How do you defined management?

Answer 1

I'll take a crack at it.

Management is a practice of utilizing all available resources to obtain a desired result.

Management is necessary because 1) A desired result must be established, and 2) Someone must be delegated, or assume the authority, to obtain, organize, guide, and direct those resources toward the desired result. Someone must "manage" the entire process. For that reason, all persons involved must agree to the desired result, and even if not in total agreement with the plan being advocated, still agree to the plan so as not to consciously or unconsciously sabotage the journey.

Assuming that you are talking about management in our industry, I might expand that I've found less problems within our own companies but more problems with customers and subcontractors - all integral parts of "process" and desired "result."

The problem with subcontractors, when they occur, was because their own priorities, important or trivial, trumped "our" desired result. They just didn't care.

The problem with customers was one of two, and sometimes included both: Either they were sleazy, or they just could not grasp the significance of every single aspect of the "process" of the project.

I think it's safe to say that the success of any managed project is determined in direct ratio to the control of all resources utilized, especially human resources. In our industry, we have less control over subtrontractors, suppliers and customers than those in our own "house." And if one cannot even control one's own house, then there will never be control over anyone else's house. Management is the art of getting things done from others. Management is a universal phenomenon and it exists in all the sectors. In case of private sector the management is very transparent. The goals are properly defined and all the employees are very well aware of their goals and are rewarded well for hard work. In case of public sector, theres not that much transparency.

Answer 2

"The organization and integration of human effort into purposeful, large-scale, long-range activities." Ayn Rand "The Cashing-in: The Student 'Rebellion,'"

Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal, 261.