Business · 5th Year · Enterprise and Management · 3.º Período

Principles of Management

Examine the core management activities of planning, organising, and controlling. Students will apply these principles to various business contexts.

TL;DR:Management is the process of achieving goals through the effective use of people and resources. This topic focuses on the three main management activities: planning, organising, and controlling. Students learn how managers set long-term (strategic) and short-term (tactical) objectives and how they structure the business to achieve them.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• LC Business Unit 3.1: Management Skills
• LC Business Unit 3.2: Management Activities

About This Topic

Management is the process of achieving goals through the effective use of people and resources. This topic focuses on the three main management activities: planning, organising, and controlling. Students learn how managers set long-term (strategic) and short-term (tactical) objectives and how they structure the business to achieve them.

Effective management also involves 'controlling', monitoring performance against targets and taking corrective action when necessary. This unit is fundamental for understanding how businesses of all sizes, from a local GAA club to a multinational like Intel, operate efficiently. This topic comes alive when students can apply management principles to plan and organise their own classroom projects or simulated business events.

Key Questions

1. Why is strategic planning essential for business success?
2. How do managers effectively organise resources?
3. What are the key elements of a business control system?

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Management is just about telling people what to do.

What to Teach Instead

Management is a complex cycle of planning and monitoring, not just giving orders. Active learning tasks that require students to 'control' a project (check progress and fix errors) help them see that management is an ongoing process of adjustment.

Common Misconception

Planning is a one-time event at the start of a business.

What to Teach Instead

Planning is continuous; managers must constantly update tactical plans to meet strategic goals. Using a 'live' project where the teacher introduces a change mid-way through helps students see the need for flexible, ongoing planning.

Active Learning Ideas

Simulation Game

Event Management

In small groups, students must plan a school charity event. They must create a SWOT analysis (planning), an organisational chart with specific roles (organising), and a budget with 'checkpoints' to ensure they stay on track (controlling).

60 min·Small Groups

Stations Rotation

Management Activities

Set up three stations: Planning, Organising, and Controlling. At each, students complete a 10-minute task, such as drafting a mission statement, drawing a span of control for a specific company, or identifying 'red flags' in a financial report.

40 min·Small Groups

Think-Pair-Share

The Span of Control

Students are given two different organisational charts (one tall, one flat). They must think about the pros and cons of each for a manager, discuss with a partner, and then share which structure they would prefer to work in and why.

20 min·Pairs

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Strategic and Tactical planning?

Strategic planning is long-term (3-5 years) and usually done by senior management, like a company's goal to become the market leader. Tactical planning is short-term (less than a year) and focuses on the specific steps needed to reach those goals, such as a quarterly marketing campaign.

Why is 'Controlling' important in management?

Controlling ensures that the business is actually heading toward its goals. By comparing actual results (like sales figures) with the original plan, managers can identify problems early and take corrective action. Without control, a business could lose a lot of money before realising something is wrong.

How can active learning help students understand management?

Management is a 'doing' subject. By giving students a real project to manage, even a small classroom task, they experience the difficulty of organising people and the necessity of planning. When a project goes slightly wrong, the 'controlling' phase becomes a practical lesson in problem-solving rather than just a definition in a book.

What does 'Span of Control' mean?

Span of control refers to the number of people reporting directly to a single manager. A 'wide' span means a manager has many subordinates, which can lead to more employee freedom but also more pressure on the manager. A 'narrow' span means fewer subordinates, allowing for closer supervision.