FEATURES OR CHARACTERISTICS OF CO-ORDINATION

An analysis of the above definitions indicates that co-ordination has certain characteristics. They are,

1.   

2.    It provides unity o faction in pursuit of a common purpose. Unity of action is considered to be the heart of the co-ordination process

3.    It aims at achieving the common purpose of the enterprise through the orderly synchronization of the efforts of the subordinates.

4.    It is a process whereby an executive develops an orderly pattern of group efforts for accomplishing the common objectives of the enterprise.

5.    The task of co-ordination is a managerial responsibility; co-ordination can be made effective only if an executive makes conscious efforts

6.    It is a continuous process

STEPS Or PROCESS OF CO-ORDINATION.

Co-ordination cannot be achieved through orders. It is a process which can be achieved through managerial functions. It is a by-product of good management. When all the functions are carried out properly then co-ordination will come by itself. Co-ordination may be achieved through following processes:

Through Planning: The planning is the elementary stage of achieving co-ordination. When various functions are properly planned and various policies are integrated then co-ordination will be easily achieved. If the production manager is to plan for his development then it will be better to consult purchase manager, personnel manager, finance manager, sales manager also. When production is planned with the consent of other concerned managers then co-ordination takes place at planning level. If other managers feel some difficulties then they will explain it and mutually accepted decisions will resolve the differences. Co-ordination can certainly be achieved at planning stage. According to Mary. Follett, planning stage is the ideal time to bring about co-ordination and they must see to it that various plans are properly inter-related.

1.    Through Organization: Co-ordination is an essential part of organization. Money considers co-ordination as the very essence of organization. When a manager groups and assigns various activities to subordinates, the thought of co-ordination will be upper most in this mind. The related activities are placed together to avoid delays & confusions.

2.    Through Directing: When a manager directs his subordinates he will be coordinating their work. He will give them directions, guidelines and instructions for doing a job assigned to them. He will direct in such a way that the achievement of overall organizational objectives is ensures

3.    Through Controlling: The manager is required to control the work of everyone in the organization so that all efforts are directed towards main goals. There may be instances when performance of subordinates is not up to the mark or it is not in the direction in which it should have been. The manager will take corrective measures as and when required.

4.    Through Staffing: The staffing function can also help in proper coordination. While staffing, the manager should keep in mind the nature of jobs and the type of persons required for managing, them. He should- ensure the right number of executives in various positions for proper performance of their functions. The executives are of such a .quality or are given such a training that they are able to co-operate and co-ordinate their efforts.

5.    Through proper communication: Effective communication is of utmost importance for achieving better co-ordination. There should be a regular flow of information among various persons so that they are given required information for proper co-ordination. The personal contact is the most effective type of communication. Other methods like reports, procedures, bulletins, etc., can also be used properly.

What is Coordination ?

MEANING

Co-ordination is the process of synchronizing activities of various persons in the organization in order to achieve goals. Co-ordination undertaken at every level of management. At the top level the chief executive will co-ordinate the activities of functional or departmental managers. If there is lack of co-ordination between production and sales departments then either production will suffer or sales will suffer. Similarly I personnel department will like to know the manpower needs of various departments. No department will be able to function with a proper co-ordination with finance department. At middle/lower levels of management the deputy managers / foreman / supervisors will co-ordinate the work of persons working under them. The purpose of co-ordination is to create team work and harmony in the enterprise. It is the blending of human efforts in order to achieve better organization goals.

Co-ordination crease a mental awareness among all employees and their efforts are directed in unison. An organization is like a human body. As various parts o the body combine together to do a work, similarly the different segments of the organization should work in unison so that task is completed in a better way.

DEFINITIONS

A number of authors have defined co-ordination differently. The views of some of them are given here in order to know its exact nature.

HENRY FAYOL: "To co-ordinate is to harmonize all the activities of a person in order to facilitate its working and its success." Co-ordination is necessary to enable a person to improve his functioning. Without co-ordination, working cannot be harmonized.

ORDWAY TEAD: "Co-ordination is the effort to assure a smooth interplay of the functions and forces of all the different component parts of an organization to the end that its purpose win be realize with minimum of friction and maximum of collaboration effectiveness." The purpose of the co-ordination is to synchronize the functions of various departments for achieving organizational goals with minimum efforts

WHAT IS Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) & Critical Path Method (CPM) ? 

PERT: It is useful at several stages & project management starting from early planning stages when various alternative programmes have been considered to the schedule place, when time and resources schedules are laid              to final stage in operation, when used as control device to measure actual against plant programmes. It is useful completing a project on schedule (time) by co-ordinating different jobs involved in its completion.

Feed Back – Control:

It is a system & controlling which tries to rectify the deviations after they have occurred. It is like a post-mortem analysis which aims at identifying the point & cause of deviation.

Feed Forward – Control

It tries to prevent the deviations rather than correcting them, critical areas are identified at the planning stage itself where deviations may occur and special care is taken to avoid such deviations. The approach is diagnostic rather than post-mortem.

    Human Resources Accounting: The American Accounting Association has defined human resources accounting as “the process of identifying and measuring data about human resources and communicating this information to interested parties”.

    Responsibility Accounting: Responsibility Accounting is defined as “a system designed to accumulate and report costs by individual levels of responsibility. Each supervisory area is charged only with the cost for which it is responsible and over which it has control.”