We explain what control in administration is and what are the phases of the control process. In addition, the types of administrative control.
What is control in administration?
In the science ofmanagement, we speak of control to refer to one of the main administrative functions, together with the planning, organization and address, which is responsible for ensuring that the actions of the organization are carried out according to plan, or evaluate the effectiveness of the results obtained, that is, their degree of proximity to the expected ideal.
The administrative dynamics of control usually imply obtaining information regarding the business process and the results, and the application of the corrections that are pertinent to correct the errors and maximize the efficiency.
It is a mechanism of feedback of the organizational system that depends to operate on the three previous steps, especially planning, a stage where expectations and goals. In theory, an organization whose processes and results are closer to plan will be much more efficient than one that gets off track.
Thus, control processes allow not only to measure organizational performance, but also to establish precisely the ideal quality standards for this, and also to evaluate and take the pertinent corrective measures.
The ideal control process, in this sense, must be economical, flexible and preventive, but also, as we have said, it must respond to the objectives organizational layouts.
Control process (phases)
The phases of the control process tend to be the following:
- Phase 1: Establish standards. In this initial phase, the measurement or evaluation parameters are refined and defined, without which it would be impossible to know how well or badly the product comes out. This implies four types of standards: quantity (production volume, stock quantity, etc.), quality (accuracy, achievement of product), time (production times) and costs (sales cost, production costs, etc.).
- Phase 2: Performance evaluation. The proper measurement of organizational processes.
- Phase 3: Performance comparison. The expected performance margins are compared with those obtained, they are compared with the initial standards to determine the margin of success or error.
- Phase 4: Corrective action. A report That records all of the above and takes the necessary actions to improve or perfect the process, such as determining at what level of the business structure are the problems and what are their possible solutions.
Types of administrative control
Current control is carried out throughout the entire business process.
There are the following types of administrative control:
- Prior control or pre-control. Being prior to the action, they ensure that it responds to the resources (humans, material and financial) planned. This involves identifying the budgeted financial expenses, anticipating the activities to be carried out and anticipating what it will cost to carry them out.
- Managerial or management control. They are known as progress controls or cybernetic controls, and they monitor the journey of organizational processes before they finish, to have time to take action or force a change of route. These controls only work if you have adequate feedback.
- Current control. This control is carried out throughout the business process, that is, at the same time that they are passing, by the hand of managers or the operating staff themselves.
- Post control. They are carried out once the productive action is finished and are given retrospectively, evaluating the entire route and extracting the conclusions relevant to what went well and what did not. Then a report is collected that serves for future management and to reward or encourage the workers.