books?isbn=8120400305

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