Management And Administration
Management and administration are both
important functions that support the success of any business or organisation.
But what is the difference between management and administration?
In this post we will answer
that question and look at just how management differs from administration. But
first, its important to note that both management and administration are needed
in any organisation in order for it to function successfully.
At a high level we can say
that management is concerned with getting things done, whereas administration looks at how these things are done.
While that definition
should provide a frame of reference there is a lot more than goes into
understanding the difference between administration and management, the unique
skill sets each entails and how they impact the success or otherwise of an
organisation.
What is Management
Broadly speaking management is focused on managing resources, in
particular people, and how they are utilized by an organisation in order to
achieve a common goal or outcome.
Essentially a Manager works
in an environment where they need to pool resources together, such as people, plant or equipment, financial resources and
industry knowledge into a cohesive unit that has the capability to achieve this
goal.
Functioning more as a
coordinator Managers have to often juggle the competing priorities of various
stakeholders, limited or hard to attain resources, all while taking account of
competition and changing market conditions, to achieve a positive outcome.
Beyond this process of
management, there is also the human element that brings with it emotions,
relationships, desires and fears that all need to be managed. As can often be
seen in sporting teams, you can have all the right players on the field, but
that still doesn’t guarantee a positive outcome if the mindset isn’t right.
This deficit in a managers
ability to coordinate their human capital can manifest itself in a lack of
direction, poor planning or control, and a decrease in motivation.
What Is Administration
As we have see management is focused largely getting things
done. While there is process involved in the management and coordination of
resource this is more often an art rather than a science.
The “science” of business
is however more evident in the administration of business. Essentially
administration is concerned with the process around which a business operates.
So while a Manager may be responsible for hitting a given revenue target, the
administration of that goal would focus on how sales opportunities are managed,
forecast and eventually closed.
Similarly, a Manager may be
responsible for the hiring and firing of people on their team. The
administration of that role, especially if the company is of sufficient size,
is often handled by an administrative focused person in Human Resources. I.e.
there is a policy or procedure that will be followed that instructs them how
the company should operate when making these decisions.
As you can see
administration is the establishment of procedures, policies, plans, objectives,
goals and enforcing not only rules but also regulations. It comes up with an
important organizational framework through which the organization management
functions. And this is where the relationship between management and
administration exists.
In fact, in some smaller
organisations you can have a Manager who switches, albeit subconsciously from
being a Manager i.e. leading and motivating their team, to an administrator,
i.e. developing and then following the policies in place when hiring or firing
staff.
To understand the
differences between management and administration further we will now look at
some of the key differences between the two.
Differences Between Management & Administration
The differences between management and administration can be
very broad and hence one needs to pay close attention to details. Below are
some of the differences you can expect:
·
Management consists of
actions and plans whereby administration entails setting objectives and
policies.
·
Management aims at
managing not only people but also their work. Whereas Administration focuses on
how best the resources of an organization can be utilized.
·
Administration
typically has a role in all management decisions, whereas not all
administrative decisions require the input of management.
·
Administration is
focused on setting and creating policies and procedures. Management however is
more likely to deal with the broader functions of an organisation and how tasks
are executed.
·
Administrative
functions typically are more defined, whereas how managers act and operate in
an organisation can differ person to person.
·
The management style
of an organisation can also change with the removal or installation of a new
Manager/Leader. Administrative policies or procedures however are slower to
change and may remain in place for many generations of management.
·
The administrative
functions of a business can often be guided or influenced by legislation or
law. Whereas how a manager chooses to guide or lead their team is often a
function of their experience and the company culture.
These are some of the core
differences between management and administration. It is however common to find
examples in different roles and industries where the two are more likely to
overlap or co-exist.
However by understanding the
core differences and when you are expected to manage vs administer policies or
procedures can help frame how you act and operate within your organisation
