Q.Which function of management is described as a primary function because every other function is based on it?
(A) Controlling
(B) Planning
(C) Staffing
(D) Coordination

The statement is False. Planning is the foundation of management, and every other function is in fact based on it.

Planning holds a special place among the functions of management:

• Planning is the first (primary) function — it decides in advance the objectives and the course of action to achieve them.
• Organising is done to arrange resources and activities according to the plan.
• Staffing fills the posts needed to carry out the plan.
• Directing guides employees towards the planned objectives.
• Controlling compares actual performance with the standards fixed in the plan.

Why the statement is false: since organising, staffing, directing and controlling all take their direction and standards from the plan, planning is the basis of all managerial functions. Management therefore cannot function without planning. The claim that "every function of management is not based on planning" is incorrect — the truth is the opposite: every function is based on planning.

Correct sequence of the given functions: Planning → Organizing → Controlling.

Management is a continuous process made up of inter-related functions that are performed in a definite order. Each function creates the base for the next one, which is why their sequence cannot be arranged randomly. This ordering is a standard part of the Maharashtra HSC OCM syllabus (aligned with the NCERT/CBSE Business Studies view of the functions of management).

• Planning comes first. It is the function of deciding in advance what is to be done, how, when and by whom. Objectives and courses of action are fixed here, so nothing can be organized or controlled before it is planned.
• Organizing comes next. Once plans are ready, the manager identifies and groups activities, assigns duties, and establishes authority–responsibility relationships so that the plan can actually be carried out.
• Controlling comes last. After work is done, the manager measures actual performance against the planned targets, finds deviations and takes corrective action — which again feeds back into fresh planning.

Thus planning sets the direction, organizing arranges the means, and controlling verifies the results.

False — planning is the basis of every other function of management.

Planning is the primary and first function of management; it decides in advance what is to be done, how, when and by whom. All the remaining functions depend on it: organising arranges resources to carry out plans, staffing provides people to execute them, directing guides employees towards planned goals, and controlling compares actual performance against the plan. Without planning, the other functions would have no direction or standard to work towards.

Hence the statement 'Every function of management is not based on planning' is incorrect — every function actually rests on planning.

The odd one is Writing, because it is not a function of management, while planning, organizing and staffing are.

Management is carried out through a series of inter-related functions that every manager performs:

• Planning — deciding in advance what is to be done, how and when.
• Organizing — arranging resources and grouping activities to achieve the plan.
• Staffing — filling and keeping the various positions with suitable people.

These are all genuine functions of management (along with directing, coordinating and controlling). Writing is merely a clerical/communication activity and is not counted among the functions of management, which makes it the odd one out.

Planning is the primary function of management, so the correct answer is option (a).

Explanation:

• Planning is deciding in advance what is to be done, how it is to be done and by whom. It sets objectives and the road-map to reach them. Since organising, staffing, directing and controlling all follow from the plan, planning is regarded as the primary (first) function of management — it provides the base for all other functions.
• (b) Innovating is an important managerial quality but is not counted among the basic management functions.
• (c) Decision-making runs through every function but is not itself listed as the primary function.
• (d) Controlling is the last function (comparing actual performance with the plan), not the primary one.

This is a common TN HSC Class-12 Commerce question from the Functions of Management chapter.

Planning is a pervasive function, so the correct answer is option (b).

Explanation:

• Planning is pervasive because it is required at all levels of management (top, middle and lower) and in every department of the organisation. Top management plans strategy, middle management plans tactics for departments, and lower management plans day-to-day operations — so planning is spread throughout the organisation.
• (a) Selective is wrong, since planning is not limited to a chosen few areas.
• Because it is clearly pervasive (and not selective), options (c) and (d) are ruled out.

This is from the Functions of Management chapter of the TN HSC Class-12 Commerce syllabus.

Marketing is not classified as a managerial function (those are planning, organising, staffing, directing, controlling), so the answer is (d).

The functions of management are the universal activities every manager performs, regardless of the type of organisation:

• Planning — deciding in advance what to do.
• Organising — arranging resources and duties.
• Staffing — filling and keeping the posts.
• Directing — guiding and motivating people.
• Controlling — comparing performance with standards and correcting deviations.

Marketing, on the other hand, is one of the operating/business functions of an enterprise (like production, finance and personnel), not a function of management. Hence it does not belong to the list of managerial functions.

The odd one out is Writing. The other three — Planning, Organizing and Staffing — are recognised functions of management.

Management is carried out through a set of interrelated functions. The commonly listed functions are Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing, Coordinating and Controlling.

• Planning — deciding in advance what to do and how to do it.
• Organizing — arranging resources and activities and assigning duties.
• Staffing — recruiting, selecting, placing and developing the right people.
• Writing — this is merely a clerical activity and is not a function of management.

Since Writing does not belong to the functions of management, it is the odd one out.

The correct answer is (a) Planning, since it is the first and primary function of management through which goals are set and the path to achieve them is decided.

Management is a goal-oriented process, and every organisation exists to accomplish certain objectives. Among the functions of management, planning comes first because it determines the goals and then works out the ways to achieve them.

• Planning means deciding in advance what to do, how to do it, when to do it and who is to do it. It bridges the gap between where we are and where we want to reach.
• The other options are supporting functions: motivation and staffing help in getting work done through people, and controlling checks whether goals are being met, but the setting and pursuit of goals begins with planning.

Hence goals are achieved primarily with the help of planning.

The correct sequence is Planning, Organising, Controlling.

Management functions are performed in a definite logical order:

1. Planning – The first function; deciding in advance the objectives and the course of action.
2. Organising – Arranging and grouping resources, activities and authority to carry out the plan.
3. Controlling – The last function; comparing actual performance with the planned standards and taking corrective action.

One must first decide what to do (planning), then arrange resources to do it (organising), and only afterwards check whether it has been done correctly (controlling).

The recognised main functions of management are planning, organising, staffing, directing and controlling; decision-making is not a separate main function, so the answer is (b).

The classic functions of management are planning, organising, staffing, directing and controlling. Among the options, organising, staffing and planning are all clearly on this list of main functions.

Decision-making, though extremely important, is treated as a part of every managerial function rather than a separate function on its own — a manager makes decisions while planning, organising, staffing, directing and controlling. Hence it is the one that is "not a main function".

This is a one-mark question in the Tamil Nadu HSC Commerce Functions of Management chapter.

Planning is the primary function of management; the answer is option (d).

Planning is described as the primary or first function of management because it decides in advance what to do, how to do it and when to do it. Organising, staffing, directing and controlling can be performed only after objectives and plans have been set. In this sense planning provides the base for all the other functions.

Decision-making and innovating are important activities, and controlling is a function, but the primary function that precedes the rest is planning.