Administrative functions in a business Environment

Administrative functions in a business environment are handled by services managers. They also have the
responsibility to coordinate and direct the support services so that organizations can operate efficiently.

These administrative functions are performed by different types of managers according to their level of
responsibility and authority. In a business environment, administrators are assigned common set of
functions to meet the organization's goals which are:

Planning
The most important administrative function in a business environment is planning. Planning is defined
by the decision made at the initial level at which the administrator has to decide what to do to fulfill a
goal. What are the different ways and means to do it and who are the right person to perform that job.
In planning, the first step is to arrange the functions, people or components involved into a proper
working order. The next thing is to find out the specific steps the people involved must take to complete
the job. The planning part should also include the details of the equipment, time and manpower needed
for a particular job.

The planning administrator should identify the entire problem that can arise due to circumstances so
that solutions can be provided immediately if the problem comes up. The resources and manpower,
skill availability to complete a particular task is also checked in this part. The planning phase should
clearly specify the order in which sub tasks have to be performed to complete a job successfully. By
deciding the order in which the plans have to be carried out, a complete plan of action has to be
decided beforehand. Overall, a plan of action specifies the tasks in an order for a particular period of
time. If the planning is done by taking certain steps in the right direction then it is possible to complete
the task without interruptions so that it is possible to complete the given task most efficiently and
effectively:
1. At first step, all the actions have to be identified along with the resources required so that all the
problems are identified before starting the work.
2. A planned time line sheet to complete the tasks in an order.
3. Define the priorities for various tasks so that it helps in mapping the path from where the
organization is to where it wants to be.
Depending upon the nature of the problem to be handled, the planning can be both short-range and
long-range.

Organization
Organizing means the administrator has to identify various jobs and the right person which can perform
those jobs efficiently. The administrator has to identify which can take the responsibility and can
manage a team of people to complete a job. Such responsible persons are further grouped together to
create departments or divisions. Such different departments are combined together or inter related to
each other to create a bigger division. Such departments interact with each other in an organized
manner to complete various tasks. The organized divisions should coordinate with each other so that
different tasks can be performed easily.
In organization, the administrator has to define the responsibilities and authority clearly so that there is
no crossing of lines while working in coordination. The concept of delegation of authority is very
important in an organized department. It helps the people to perform better because it includes
assigning responsibility to a person to complete a task. The delegated person has sufficient authority
to manage the resources to do a particular task and also has the right to decide how that task will be
completed with time.

Staffing
This administrative function is very important in a business environment because it deals with filling up
of job positions in an organization. The job positions should be filled by taking care of the requirement,
time and the type of man power required. The administrator should check the staffing needs from time
to time so that number of employees are always sufficient and up to the mark. The staff requirements
are identified by the staffing administrators and then suitable job descriptions are designed. The
recruitment process is also organized at different levels by these administrators to screen the
candidates so that suitable candidates are recruited.

Directing
It is very important for organization because it deals with handling people in such a way so that they
help in every possible way to achieve the goals of the organization. To make the direction efficient, it is
important that the allocation of resources is done very carefully. It also helps the system to perform
better by providing a complete and effective support and backup system at the backend. Such
administrators look after the preparation, analysis, negotiation, and review of jobs related to the
purchase or sale of equipment, materials, products and services. The administrators fulfilling the
direction role should have strong communication skills and has the conviction to judge and convince
people in a positive way. They have to keep a perfect balance between the requirements and financial
status of the organization.

Controlling
Controlling is the function which deals with the continuous evaluation of the organization goals. If the
goals are not achieved then controlling administrator has to detect potential or actual difference in the
achieved and original plan of the organization. This helps in improving the system for betterment so that
deviation in the goal achieved is minimum. By controlling information management it is possible to
measure the performance of the system and to apply corrective actions to increase the
efficiency. There are many types of controlling functions which are associated with evaluations in
organizations. Some of the examples are: evaluation of marketing efforts, evaluation of employee
performance and program evaluations.

Budgeting
After the jobs are planned and resources are organized, the next important administrative function in
business environment is to manage the funds efficiently. Budgeting administrators are responsible for
analyzing the requirements of funds for the resources and man power to achieve goals and tasks. All
the financial statements are monitored and checked from time to time to avoid any financial problems.
All types of financial statements like balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statements are
prepared, checked and managed by the administrator.