The four functions of management, planning, organizing,leading and controlling, have for years been the cornerstone of howorganizations operate. Global and technology changes to name a few have changedthe way organizations manage. In the future, rapid changes in technology andthe expansion of the global community will continue to have a profound impacton how organizations are managed. In this paper I will discuss the fourfunctions of management and how they will need to be adapted to the future.

 

In his book Management: Theory, Application and Practice,Gary Dessler defines planning as ?setting goals and deciding on courses ofaction?. In setting these goals, managers of the future will have many thingsto consider. One thing they will have to consider is the fast pace at whichtechnology is changing. In order to be competitive, organizations will have toknow how to take advantage of and optimize technology in their business.Another thing organizations will have to consider in planning is the changingface of their customers. With the internet, businesses have the opportunity toreach millions more customer than before. In addition to technology andglobalism, the face of America is changing as well. Just recently it has beenreported that Hispanics have surpassed Blacks as the nation's largest minority.It is apparent from this trend that the successful organizations will be theones who are able capitalize on diversity. Diverse organizations will be ableto attract and retain the best employees, clients and suppliers. This equationequals a successful business and a good corporate citizen.

 

The function of organizing will also see changes in thefuture. The traditional organizational structures will need to be adapted tothe new strategic plan to take advantage of technology, the world market anddiversity. Management will have to decide how to best incorporate these intheir organizational structure. Regions, divisions, cost centers, etc. willneed to be structured so as to maximize efficiency while working to achieve thegoals of the organization. One thing management will have to do is to make surethey are structured to take advantage of the internet. Even the small Mom andPop shop on the corner will have to have internet presences if they are goingto be competitive and successful. Organizations will also have to developcreative ways to capitalize on their people. Correctly utilizing human capitalwill play a large role in how successful businesses of the future are.

 

In my opinion, the leadership function will be the mostimportant management function for successful organizations of the future. Asorganizations change, it is the leaders who will pave the way. Their attitudeand influence will be the difference between success and failure. Taborda explainsthat the leader's role has become more complex and ambiguous. The people in anorganization must stay motivated, be developed and have a willingness to learn.Developing leadership skills to accomplish this will require commitment andinvestment from management, but will result in organizational success byfostering teamwork and empowerment.

 

The final function of management, control is the process ofsetting targets, measuring performance and taking corrective action. In thefuture, traditional methods of control of will continue to give way to moreemployee empowerment so as not to provide a distraction. Taborda put it thisway: ?The role of the manager is now to be a facilitator and coach, not acontroller or inspector?. This means that the days of the supervisor lookingover his employees? shoulder are over. The rapid pace of business todayrequires employees to be trained and developed to make decisions on their own.With this empowerment, management must ensure that the employees are held to accountabilitystandards that will contribute to the success of the organization.

 

In conclusion, though there are many management theories andtheories on what organizations need to do to be successful, the bottom line isthat the successful businesses of the future will have the foresight and visionto adapt the management functions of planning, organizing, leading andcontrolling to new technology and globalism in order to compete and besuccessful.