Theories of administrative management
The idea of what constitutes effective administrative management has changed as new theories have been developed and put to use over time. Some of the most popular theories of efficient administrative management are listed below:
Fayol’s Principles of Administrative Management
Based on his expertise as a theorist and former engineer and director of a mining company in the 1800s, Henri Fayol developed 14 administrative management principles. Considered one of the earliest theories of administrative management, Fayol’s 14 principles These principles include:
James D. Mooney’s Administrative Management Theory
James D. Mooney was an engineer and corporate executive. You may be familiar with him as one of the pioneers of managerial theory. He identified three fundamental characteristics that set organizations apart from other social entities. These include:
Based on this framework, Mooney and Alan Reiley created a systems theory of organization that gave each principle a process and an impact. His contributions to the development of administrative management theory are regarded as crucial.
Luther Gulick and the POSDCORB Theory
American political scientist Luther Gulick was an authority on public administration. He created the acronym “POSDCORB” which stands for:
He thought that if organizations approached projects with these eight components, they could manage projects more successfully. Gulick’s theory is inspired by Fayol’s 14 principles.
What is administrative management?
The act of managing a business or organization is referred to as “administrative management.” The main goal of administrative management is to develop a formal framework that promotes success for a specific company or organization. Employees in administrative management establish a hierarchy of authority, choose their primary responsibilities, distribute labor among the company’s departments, and determine their various areas of responsibility.
Strategies for effective administrative management
Some key strategies for effective administrative management include:
Budget control and cost management
This is critical for the smooth operation of any organization. An effective administrative manager must have a plan in place to manage risk, administer a budget, and communicate any variances. Implementing cost-improvement strategies like automation, waste elimination, and productivity monitoring would be a sub-strategies of budget control.
Change control and management
Managing change is never easy, not just for teams but also for individual departments. To manage the process of change, evaluate that change, budget for it, put it into practice, and make sure it is accepted by all of the organization’s departments, an administrative strategy must be in place.
Delegation
For the administrative side of any business operation, this is a fundamental requirement. Assign responsibilities among the team if you want your business to run smoothly. The levels of authority must also be clearly defined to ensure that tasks are completed promptly by those who are best suited to do so.
Goal setting
Although it is a company-wide strategy, it calls for input from the entire executive branch. There must be a strategy that outlines a specific action plan for the staff and identifies goals. The majority of organizations set goals using the SMART method: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
Leadership development
Effective administrative management includes a plan to develop leaders from within, which calls for strengthening the competencies of current team members. Planning for succession is closely related to leadership development, and both are crucial for any organization.
Performance management
Performance reviews play an important role in any organization. A sound administrative management plan would include steps that let team members know how important they are and point them in the right direction so they can all work together to reach the same goals.
Problem management
Every business, big or small, faces challenges and setbacks. Administrative management is frequently in charge of locating these issues, looking into their root causes, and coming up with solutions to address both the issue at hand as well as any negative effects it may have.
Setting standards
Typically, an organization operates under the guiding principle of delivering value to its stakeholders. To accomplish this, a set of standards must be in place to guarantee that the company’s goods and/or services are up to par and adhere to acceptable standards. An organization’s top priority should be to uphold these standards.
Team building
Using your people will help you succeed if you want to. To achieve this, implement team-building techniques to keep your team motivated. Activities that foster teamwork and loyalty to the organization are also important.
Transparency
Providing the public and employees with accurate information is one of administrative management’s responsibilities. There should be no procedures in place that would require keeping anything from the core team members or your clients secret, and all reports should be honest.
Essential skills for administrative management
An administrator is a person who oversees the actions of their team or employees and assumes responsibility for carrying out a specific organization’s or business’s goals.
You need the administrators to demonstrate some key skills if you want to improve administrative management in your workplace. These include:
Technical skills
Today’s business environment is dominated by technology. A successful administrator must be knowledgeable about and skilled in the relevant technologies for their particular market. This means that the administrator needs to be knowledgeable about technology and be able to apply it to their particular field.
Human skills
While human skill is related to working with people, technical skill is related to using things or applications. This ability includes how an administrator deals with peers, superiors, and subordinates. An effective administrator should be able to comprehend the people they work with, be open to their viewpoints and perceptions, comprehend their expectations, and recognize their areas of strength and weakness.
Human skills also include the capacity for effective communication, comprehension of and sensitivity to the needs and feelings of the people you manage or work with, and
Conceptual skills
This is the capacity to comprehend an organization and be aware of each component’s operation and relationship to other functions. Because the efficient operation of one process typically depends on the efficiency of other processes, this aids the administrator in keeping track of proper coordination.
Additionally, conceptual abilities help administrators comprehend their place in the market, the economic and market forces that influence their sector, and the impact that political and social factors can have on the success or failure of their organization.
Benefits of implementing strong administrative management strategies
Organizations are now aware of how crucial effective administrative management can be to a company’s overall success. Some key benefits of implementing strong administrative management strategies include:
Healthy financial situation
A successful administrative management strategy will guarantee that the business’s finances are effectively managed so that spending stays in check and within budget. There is no waste of money or resources, and the financial records of the business are in order. When these areas are managed well, a company’s cash flow is constant.
Maximum productivity
Good administrative management always uses the strength of the team. This includes figuring out which team members will be more adept at completing a particular task. By utilizing each team member’s strengths, there is less time wasted, more productivity, quicker results, and higher motivation throughout the team.
Facilitating achievement of goals
A successful strategy consistently advances an organization’s main objectives. The development and implementation of effective processes depend heavily on administrative management. Every initiative, rule, and course of action within a company should have the aim of achieving a predetermined goal.
Maximum employee and customer satisfaction
Effective management will result in an equitable workload distribution and higher employee motivation. Employee motivation will improve performance, which will result in happier customers and higher customer satisfaction.
Data-based decisions
Never base an administrative management strategy on a whim or an assumption. It will be created using information about the business processes. Any decisions made should be supported by information from the past, the present, and the future.
More tips for effective administrative management
Here are some final tips for effective strategic management:
Plan strategically
The administrative management team must be aware of the organization’s strategic goals in order to practice effective administrative management. When this occurs, the organization’s procedures and operations will have a direct impact on achieving those objectives.
Focus on all processes
A sound administrative management strategy will guarantee that every process is set up to produce the most results possible. To prevent losses or delays, issues and problems with business processes should be discovered quickly.
Evaluate company performance
Administration is a day-to-day function. Evaluation of an organization’s performance on a regular basis is necessary for effective administrative management. Depending on the type of industry you work in and the level of competition, this can be accomplished through biweekly, weekly, monthly, or quarterly meetings. It is crucial for administrative management and the organization itself to keep track of a company’s performance, development, and key operations.
Prioritize communication
Many businesses fail as a result of poor communication because it can undermine an organization’s operations, employees’ levels of motivation, and customers’ satisfaction levels. Additionally, a lack of communication can result in incorrect decisions being made that are often disastrous for a business. You must be good at communicating with your staff, managers, and clients if you want to succeed in administrative management.
The key to ensuring the smooth operation of a business is administrative management, so administrative managers must have a thorough understanding of all phases of the management process. No one strategy makes administrative management complete. The implementation of various strategies that are based on the mission, vision, and goals of each individual organization is necessary for effective administrative management.
11 Habits Of Highly Effective Managers! (How to improve your MANAGEMENT SKILLS!)
FAQ
How can an administrative manager be effective?
- Be the most organized person in the company. …
- Be a great communicator. …
- Be innovative at problem-solving. …
- Be empathetic. …
- Develop your negotiation skills. …
- Always work on your business knowledge. …
- A little legal knowledge goes a long way. …
- Understand emotional intelligence.
What are the examples of administrative management?
- Business planning.
- Project management.
- Finance.
- Developing budgets.
- Performing cost reduction research.
- Handling accounts recievable/payable.
- Human Resources.
- Recruiting and training Employees.
What are the three basic administrative skills?
According to this definition, three fundamental competencies—technical, human, and conceptual—appear to be necessary for successful administration.
