 What
is POSDCORB? Description
In 1937, social scientists Luther Gulick and L. Urwick (Papers on the Science
of Administration) describe seven "major activities and duties of any
chief executive". Since then, the acronym POSDCORB is used to describe
the 7 functions of managers:
- Planning. Working out in broad outline the things that need to
be done and the methods for doing them to accomplish the purpose which is
set for the enterprise.
- Organizing. The establishment of the formal structure of authority
through which work subdivisions are arranged, defined and coordinated for
the defined objective of the organization. Compare:
Organization Chart.
- Staffing. The whole personnel function of bringing in and training
the staff and maintaining favorable conditions of work. Both qualitative
and quantitative.
- Directing. The continuous task of making decisions and embodying
them in specific and general orders and instructions and serving as the
leader of the enterprise.
- Coordinating. Interrelating the various entities and processes
of the work.
- Reporting. Keeping those to whom the executive is responsible
as well as subordinates informed through records, research and inspections.
- Budgeting. Fiscal planning, accounting and control.
Origin of POSDCORB. History
Gulick and Urwick built their ideas on the earlier
14 Principles of
Management by Fayol. Note that in 1937, the prevalent thinking was the
separation of politics and administration. Gulick advocated that it was impossible
to separate the two.
Usage of POSDCORB. Applications
- Good starting point to analyze management functions and activities in
a structural way.
Strengths of POSDCORB. Benefits
- Helps to structure and analyze management activities.
Limitations of POSDCORB. Disadvantages
- Mark Moore (1995, Creating Public Value: Strategic Management in Government)
believes that POSDCORB is too inward looking. In his view, the single most
important job of a manager is Understanding and shaping the environment
of the organization, primarily, but not solely, by means of the services
it delivers to its customers and clients.
- According to Dr. Lewis Meriam, the most important thing has been omitted
in the fascinating word POSDCORB: Knowledge of a subject matter.
After all, you have to plan something, you have to organize something, you
have to direct something... Compare:
Training Within Industry
- Does not pay any attention to what managers should Achieve.
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POSDCORB | Functions of Management | Functions of Managers Special Interest Group
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Special Interest Group (1105 members)
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 10 Managerial Roles by Mintzberg
Another major concept in this area is by Henry Mintzberg. In 'The Nature of Managerial Work' (1973), he identified 10 managerial roles in 3 gro...
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Compare with POSDCORB:
General Management |
14 Principles of
Management (Fayol) |
Fourteen Points of Management
(Deming) |
Training Within Industry |
Eight
Attributes of Management Excellence |
Organization Chart
Return to Management Hub: Change & Organization | Leadership
More Management Methods, Models and Theory
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Special Interest Group Leader
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Mintzberg's Managerial Roles, Ten Roles of Managers, 10 Management Roles
Mintzberg: 7 Myths on Management
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