Co-ordination is very essential in management. Business has various functions. These functions are performed by different individuals. Moreover, performance of these functions requires division of work and grouping of activities and making decisions at different levels. All these necessitate co-ordination for attaining the desired goals. Co-ordination is concerned with synchronizing, integrating or unifying all the group actions in an enterprise to achieve its objectives. It is a process by which the manager achieves harmonious group efforts and unity of actions through balancing the activities of different individuals and groups of individuals and reconciling their differences in interest or approach, for the attainment of common goals.
“Co-ordination is the process whereby an executive develops an orderly pattern of group efforts among his subordinates and secures unity of actions in the pursuit of a common purpose.”
What Principles should be followed for Effective Co-ordination?
For achieving effective co-ordination, the following fundamental principles are to be followed:
1. Direct Contact:
This principle believes in direct contact. It states that managers should directly contact their subordinates. Thus, it will help in building good relations for managers with their subordinates. Also, because of this principle, any misunderstanding will be avoided. Misinterpretations and disputes will be avoided between the subordinates and the managers. Direct contact is an effective means of co-ordination.
2. Early Beginning:
Co-ordination can be achieved more readily at the initial stages of planning and policy-making. This principle states that coordination must start at a very early stage. So, in the management process, this is very vital. Thus, it can be said that this should start at the planning stage. So, this will ensure that the best plans are made. Also, it is necessary to implement these plans successfully. Therefore, direct contact must begin in the very early stages of the process.
3. Continuity:
Co-ordination must be maintained as a continuous process. It starts from planning and ends when the objective is accomplished. Whenever there is division and distribution of functions among the managers and departments, co-ordination is necessary. Every time a new situation arises, a fresh effort of co-ordination is needed. So, the manager must constantly work at it until the purpose is served.
4. Reciprocal Relationship:
Co-ordination should be regarded as a reciprocal relating to all factors in a situation, viz. production, sales, finance, men, and management. For example, when ‘P’ works with ‘Q’ and ‘Q’ in turn, works with ‘R’ and ‘S’ each of the four finds himself influenced by the others. Thus, the actions and decisions of one department or the person will affect other departments and people in the organization.
5. Pervasiveness:
Co-ordination is an all-embracing activity in every management function. It is required in all the activities at every level of the organisation. It is to be exercised both within and outside the organisation.
6. Leadership:
Leadership is the most effective element of co-ordination. A leader in a group is the coordinator of the group activities. He harmonizes all efforts of persons in the group. A manager does not himself produce anything nor does he sell anything in the market. He gets the commodities produced by the workers and gets them sold in the market by the salesmen. In fact, he provides leadership and co-ordinates various functions.
7. Timing:
Timing is an important element of co-ordination. This principle points out that all functions in the enterprise are to be done at the same time and at the same speed. If the purchase department purchases and supplies materials timely to the production department, and if the production is done timely, then the sales department can deliver the commodities to the customers within the scheduled time.
8. Balancing:
This principle refers to the quantitative element of co-ordination. It means that all works are to be done in right quantity. For instance, if a department produces half, another one-third and the third the full quantity, their activities cannot be balanced. They have to perform their job in right quantity for achieving co-ordination of their jobs.
9. Integrating:
All activities, decisions and opinions are to be integrated to achieve the enterprise objective. For integration what is necessary is that all men and departments must perform their jobs at the right time. For example, if all the parts of a machine are manufactured by the different departments at the right time, they can be assembled within the specific time. Assembling the parts of the machine is a coordinating function.
10. Effective communication:
Coordination in the organization will be achieved only if there is a presence of effective communication. So, there should be good communication present between all the different departments in an organization.
Conclusion:
Coordination is the process that ensures smooth interplay. This is between the forces and functions of different component parts of the organization. Thus, its purpose is gain by maximum collaborative effectiveness and minimum friction.