1. Introduction.

The primary objective/aim of this assignment is to distinctively discuss between the generic
enabling functions and the management functions. The basic management functions which will
be discussed are as follows: planning, leading, organizing, control and coordination whereas the
generic administrative enabling functions which will be discussed are as follows: policy making,
organizing, control, personnel provision, finance and determination of work procedures.

2. Definition of concepts.

2.1 Administration.

Administration includes all those generic functions whose aim is goal realization within an
institutionalized group activity, but, does not include all the activities of all the members, nor all
activities of a specific group of members, but specific activities of all the members (Botes, 1992).

Pfiffner and Presthus, (1967:21) maintained that administration consist of doing the work of
government whether it is by running X-ray machine in a health laboratory or coining money in
the mint.

2.2 Management.

According to Van de Waldt and du Toit (1997:11) management is a process whereby people in
leading position utilize human and other resources efficiently as possible in order to provide
certain products or services, with and aim of fulfilling particular need s and achieving the stated
goal of the institution.

Management is that function of an enterprise which concerns itself with direction and control of
the various activities to attain business objectives. Management is essentially an executive
function; it deals with the active direction of the human effort (Van Dijk, 2003:30

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3. Distinctive discussion on the basic management functions and generic enabling
functions.

3.1 Basic Management functions.

The basic management functions which will be discussed are as follows: planning, organizing,
leading, control, coordination (du Toit 1991:16)

3.1.1 Planning

This is the core function of management because it is the foundation of the other four areas.
Planning involves mapping out exactly how to achieve a specific goal. As a manager, he or she
will need to map out detailed actions; what to do, when to do it and how it should be done.
Think of it as bridging a gap for where we currently are and where we want to be. For example,
if the companys goal is to earn profit, the manager needs to determine the steps necessary to
achieve that goal. This can include spending more on advertising, hiring more experienced
employees, cutting costs, or improving the products being sold (Van Dijk, 2003:45).

Van Dijk (2003:45) maintains planning is always a going process. There will be times when
external factors will affect the company both positively and negatively. This in turn may alter
the original planning process in reaching certain goals. This is known as strategic planning.
Depending on the exact scope of an organization, the strategic planning process can look ahead
as far as ten years or more. The findings are usually collected in a strategic planning document.

3.1.2 Organizing.

Organizing involves identification of activities required for the achievement of enterprise

objectives and implementation of plans; grouping of activities into jobs; assignment of these jobs
and activities to departments and individuals; delegation of responsibility and authority for
performance, and provision for vertical and horizontal coordination of activities (Rawlins,
1992:45)

Rawlins (1992:45) maintains that very manager has to decide what activities have to be
undertaken in his department or section for the achievement of the goals entrusted to him.
Having identified the activities, he has to group identical or similar activities in order to make

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jobs, assign these jobs or groups of activities to his subordinates, delegate authority to them so as
to enable them to make decisions and initiate action for undertaking these activities, and provide
for coordination between himself and his subordinates, and among his subordinates.

Organizing thus involves the following functions: identification of activities required for the
achievement of objectives and implementation of plans, grouping the activities so as to create
self-contained jobs, assignment of jobs to employee, delegation of authority so as to enable them
to perform their jobs and to command the resources needed for their performance, and
establishment of a network of coordinating relationships (Rawlins, 1992:46)

Further Rawlins (1992:46) argued that organizing process results in a structure of the
organization. It comprises organizational positions, accompanying tasks and responsibilities, and
a network of roles and authority-responsibility relationships.

3.1.3 Leading

Leading involves influencing others toward the attainment of organizational objectives. Effective
leading requires the manager to motivate subordinates, communicate effectively, and effectively
use power. If managers are effective leaders, their subordinates will be enthusiastic about
exerting effort toward the attainment of organizational objectives. Minnaar (2010:30).

To become effective at leading, managers must first understand their subordinates' personalities,
values, attitudes, and emotions. Therefore, the behavioral sciences have made many
contributions to the understanding of this function of management. Personality research and
studies of job attitudes provide important information as to how managers can most effectively
lead subordinates (Minnaar (2010:30).

3.1.4 Control.

Control is the function of ensuring that the divisional, departmental, sectional and individual
performances are consistent with the predetermined objectives and goals. Deviations from
objectives and plans have to be identified and investigated, and correction action taken.
Deviations from plans and objectives provide feedback to managers, and all other management
processes including planning, organizing, staffing, directing and coordinating are continuously
reviewed and modified, where necessary (Bayat and Meyer, 1994:35).

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According to Bayat and Meyer (1994:35) controlling implies that objectives, goals and standards
of performance exist and are known to employees and their superiors. It also implies a flexible
and dynamic organization which will permit changes in objectives, plans, programs, strategies,
policies, organizational design, staffing policies and practices, leadership style, communication
system, etc., for it is not uncommon that employees failure to achieve predetermined standards is
due to defects or shortcomings in any one or more of the above dimensions of management.

Thus, controlling involves the following process: measurement of performance against

predetermined goals, identification of deviations from these goals, Corrective action to rectify
deviations Bayat and Meyer, 1994:36).

3.1.5 Coordination.

Coordinating is the function of establishing such relationships among various parts of the
organization that they all together pull in the direction of organizational objectives as maintained
by Minnaar (2010:25). Further, Minnaar argues that it is thus the process of tying together all the
organizational decisions, operations, activities and efforts so as to achieve unity of action for the
accomplishment of organizational objectives.

According to Minnaar (2010:25) the significance of the coordinating process has been aptly
highlighted by Mary Parker Follet. The manager, in her view, should ensure that he has an
organization "with all its parts coordinated, so moving together in their closely knit and adjusting
activities, so linking, interlocking and interrelation, that they make a working unit, which is not a
congeries of separate pieces, but what I have called a functional whole or integrative unity".

Coordination, as a management function, involves the following sub-functions, clear definition

of authority-responsibility relationships, unity of direction, unity of command, effective
communication, and effective leadership (Minnaar, 2010:25)

3.2 Generic enabling functions.

The generic enabling functions which will be discussed below are as follows: Policy making,
personnel provision, organizing, control, work methods and procedures and finance (du Toit,
1997:16).

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3.2.1 Policy-making

Public policy is the authoritative allocation of values through the political system to individuals
in society and it is a purposive course of action to be followed by an actor or set of actors in
dealing with a problem or matter of concern. Public policy is thus a response to opportunities or
situations that need to be attended through well-conceived and clear goals followed by
government action. Public policy consists of details as to what should be done, by whom, when,
how and with what resources (Minnaar, 2010:19).

According to Minnaar (2010:19), there are two important elements in public policy. The policy-
making process is goal-driven and therefore the ultimate aim is to deliver some measurable
value, and secondly, the process takes place within a specific environmental context or situation
characterized by change, which influences the scope and nature of goals that must be pursued.
The public nature of goals means that the needs and demands of people and their collective
interaction in a specific political system are incorporated into the final expression of these goals.
Approved expression by means of political sanction implies that the wishes of the citizens are
enforceable by political representatives on behalf of the people.

The public policy-making process starts with the political policy-making process followed by the
government policy-making process, which is followed by the executive policy-making process,
and finally, the administrative policy-making process. During the political policy-making
process, various political parties and community-based organizations translate the needs of the
people into government policy. The result is that defined political goals are incorporated into a
national policy agenda. The government policy-making process takes place when duly
authorized representatives from various political parties approve policy proposals, which are
enforceable in nature (Minnaar, 2010:19-20)

The executive or functional policy-making process takes place when political executives are
made responsible for the translation of government policy into applicable functional areas in
government. This process takes place in collaboration with senior public managers in various
government departments and agencies. The administrative policy-making process is to formulate
operational guidelines and frameworks for administrative regulation. The goals of these policies
relate to issues such as the creation of structures and staff establishments, the allocation of

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resources, work methods and procedural arrangements for organizational effectiveness (Minnaar,
2010:19-20).

3.2.2 Personnel provision.

Human resource management or personnel administration is a multifaceted function, which that

includes the generic enabling functions of policy-making, financing, staffing, organization,
procedures and control, as well as social and labour issues. Just as no government department
can function without money; it cannot function without people to carry out its work. Public
institutions generally have a division that deals with human resource management based on
legislation of the government of the day (Van Dijk, 2003:41).

Human resources are about people and the administrative processes associated with them. It is
about employee satisfaction and motivation and performance. The personnel function consists of
a network of functions and functional activities, supported by analytical methods and normative
guidelines in order to provide competent, motivated personnel for the public service environment
(Van Dijk, 2003:41).

3.2.3 Organizing.

Organizing entails the establishment of institutions to achieve the pre-determined objectives

including the maintenance of such bodies. It also involves the classification and grouping of
functions as well as allocation of these functions and workers in an orderly pattern (Cloete,
1991:112). Organizing also entails functions, which relate to internal organization of the
institution such as the following: horizontal division of work: delegation of authority,
coordination of activities of employees within the institution, control measures to insure that
work done is towards achieving the predetermined objectives and arrangement of channels of

Communication to ensure that functionaries are kept informed about the activities taking place
and progress made towards achieving pre-determined objectives (Cloete, 1991:120).

Barrat, et. al (Eds.) (1974:435) maintains that for the institutions to succeed in the effectively and
efficiently realizing their goals, they should be in a position to exhibit the considerable degree of
flexibility. Lack of flexibility on the part of some institutions negatively affects their operations.
Thus, organizations that are charged with fro an example, policy implementation, should not

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rigidly adhere to the policy targets but be flexible enough to be able to operate even at the
instance of unforeseen circumstances.

Organizing process that is in default of providing for mechanism that would ensure authority
delegation within the established institutions constitutes per se the obstacle to effective goal
achievement by such institution. According to Barrat et. al (Eds.) (1974: 436) organizing as
process is to meet the criterion of authority delegation within the organization, since policy
implementation is not the task of a single omniscient body or individual. Another crucial aspect
is that it should be ensured that delegation of authority within the institution is dictated by
convictions to ensure effective policy execution and not ideological or political idiosyncrasies.

3.2.4 Control.

Control is the managerial function concerned with making sure that policies and plans are
implemented as prescribed. It means that measuring and correcting the performance of
employees to ensure that the pre-determined objectives of an organization are achieved.
However, control involves much more than measuring since it may involve revised planning,
additional organizing, and better methods of directing (Marie-Devicenti, 1997:26).

The last function of management deals with monitoring the companys progress and ensuring
that all of the other functions are operating efficiently which is control. Since this is the last
stage, there are bound to be some irregularities and complexity within the organization. This in
turn can lead to certain situations and problems arising that are disrupting the companys goals or
goals of the institution. Given is the stage where all the final data is gathered, it is the
managements job to take corrective action, even where there is the slightest deviance between
actual and predictable results (Marie-Devicenti, 1997:26).

In fostering accountability, control acts as a safeguard against the misuse of funds in the public
service. In order to insure economic and effective achievement of pre-determined goals, the
greatest challenge lies in the institutionalization of control machinery (e.g. finance control
bodies) (du Toit, 1991:55). Institutionalization of control machinery will help to keep a check to
determine whether public funds are economically, effectively and efficiently utilized in
furtherance of communal welfare.

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In South African public administration the greatest challenge lies in the improvement of control
measures so as to make the control function more effective to ensure public accountability.
According to du Toit (1991: 54-55) the achievement of this objective requires the following:
clear, understanding and published well policies on control, presence of free and intimidated
press and that the actions of officials be monitored and investigated by bodies that are
completely independent from the executive.

3.2.5 Work methods and procedures.

Methods and procedures relate to administrative practices that are designed to make it possible
for administrators to carry out their daily work. These methods and procedures are not law, but
they are derived from a combination of the many agreed authorizations the institution gives to
the administrators to do their work. Methods and procedures are usually put in writing in the
form of manuals or managerial policies and need to be revised regularly to ensure improvement
and control (Botes et al., 1992:332).

Economy, efficiency and effectiveness are the pillars of not only financial administration, but
also administrative practices as incorporated into methods and procedures (Btes et al., 1992:332).
Over the years, a change has taken place in focus from procedural correctness to the efficiency
and performance methods that are concerned with customer satisfaction rather than process
rights. Many of the new public management methods and procedures have been adopted from
the private sector

3.2.6 Finance.

According to Musgrave (1959:4), sound, transparent and accountable management of public

finances is at the core of organizational performance. Financial performance management as a
prerequisite for organizational performance determines to a large extent the governments
capacity to implement policy and manage public resources through its own institutions and
systems. Financial performance provides the foundations upon which to build effective, capable
and accountable administrations, able to fulfill their responsibilities and deliver basic services to
the poor.

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Financing in public administration focuses on the prioritization and use of scarce resources,
ensuring effective stewardship over public money and assets and achieving value for money in
meeting the objectives of government,e.g rendering the best possible services. This must be done
transparently and in terms of all relevant legislation. The financing function within a government
includes various activities: formulation of fiscal policy; budget preparation; budget execution;
management of financial operations; accounting; and auditing and evaluation (Musgrave, 1959:
4).

In order for a government to render services to its citizens, it needs money to finance the
government and deliver the services. The state uses public money and receives this public money
from the public in the form of taxes, tariffs, levies, fees, fines and loans (Botes et al., 1998:314).
Public money belongs to the community of citizens in a state, called the people and not to the
government. People are concerned that governments do not spend their taxes appropriately and
there is the quest to know how and for what purpose their taxes are spent. This prompts
governments to become accountable, performance- and results-orientated (Musgrave, 1959: 4).

4. Recommendations.

The recommendation that can be made on the above distinctively discussed basic management
function and generic administrative functions is that with a public institution where generic
enabling functions are practiced, the management functions are unavoidable and therefore both
generic enabling function and basic management functions should be practiced together with
marginalizing other function either generic enabling function nor basic management function.

5. Conclusion.

To sum-up the discussion on the basic management functions and generic enabling function, a
solid and proper conclusion which can be drawn is that both basic management functions and
generic enabling function are used inter-changeably and they both unavoidable in any public
institution even in private institution.

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Barrat, J. et. al. (Eds.), (1974) Accelerated Development in Southern Africa, (London: The
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Cloete , J.J.N. (1991) Public administration and management. Pretoria: J.L. Van scheik (Pty)
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Du Toit, A (ED.) (1991) Towards democracy, Building a culture of Democratic

Accountability in South Africa. Mowbray: IDASA

Friedrich,C.J. (1963) The philosophy of law in historical perspective. Chicago: University of

Chicago press

Minnaar, A. (2010) The management processes: An overview in the principles of nursing

and health care, ed. K Joose Pretoria Van schaik

Musgrave, R.A. (1959) The Theory of Public Finance: A study of public Economy. McGraw-
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