Mechanical phase of the management process - GovtVacancy.Net

The mechanical phase of the management process

The mechanical phase of the management process is the result of the implementation of the planning and organization functions. Above all, it lays the foundations for the social organization to work properly, facilitating the achievement of its objectives through the efficient use of the resources available to it.

This phase is also mentioned in the literature as management mechanics since the whole gear of the administration gravitates around the functions that compose it, planning and organization.

Stages of the mechanical phase of the management process

The stages of the mechanical phase of the management process are planning and organization :

• Planning. Set the course of action to follow, specifically, establish the objectives to be achieved and the steps necessary to achieve them. It is a decision-making system that seeks to guide the entity's performance toward its future.
• Organization. Structure relationships and assign different responsibilities to those who make up the entity. In addition, it outlines the communications and orders the activities tending to the achievement of the collective goals.
  
  

On the other hand, some authors suggest a third stage or function, forecasting, as a precursor to the two already mentioned. The general theory rejects this proposal considering that forecasting is an integral element of planning that is responsible for anticipating the deviations that the plan may suffer.

 

Characteristics of the mechanical phase of the management process

It is also known as the structural phase in reference to the configuration or disposition that is given to the entity during the stages that comprise this part of the management process.

In the mechanical phase of the management process, procedures and environments are developed and supported that give the members of the entity the necessary tools so that their individual effort adds to the achievement of collective goals.

It is a phase directed, mainly, to the future, hence some of its elements are precisely located ahead of time, certainly, planning ingredients such as vision and objectives are.

Finally, it is assumed as the theoretical and static phase of the management process, since in it solutions are investigated and proposed that, in practice, have their execution in later stages. That is to say, it is the theoretical part of the administration in which what must be done and how it will be done is established, unlike the dynamic phase of the management process that is oriented towards action.

 

Principles of the mechanical phase of the management process

The principles of the mechanical phase of the management process are defined by those of its constituent elements, planning, and organization:

The principles of planning as a constituent element of the mechanical phase of the management process are:

• Precision. Plans are formulated to lead to well-defined events, in such a way that the actions that are proposed are as effective as possible.
• Flexibility. Plans, while precise and detailed, must leave room for maneuvers that may arise in response to unforeseen circumstances.
• Address unit. A general plan will be defined that will encompass and unite the functional plans and those of other levels so that they achieve the best possible timing.
• Profitability. A well-defined plan will have benefits greater than its costs, whether they are economic or social benefits.
• Participation. The participation of those who will execute the plans is essential to obtain the best results, since greater motivation is obtained from them, as well as a higher commitment on their part.

The principles of the organization as a fundamental stage of the mechanical phase of the management process are:

• Specialization. We speak here, fundamentally, of the division of labor and the division of positions, which simplify the actions and tasks to be carried out, allowing greater efficiencies to be achieved.
• command unit. A unified command, even when dealing with bodies made up of more than one individual, basically favors the coordination of all toward the achievement of the established objectives.
• Balance authority - responsibility. A balance must be struck between the level of authority and the degree of responsibility. The greater the authority, the greater the responsibility, and vice versa.
• Balance direction - control. The administration is "doing through others", therefore, a proportion must be established between the degree of delegation and its controls, "the authority is delegated, the responsibility is shared".

Importance of the mechanical phase of the management process

The importance of the mechanical phase of the management process is given by the respective relevance of the functions that compose it, planning and organization.

Planning within the mechanical phase of the management process is important, among other reasons, because:

• It provides alternatives to follow, useful when problems arise or when the plan simply cannot be followed to the letter.
• Improve decision-making processes.
• Gives perspective by comparing the present and future. Also, by putting your focus on the future, you promote an organizational improvement mindset.
• Reduce the level of uncertainty.
• It analyzes the environment and the entity's internal environment, allowing, on the one hand, to take advantage of strengths and opportunities, and on the other, to avoid threats and improve weak points.
• It bases the business operation, that is, from correct planning, the operability of all the functions of the management process is deduced.

In particular, the organization as a function of the mechanical phase of the management process is important because:

• It collects what was proposed in the planning, complements it, and shapes it so that it can be achieved.
• It determines the structure on which the entire administration is exercised.
• Optimizes the performance of functional areas and business resources
• It acts as a link between the mechanical and dynamic phases of the management process.
• It functions as the basis for the stages of direction and control.

Example

To illustrate the above, imagine the reader an entrepreneur who develops his business plan for which he will consider multiple factors such as the characteristics of his product/service, which of these will differentiate him, who are his main competitors or the size of the market to which he is which one point, In addition, it will have to establish where it will operate, how many people will be required to develop the business and the tasks and responsibilities of each one, among others. These deliberations, and many others, are part of the mechanical phase of the management process and its functions or stages, planning, and organization.

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