Functions
Sarah Jones

MGT/330

Functions

The role of management is the same, whether you are a manager in a restaurant or the manager at a fortune 500 company, your role as manager is to provide guidance and resources to the individuals you manage that supports the goals of your organization. Keeping the organizations goals in mind a manager’s obligation is to remain focused on both the effectiveness and efficiencies necessary to obtain the best end results. There are four functions of management; planning, organizing, leading and controlling. The evolution of these functions have become a more inclusive dynamic rather than a top-down or silo approach. Organizations are realizing that the involvement of key stakeholders is creating a more successful and sustainable organizational structure. As a supply chain management (SCM) manager that mentality could not hold truer. Gone are the days when a supply chain department acts as a separate function from the rest of the organization. As a supply chain professional management of activities can range from purchasing, supplier auditing and qualifications, to logistics management. But that is just part of the job description, as a SCM professional you are also responsible for providing optimal customer service to your end users, and working with finance to help facilitate departmental savings. So let’s explore SCM and the four management functions.
Planning
According to (Bateman & Snell, 2007), planning is specifying the goals to be achieved and deciding in advance the appropriate actions necessary to achieve desired goals. Planning activities include analyzing current situations, anticipating the future, determining objectives, determining what types of activities the company will engage, choosing corporate and business strategies, and determining the necessary resources. Historically planning took