What are administrative functions?

We must first define what is a administrative function in the company. A administrative function It is the performance of certain activities or duties while coordinating effectively and efficiently in conjunction with the work of others.

Called Fayolismo or positive administration, Fayol's theory was an essential contribution to modern administration, centering his studies at the management level, creating the well-known school of chiefs. In his book "Administration Industrielle et Generale" define for the first time the 5 functions of administration: planning, organization, direction, coordination and control. And that these functions are universal, that every good administrator should be able to apply them.

These functions are the result of their studies and experiences, and have been operating effectively for about 80 years, they are studied all over the world.

Fayol also established 14 principles of administration, as regulations to manage the functions effectively, it revealed administrative procedures as important instruments for the adequate

address of any company, since through them it was possible to make a diagnosis and find a solution of the difficulties at the right time, establishes that the principles and administrative functions were applicable to every company, regardless of its nature, objectives and magnitude.

Fayol's Theory of Management Functions

The objective of this theory of is to get better administrators and it is achieved through the organized teaching of management techniques.

Administrative functions according to Fayol they are hierarchically distributed throughout the company. The ability of people at lower levels constitutes the professional capacity and the essential capacity of the management constitutes the capacity administrative, with respect to ascending in the hierarchical scale within the organization, administrative functions increase, and in the lower part the technical functions.

Despite this and the fact that this theory offers a normative and functional vision for the administration, it has some cons such as:

• It does not cover the informal relationships between managers and subordinates very well, leaving without consideration how to keep the workforce motivated.
• It does not fully represent the complex work managers face in their daily work.
• You can be very rigid about the roles of managers in modern companies and organizations.
• It offers a structured summary of the tasks that any administrator must carry out as an overview of their daily work.

Types of administrative functions

In the administration we can find 5 administrative functions:

Planning

Administration function in which goals are defined, strategies are set to achieve them and plans are drawn up to integrate and coordinate activities

Organization

The function of the administration that consists of determining what tasks need to be done, who does them, how they are done, how they are grouped, who is accountable to whom and where decisions are made.

Direction

Management function consisting of motivating subordinates, influencing individuals and teams while do their job, choose the best communication channel and deal in any other way with the behavior of the employees.

Coordination

It consists of unifying organizational efforts.

Control

Management function that consists of monitoring current performance, comparing it with a standard and taking corrective actions as necessary.

See also: The 5 functions of the Administration according to Henri Fayol

More information on administrative functions