Coordination — The Essence of Management

Coordination is the orderly synchronisation of the efforts of individuals and departments so that unity of action is achieved in pursuit of a common objective. It is often called the essence of management because it is not a separate, sixth function alongside planning, organising, staffing, directing and controlling — instead, it is the very purpose and result that all five functions exist to bring about. A plan is coordination in advance; an organisation structure is coordination built into the design of jobs; staffing coordinates people to roles; directing coordinates day-to-day effort; and controlling checks whether coordination has actually been achieved.

Features of coordination:

• It integrates group effort, giving a common direction to the efforts of individuals so the group works as a single unit.
• It ensures unity of action — different departments (production, finance, marketing) working towards one shared organisational goal instead of pulling in different directions.
• It is a continuous process, needed at every stage from planning to controlling, not a one-time exercise.
• It is an all-pervasive function, required at every level and in every department.
• It is the responsibility of all managers, not of any one specialist department, because every manager coordinates the efforts of their own subordinates with those of other departments.
• It is a deliberate function — a manager has to make a conscious effort to achieve it; it does not happen automatically just because people work in the same building. …