MANAGEMENT

The term ‘management’ from an organisation perspective, has been variously described as follows (Olusegun, 2015):

• the execution of policy, within the limits set up by the administration, and the employment of the organisation for the particular objects before it (Sheldom, 1923) in Olusegun (op cit);
• a social process that entails responsibility for the effective and economic planning and regulation of an enterprise in fulfilment of a given purpose or task, such responsibility involving judgement and decision in determining plans and the development of procedure to monitor performance and progress against plans; and the guidance, integration, motivation and supervision of the personnel composing the enterprise and carrying out its operations (Breech, 1953) in Olusegun (op cit);
• the coordination of human and material resources and that the successful accomplishment of this goal is towards achieving an objective via technique, or combination of techniques, through people, and through organisation (Kast & Ziveig, 1965) in Olusegun (op cit);
• As indicated by Deverell (1973) in Olusegun (op cit), management ensures the survival of business and that its strategic role in this regard may include seeking new ideas and scrupulously tries to assess its efficiency.
• the science of organisation and operation, or at the practical level, the act of directing and conducting affairs. This definition sees management as a ‘science’ as well as an ‘art’ concerned with directing and conducting the affairs of employees, and the use of resources using empirical facts, well thought out, imaginative ideas and judgement to achieve management goals (Thorncroft, 1976) in Olusegun (op cit)
• the selection of goals, planning, organisation, coordination and control of the necessary resources for their achievements (Allsopp, 1979) in Olusegun (op cit);
• Drucker (1979) viewed management as a multi-dimensional and dynamic concept because its problems and their solutions have consequences in several dimensions, particularly the human, economic, social and political dimensions and that management aimed at making resources productive.
• According to Lee (1981) in Olusegun (op cit), management transcends the traditional boundaries of narrowly defined disciplines; it is an interdisciplinary field. The Department of the US Army (1987, p.1) in Olusegun (op cit) opined that good management becomes essential as this will help:
• minimise unnecessary construction and maintenance costs
• minimise energy and other operating costs that may result from heating and cooling poorly used space.
• ensure an equitable distribution of available resources to all units and activities at an installation.
• However, the seemingly all-embracing definition of management was advanced by Stapleton (1986) in Olusegun (op cit); he defines it as –

“…  a process, which formulates strategic plans by defining corporate aims and objectives in the short, medium and long term: coordinates resources and action within a tactical plan, prepares performance criteria, monitors and regularly reviews performance and procedures with a view to improving the system for better achievement of goals”.

• Furthermore, Weihvich, et al (1994) described management as a process of designing and maintaining an environment in which individuals could actively work together and efficiently accomplish the selected management goals. Weihvich et al (op cit) in Olusegun (op cit) stated further that:
• As managers, people carry out the managerial functions of planning, organising, staffing, leading, coordinating and controlling.
• Management applies to any kind of business or organisation.
• It applies to managers at every level of an organisation.
• The aim of all managers is the same: to create a surplus
• Management is concerned with productivity: this implies effectiveness and efficiency.

Stapleton (1994) in Olusegun (op cit) argued that management of any type, whether of property or of any other resources or processes, is concerned with what happened between the main decision making structure, whether it be the board of a company, trustee, or appointed commission or an elected authority, and the performance of the operational task. Furthermore, Stapleton (op cit) buttressed that management is at two levels, namely – the upper arm of management and the lower part. The upper arm sees to the formulation and implementation of policies, laws or rules (i.e. the strategic level of management), which are then executed by the lower arm (i.e. the operational level of management). The upper arm ensures that any default in adhering to the established rules and regulations, such law breaker is made to face the consequence – thus, these two arms of management harmoniously work together to achieve the set goal of the organisation concerned and thereby able to optimise the returns of the stakeholders. However, the middle level management (i.e. the tactical level) is expected to play vital roles in this arrangement – these would include policy transmission, interpretation, implementation, supervision and feedback to the upper arm.  This vital link is missing in Stapleton propositions.

From these definitions/descriptions, it could be inferred that management is concerned with what happens between the main decision-making structure and the performance of the operational task. The ultimate goal in the performance of this function is to generate a given level of output with a minimum possible consumption of available resources within a given time period. Furthermore, it could be deduced that the term ‘management’ has many connotations and implications; namely: 

• achieving an objective or set goals;
• converting policy into action;
• the task of setting an objective and planning toward its achievement;
• ordering and proper utilisation of the available resources to ensure efficiency;
• motivating labour force to engender effectiveness and productivity; and
• exercising control by checking performance against the set plan in order to avoid deviation from the set goals.

Furthermore, it could be inferred that management is a process that enables work to be done to approved standards and that there is virtually no human activity that is not entrenched in management. The goal of management could be described as the determination of the required standards, the formulation of workable plans, the identification and specification of the necessary works, estimation of the cost of such works, organise the execution of such work, cost control, performance and quality control in a manner that will ensure the proper utilisation of the organisation resources. The effective execution of these responsibilities will entail the policy formulation and the establishment of procedures to ensure adherence to plans as well as the provision of guidance, ensuring proper integration, and the supervision of the personnel in a bid to ensure the effective implementation of agreed plans and policies. According to Iyagba (2005) in Olusegun (op cit), the quality of management personnel is congruent on the quality of decisions taken and how effectively they were implemented, as it impacts positively on the facility being maintained and the users respectively.

Reference

Olusegun, K. (2015). Critical examination of facilities management in housing: A study of housing estates in Lagos State, Nigeria. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the University of Bolton for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.