Monday, 17 May 2021

Departmentation, Authority, Responsibility, Span of Control & FORMS OF OWNERSHIPS (IEM Mgt 17May 2021)

Departmentation

Departmentation means division of work into smaller units and their re-grouping into bigger units (departments) based on similarity of features.

 

As the organization grows in size, the work is divided into units and sub-units. Departments are created and activities of similar nature are grouped in one unit. Each department is headed by a person known as departmental manager.

 

Departmentation, thus, helps in expanding an organization and promotes efficiency by dividing the work on the basis of specialization of activities and appointing people in various departments on the basis of their specialized knowledge.

 

“Departmentalization is the grouping of jobs, processes and resources into logical units to perform some organizational tasks.”

 

Centralization is a process where the concentration of decision making is in a few hands. All the important decision and actions at the lower level, are subject to the approval of top management.

According to Allen, “Centralization” is the systematic and consistent reservation of authority at central points in the organization.

 

The implication of centralization can be: -

1. Reservation of decision-making power at top level.

2. Reservation of operating authority with the middle level managers.

3. Reservation of operation at lower level at the directions of the top level.

 

Decentralization is a systematic delegation of authority at all levels of management and in all the organization. In a decentralization concern, authority in retained by the top management for taking major decisions. Rest of the authority may be delegated to the middle level and lower level of management.

According to Allen, “Decentralization refers to the systematic effort to delegate to the lowest level of authority except that which can be controlled and exercised at central points.

 

Definitions of Authority:

Authority is the power to make decisions which guide the action of another. It is a relationship between two individuals—one of them superior, and the other a subordinate. The superior frames and transmits decisions, with the expectation that the subordinates will accept and comply with them. The subordinate expects such decisions, and his behaviour is determined by them.

Authority means a formal, institutional, or legal power in a particular job, function or position that empowers the holder of that job, function or position to successfully perform his task.

 

Meaning of Responsibility:

Responsibility can be defined as an obligation (kartavy) of a subordinate to perform the duties assigned to him.

Thus, the responsibility is the obligation to perform certain functions and achieve results. It is the liability for proper discharge of duties. According to Koontz and O’Donnell “the obligation of a subordinate to whom a duty has been assigned to perform the duty”.


Span of Control

refers to the number of subordinates under the manager's direct control. As an example, a manager with five direct reports has a span of control of five.

In a classical type of organizational structure, which is the most common form, the effectiveness and efficiency of operations is determined by the number of people under direct supervision of a manager. For most effective operations, it is necessary to have the optimum number of subordinates to supervise.


FORMS OF OWNERSHIPS

The different types of business ownership are: - 1. Single Ownership (Private Undertaking). 2. Partnership. 3. Joint Stock Company 4. Cooperative Organization (Or Societies) 5. Public Sector 6. Private Sector.

1. Single Ownership (Proprietorship):

A business owned by one man is called single ownership. Single ownership does well for those enterprises which require little capital and lend themselves readily to control by one person.

Examples of enterprises run by single owner are printing press, auto repair shop, wood working plant, a small fabrication shop, retail trades, service industries and small engineering firms etc. In single ownership, one person contributes the original assets to start the business, maintains and controls business operations, enjoy full benefit in terms of profit and is fully liable for all debts associated with the business.

 

2. Partnership:

A single owner becomes inadequate as the size of the business enterprise grows. He may not be able to do away with all the duties and responsibilities of the grown business. At this stage, the individual owner may wish to associate with him more persons who have either capital to invest or possess special skill and knowledge to make the existing business still more profitable.

Such a combination of individual traders is called Partnership. Partnership may be defined as the relation between persons who have agreed to share the profits of a business carried on by all or any of them acting for all.

Partnership is an association of two or more (up to 20) persons to carry on as co-owners of a business for profit.

Partnerships are based upon a partnership agreement.

 

3. Joint Stock Company:

A joint stock company is an Association of individuals, called shareholders, who join for profit and agree to supply capital divided into shares that are transferable for carrying on a specific business. A joint stock company consists of more than 20 persons for carrying any business other than the banking business.

These persons give a name to the company, mention the purpose for which it is formed, and state the nature and the amount of capital (shares) to be issued, etc., and submit the proposal to the Registrar of Companies. As the registrar issues a certificate in this connection, the company starts operating. The managing body of a joint stock company is Board of Directors elected by the shareholders.

4. Cooperative Organization (Or Societies):

Cooperative organization is a kind of voluntary, democratic ownership formed by some moti­vated individuals for obtaining necessities of everyday life at rates less than those of the market. The principle behind the cooperative is that of cooperation and self-help. E.g. Women Self Help Groups at village, AMUL

It is a form of private ownership which contains features of large partnership as well as some features of the corporation. The main aim of the cooperative is to eliminate profit and provide goods and services to the members of the cooperative at cost.

Members pay fees or buy shares of the cooperative, and profits are periodically redistributed to them. Since each member has only one vote (unlike in joint stock companies), this avoids the concen­tration of control in a few hands.

In a cooperative, there are shareholders, a board of directors and the elected officers similar to the corporation. There are periodic meetings of shareholders, also. Special laws deal with the formation and taxation of cooperatives.


5. Public Sector:

Public enterprises are controlled and operated by the Government to produce and supply goods and services required by the society. Ultimate control of public enterprises remains with the state and the state runs it with a service motto. Public enterprises are controlled and operated by the Government either solely or in association with private enterprises.

Public sectors are accountable in terms of their results to Parliament and State Legislature. A public enterprise is seldom as efficient as a private enterprise; wastage and inefficiency can seldom be reduced to a minimum.

 

6. Government Sector:

The government Sector consists of the following resident institutional units: all units of central, state, or local government; all social security funds at each level of government; all non-market non-profit institutions that are controlled and financed by government units.

 

7Private Sector:

Private sector serves personal interests and is a non-government sector. Profit (rather than service) is the main objective. Private sector constitutes mainly consumer’s goods industries where profit possibilities are high. Private sector does not undertake risky ventures or those having low-profit margin. Private enterprises are run by businessmen, capital is collected from the private partners.

 

 

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