School Management

Meaning of School Management:
Management simply means the practical measures which we take to ensure that the system of work which we use will be of the greatest possible assistance in carrying out our aims, and of the greatest possible benefit to our children.
Management may be composed primarily of persons, of materials, of ideas, of concepts, symbols, forms, rules, principles or more often, or a combination of these.
Management may be regarded as the agency by which we achieve the desired objective.
Management deals with making systematic arrangements so that the purpose of the entire programme can be achieved. Management means an organised body or system or structure or arrangement or framework which is undertaken for ensuring unity of effort, efficiency, goodwill and proper use of resources.
Aspects of Management
Management of a school has four aspects:
Management of Material Equipment
This includes material things, i.e., furniture and equipment, etc.
Management of School Plant
This includes school building, laboratories, playground etc.
Management of Human Equipment
This implies mobilisation of all people who are involved and interested in the educational activities of the school, i.e., pupils and their parents, school staff, experts, board of management etc.
Management of Ideas and Principles
This means organisation of ideas and principles into school system, curriculum, time schedule, norms of achievement, co-curricular activities.
Objectives of School Management
School management is the embodiment of a spirit and of an ideal. School management should enable different limbs of the school organism "to function harmoniously in happy coordination blending themselves into a composite personality like the different rivulets which join together."
Objectives of School Management
From the Point of View of Society
Broadly speaking the school should be managed for the following objectives:
1. Consolidation of spiritual strength of the society.
2. Maintaining the historic continuity of the society.
3. Securing the past achievements of the society.
4. Guaranteeing the future of the society.
Objectives of School Management from the Point of View of the Pupil
A school should be managed
1. To train his faculties.
2. To widen his outlook.
3. To cultivate his mind.
4. To form and strength his character.
5. To develop and cultivate his aesthetic faculty.
6. To build up his body and give him health and strength.
7. To teach his duty to himself, the community and the state

Difference between Co-ordination & Co-operation

Co-ordination is an orderly arrangement of efforts to provide unity of action in the fulfillment of common objective whereas co-operation denotes collective efforts of persons working in an enterprise voluntarily for the achievement of a particular purpose. It is the willingness of individuals to help each other. Co-ordination is an effort to integrate effectively energies of different groups whereas co-operation is sort to achieve general objectives of business. Though these two are synonymous but they are different as below:

Differences between Co-ordination and Co-operation

Basis	Co-ordination	Co-operation
Meaning	It is an orderly arrangement of group efforts in pursuit of common goals.	It means mutual help willingly.
Scope	It is broader than co-operation which includes as well because it harmonizes the group efforts.	It is termed as a part of co-ordination.
Process	The function of co-ordination is performed by top management.	The functions of co-operation are prepared by persons at any level.
Requirements	Co-ordination is required by employees and departments at work irrespective of their work.	Co-operation is emotional in nature because it depends on the willingness of people working together.
Relationship	It establishes formal and informal relationships.	It establishes informal relationship.
Freedom	It is planned and entrusted by the central authority & it is essential.	It depends upon the sweet will of the individuals and therefore it is not necessary.
Support	It seeks wholehearted support from various people working at various levels.	Co-operation without co-ordination is fruitless & therefore it may lead to unbalanced developments.

Therefore, existence of co-operation may prove to be effective condition or requisite for co-ordination. But it does not mean that co-ordination originates automatically from the voluntary efforts of the group of members. It has to be achieved through conscious & deliberate efforts of managers, therefore to conclude we can say that co-operation without co-ordination has no fruit and co-ordination without co-operation has no root.

Differences between Management and Administration

The difference between Management and Administration can be summarized under 2 categories: -

1. Functions
2. Usage / Applicability

On the Basis of Functions: -

Basis	Management	Administration
Meaning	Management is an art of getting things done through others by directing their efforts towards achievement of pre-determined goals.	It is concerned with formulation of broad objectives, plans & policies.
Nature	Management is an executing function.	Administration is a decision-making function.
Process	Management decides who should as it & how should he dot it.	Administration decides what is to be done & when it is to be done.
Function	Management is a doing function because managers get work done under their supervision.	Administration is a thinking function because plans & policies are determined under it.
Skills	Technical and Human skills	Conceptual and Human skills
Level	Middle & lower level function	Top level function

On the Basis of Usage: -

Basis	Management	Administration
Applicability	It is applicable to business concerns i.e. profit-making organization.	It is applicable to non-business concerns i.e. clubs, schools, hospitals etc.
Influence	The management decisions are influenced by the values, opinions, beliefs & decisions of the managers.	The administration is influenced by public opinion, govt. policies, religious organizations, customs etc.
Status	Management constitutes the employees of the organization who are paid remuneration (in the form of salaries & wages).	Administration represents owners of the enterprise who earn return on their capital invested & profits in the form of dividend.

Practically, there is no difference between management & administration. Every manager is concerned with both - administrative management function and operative management function as shown in the figure. However, the managers who are higher up in the hierarchy denote more time on administrative function & the lower level denote more time on directing and controlling worker’s performance i.e. management.

Functions of Management

Management has been described as a social process involving responsibility for economical and effective planning & regulation of operation of an enterprise in the fulfillment of given purposes. It is a dynamic process consisting of various elements and activities. These activities are different from operative functions like marketing, finance, purchase etc. Rather these activities are common to each and every manger irrespective of his level or status. Different experts have classified functions of management. According to George & Jerry, “There are four fundamental functions of management i.e. planning, organizing, actuating and controlling”. According to Henry Fayol, “To manage is to forecast and plan, to organize, to command, & to control”. Whereas Luther Gullick has given a keyword ’POSDCORB’ where P stands for Planning, O for Organizing, S for Staffing, D for Directing, Co for Co-ordination, R for reporting & B for Budgeting. But the most widely accepted are functions of management given by KOONTZ and O’DONNEL i.e. Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing and Controlling.

For theoretical purposes, it may be convenient to separate the function of management but practically these functions are overlapping in nature i.e. they are highly inseparable. Each function blends into the other & each affects the performance of others.

1.     Planning

It is the basic function of management. It deals with chalking out a future course of action & deciding in advance the most appropriate course of actions for achievement of pre-determined goals. According to KOONTZ, “Planning is deciding in advance - what to do, when to do & how to do. It bridges the gap from where we are & where we want to be”. A plan is a future course of actions. It is an exercise in problem solving & decision making. Planning is determination of courses of action to achieve desired goals. Thus, planning is a systematic thinking about ways & means for accomplishment of pre-determined goals. Planning is necessary to ensure proper utilization of human & non-human resources. It is all pervasive, it is an intellectual activity and it also helps in avoiding confusion, uncertainties, risks, wastages etc.

2.     Organizing

It is the process of bringing together physical, financial and human resources and developing productive relationship amongst them for achievement of organizational goals. According to Henry Fayol, “To organize a business is to provide it with everything useful or its functioning i.e. raw material, tools, capital and personnel’s”. To organize a business involves determining & providing human and non-human resources to the organizational structure. Organizing as a process involves:

·         Identification of activities.

·         Classification of grouping of activities.

·         Assignment of duties.

·         Delegation of authority and creation of responsibility.

·         Coordinating authority and responsibility relationships.

3.     Staffing

It is the function of manning the organization structure and keeping it manned. Staffing has assumed greater importance in the recent years due to advancement of technology, increase in size of business, complexity of human behavior etc. The main purpose o staffing is to put right man on right job i.e. square pegs in square holes and round pegs in round holes. According to Kootz & O’Donell, “Managerial function of staffing involves manning the organization structure through proper and effective selection, appraisal & development of personnel to fill the roles designed un the structure”. Staffing involves:

·         Manpower Planning (estimating man power in terms of searching, choose the person and giving the right place).

·         Recruitment, Selection & Placement.

·         Training & Development.

·         Remuneration.

·         Performance Appraisal.

·         Promotions & Transfer.

4.     Directing

It is that part of managerial function which actuates the organizational methods to work efficiently for achievement of organizational purposes. It is considered life-spark of the enterprise which sets it in motion the action of people because planning, organizing and staffing are the mere preparations for doing the work. Direction is that inert-personnel aspect of management which deals directly with influencing, guiding, supervising, motivating sub-ordinate for the achievement of organizational goals. Direction has following elements:

·         Supervision

·         Motivation

·         Leadership

·         Communication

Supervision- implies overseeing the work of subordinates by their superiors. It is the act of watching & directing work & workers.

Motivation- means inspiring, stimulating or encouraging the sub-ordinates with zeal to work. Positive, negative, monetary, non-monetary incentives may be used for this purpose.

Leadership- may be defined as a process by which manager guides and influences the work of subordinates in desired direction.

Communications- is the process of passing information, experience, opinion etc from one person to another. It is a bridge of understanding.

5.     Controlling

It implies measurement of accomplishment against the standards and correction of deviation if any to ensure achievement of organizational goals. The purpose of controlling is to ensure that everything occurs in conformities with the standards. An efficient system of control helps to predict deviations before they actually occur. According to Theo Haimann, “Controlling is the process of checking whether or not proper progress is being made towards the objectives and goals and acting if necessary, to correct any deviation”. According to Koontz & O’Donell “Controlling is the measurement & correction of performance activities of subordinates in order to make sure that the enterprise objectives and plans desired to obtain them as being accomplished”. Therefore controlling has following steps:

a.                   Establishment of standard performance.

b.                  Measurement of actual performance.

c.                   Comparison of actual performance with the standards and finding out deviation if any.

d.                  Corrective action.