PROJECT MANAGEMENT FUNCTION (DIRECTION)

-NIRANJAN BHARGAV

PROJECT MANAGEMENT:
Project management is the planning, organizing, directing, and controlling of company resources for attaining its objective that has been established to complete specific goals and objectives.

DIRECTION:
DIRECTING is said to be a process in which the managers instruct, guide and oversee the performance of the workers to achieve predetermined goals. Directing is said to be the heart of management process. Planning, organizing, staffing have got no importance if direction function does not take place.

In a broader sense, directing is providing all guidance and inspiration to people at work in order to carry out their assigned duties and responsibilities.

CHARACTERISTICS OF DIRECTION:
Pervasive Function - Directing is required at all levels of organization. Every manager provides guidance and inspiration to his subordinates.
Continuous Activity - Direction is a continuous activity as it continuous throughout the life of organization. Human Factor - Directing function is related to subordinates and therefore it is related to human factor. Since human factor is complex and behaviour is unpredictable, direction function becomes important. Creative Activity - Direction function helps in converting plans into performance. Without this function, people become inactive and physical resources are meaningless.

 Delegate Function - Direction is supposed to be a function dealing with human beings. Human behaviour is unpredictable by nature and conditioning the peoples behaviour towards the goals of the enterprise is what the executive does in this function. Therefore, it is termed as having delicacy in it to tackle human behaviour.

Executive Function - Direction function is carried out by all managers and executives at all levels throughout the working of an enterprise, a subordinate receives instructions from his superior only.

ASPECTS OF DIRECTION:
Direction as a managerial function converts managerial decisions, plans and policies into effective and meaningful actions.it is called management in action. There are five aspects of direction as management in action: 1. MOTIVATION: to inspire, to work with zeal, willingness and initiative. 2. LEADERSHIP: to provide appropriate managerial style by means of which subordinates can be influenced or induced to give their best performance. Inspiring leadership alone can act as spark plug for igniting will-to-work in people. 3. SUPERVISION: to oversee and secure effective performance of the work as per plan and achieve the desired results.

4. COMMUNICATION: to tell the people what to do and how to do a certain job. Communication is the core of directing. 5. COORDINATION: A manager is the coordinating authority. All aspects of direction require coordination to achieve success.