Page 289 - DCOM102_DMGT101_PRINCIPLES_AND_PRACTICES_OF_MANAGEMENT

Unit 16: Controlling

16.2 Relationship between Planning and Control Notes

By now it is quite clear that there are two crucial aspects to the management of any project –
'planning' and 'control'. These are essential functions for every successful manager – without
them, projects are generally not successful, not completed on time, or cost more than they
should! The successful manager must always ensure that projects are based on excellent plans
and followed by good control during implementation.
'Planning' is the setting of realistic goals and choosing effective ways to achieve these goals.
Goals must be understandable, achievable and able to be assessed! If a goal is not clear, it cannot
be assessed and, hence, it cannot be managed. If a goal is unrealistic, any plan will also be
unrealistic and, therefore, unlikely to succeed. The successful manager must ensure that a project's
plan is clearly defined and realistic.
'Control' is the process by which the manager ensures that all actions are consistent with the
plan - all actions are, therefore, directed at achieving the stated goals. 'Control' is the systematic
effort of comparing performance to plans.
"Planning is required at the very outset of management whereas control is required at the last
stages. If planning is looking ahead, control is looking back."
Control and planning are interrelated so closely that they cannot be separated from each other.
Without control all the planning is fruitless because control consists of the steps taken to ensure
that the performance of the organisation conforms to the plans.

In other words control is concerned with the actual performance in relation to the standards set
in advance and the correction of deviations to ensure attainment of objectives. Planning is
required at the very outset of management whereas control is required at the last stages.
If planning is looking ahead, control is looking back. In fact, control is the process of checking to
determine whether or not proper progress is being made towards the objectives and goals set by
management while doing planning.
Often it is said that planning is the basis, action is the essence, delegation is the key, information
is the guide and control is the lifeblood of the success of any business enterprise. Organisational
objectives cannot be achieved without planning and planning alone cannot be successful. If extra
efforts are put in planning and control is ignored, a business may suffer from a number of
administrative problems. These difficulties may be highly detrimental for the business in the
long run.
Effective control through efficient superiors can only be a guarantee for success. The control
system must be appropriate to the needs and circumstances of the enterprise.

Control is a fundamental management function that ensures work accomplishment according
to plans. The purpose of control is to ensure that everything in an organisation occurs in conformity
with pre-determined plans. Control also ensures that there is no kind of indiscipline and
incompetence in the organisation and employees are not able to put undue pressure on the
management.
Some people are not in favor of control because they feel that control is always used against the
employees. They advocate automatic control rather than forced one. But a balanced viewpoint is
that both the management and the employees should be put under some kind of control. Control
should be engrained in the basic policies of any type of business organisation.

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