Coordination | Features | Importance to Management

Features of Coordination

Coordination has some distinct features which are outlined below:

1. Coordination is basically a managerial responsibility. It cannot be delegated to a specialist., It is the exclusive responsibility of the manager. As he has the overall picture of the enterprise, only he is  in a better position than others to perform this function.

2. Coordination call for a conscious and deliberate effort on the part of managers at various levels. It cannot be left to mere co-operation among individuals in the organization.

3. Coordination is a continuous process and exercised all the time so that the functioning is smooth and uninterrupted.

4. It is not a distinct managerial function and the exercise of each managerial function involves coordination.

5. Coordination focuses on organizational order, continuity, predictability, accuracy and reliability of outcome.

6. It considers an organization as a system of cooperative group efforts. It recognizes the diversity and interdependence of organizational sub-systems and the need for bringing about fusion, synthesis in the efforts.

7. Its main job is to achieve the organizational objectives.

How important is coordination to a management?

Coordination is regarded as the essence of management. Coordination is the orderly synchronization of functions of various departments for achieving organizational goals. All activities in any organization need coordination.

Whatever be the functions of management, coordination is required. It is not a separate managerial function and the exercise of each managerial function involves coordination.

In other words, the managerial functions such as Planning in an organization, organizing, staffing, directing the subordinate and having effective control — are instrumental functions to aid the supreme managerial task known as coordination. It is a conscious and rational managerial function of pulling together all the functions and activities to achieve the predetermined goals in an effective manner.

Coordination is an important process through which orderly pattern of group-efforts are achieved among the subordinates and unity of action is secured to achieve the goal of an organization. It is that function which makes various members of a group and different groups in an organization to work harmoniously for realizing the common goals.

Coordination alone can ensure ‘plus value’ of a group, i.e., it can ensure that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts “.

Reference: Principles of Management: Text and Cases