Question

Describe an example (preferably in your workplace or other experience) of one of the methods of coordination (think about the “cow picture” for your answer). How did coordination work in your example? can you draw the cow picture that related to this question

Answer 1

Question No 1

Coordination is the combination of all efforts, activities and forces that operate and interact within and outside enterprise. Co-ordination means harmonious combination or interaction. It is an orderly arrangement of group- effort; to provide unity of action in the pursuit of a common purpose. The concept of co-ordination is the “mother principle” of organisation from which all other principles are derived. Organisation is a rational framework for blending group efforts. The mechanics of co-ordination is supposed to be built into the organisational structure by its very nature.

Types of coordination

1. Internal and External Coordination

2. Vertical and Horizontal Coordination

3. Procedural and Substantive Coordination

4. Informal or Voluntary Coordination

5. Programmed Nonhuman Coordination.

Importance of Coordination

1. Coordination encourages team spirit

2. Coordination gives proper direction

3. Coordination facilitates motivation

4. Coordination helps to achieve objectives quickly

5. Coordination improves relations in the organisation

Coordination helps in number of ways,

1. Helps in better understanding of problems at work place.

2. Helps in making the organization environment more transparent.

3. Helps reduce office chaos.

4. Better employee satisfaction therefore lower attrition rate

5. Better efficiency of work at the workplace.

6. Helps define better work ethics.

7. Better public relations and better client relation building.

Characteristics of Coordination

1. Coordination is a Continuous Process

2. Coordination Integrates Group Efforts

3. Coordination is all Pervasive Function

4. Coordination Ensures Unity of Action

5. Coordination is a Deliberate Function

6. Coordination is the Responsibility of all Managers

Coordination at workplace, Examples

• Coordination integrates the functions of all departments and ensures that all activities aim at accomplishment of organisational objectives. For example, in a manufacturing business, the production department, sales department and purchase department are all reciprocally interdependent. Sales department has to provide production department with information about the demand of the product and purchase department needs to know how much quantity of raw material is required to meet the demand. If even anyone of the three does not perform its jobs properly, all of them will be affected.
• All the activities of an organisation are interrelated and interdependent. Thus, coordination is required at all levels and in all departments. For example, the coordination among purchase, production and sales department is essential for achieving organisational goals. The activities can be performed smoothly in the production department if purchase department provides the required raw material, in time. Similarly, the sales activities can be performed only when there is sufficient timely production of goods.
• Every manager is required to perform the function of coordination. For example, top level managers coordinate the activities of their subordinates to ensure that the overall policies of an organisation are duly implemented. Operational level management coordinates the activities of its workers so that work is performed according to plans.
• In vertical coordination, a superior authority coordinates his work with that of his subordinates and vice versa. For example, a sales manager will coordinate his tasks with his sales supervisors. On the other hand, all sales supervisors ensure that they work in sync with the sales manager.
• In horizontal coordination, employees of the same status establish a relationship between them for better performance. For example, the coordination between department heads, or supervisors, or co-workers, etc. In other words, in internal coordination, an employee either reports vertically to the supervisor and/or the subordinates and horizontally to the colleagues and/or co-workers.

It can be concluded that coordination is not a separate function of management, but rather it’s the essence of management. It is required at all the levels, all departments and in all managerial functions.