Mumbai University > Civil Engineering > SEM 8 > Construction Management

Marks: 10M

Henry Fayol was the first person to identify elements or functions of management.

Fayol defined six functions/elements of management: forecasting, planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating and controlling.

He defined planning in terms of forecasting future conditions, setting objectives and developing means to attain objectives.

He recognized that effective planning must also take into account unexpected contingencies that might arise and did not advocate rigid and inflexible plans.

He defined organizing as making provision for the structuring of activities and relationships within the firm and also the recruiting, evaluation and training of personnel.

Fayol emphasized the importance of managers understanding the people who worked for them, setting a good example, treating subordinates in a manner consistent with firm policy, delegating and communicating through meetings and conferences.

Fayol defined the control function in terms of ensuring that everything occurs within the parameters of the plan and accompanying principles.

The purpose of control was to identify deviations from objectives and plans and to tke corrective action.