Important Questions for CBSE Class 12 Business Studies Features|Nature and Importance of Coordination

Nature and Significance of Management Important Questions for CBSE Class 12 Business Studies Features|Nature and Importance of Coordination

1. Meaning of Coordination
Coordination is a continuous process by which a manager integrates the inter-related activities of different departments in order to achieve the common organisational goals.

2. Features/Nature of Coordination
(i) Integration of group efforts (ii) Unity of action
(iii)Continuous process (iv) All pervasive function
(v) Deliberate function (vi) Responsibility of all managers

3. Importance of Coordination
(i) Growth in size To integrate individual goals with organisational goals.
(ii) Functional differentiation To ensure unity of action among interdependent departments like finance, production, marketing, etc.
(iii) Specialisation To eliminate conflict and integrate efforts of various specialists in the organisation.

Previous Years Examination Questions

4/5 Marks Questions

1. What is meant by ‘coordination’? Explain why coordination is important in an organisation. (Compartment 2014)
Ans. Coordination is the orderly arrangement of group efforts to provide unity of action in pursuit of common purpose. It involves unifying, integrating and harmonising the activities of different departments and individuals for the achievement of common goal.
Importance of coordination can be understood by following points:
(i) Growth in size As the organisations grow in size, the number of people in the organisation also increase. Different individuals have different objectives. Coordination is needed to integrate diverse individual objectives with organisational objectives.
(ii) Functional differentiation Different departments in the organisation have their own set of objectives, policies, etc. This creates conflicting situations many a times. Coordination seeks to intergrate the efforts and activities of various departments.
(iii) Specialisation In modern organisations, high level of specialised activities take place, which are performed by specialists. Specialists often consider themselves to be supreme and are not open to suggestions and advice. This brings conflicting situations, which can be resolved by coordination.

2. Coordination in the essence of management. Explain how. (Compartment 2014)
or
Coordination is not a separate function of management. It is the essence of management. Explain with the help of a suitable example.
(Ail India 2009,2008; Delhi 2009)
Ans. Coordination is a function that is inherent and pervasive. Coordination is not a separate function of management. It is the essence of management. The coordination is needed to perform all the functions of management. They are:
(i) Coordination in planning In planning, coordination is needed

between overall plan of the organisation and the departmental plans.
between objectives and available physical and human resources, e.g., coordination between production department and sales department targets.

(ii) Coordination in organising In organising, coordination is required

- between resources of an organisation and activities to be performed.
- among authority, responsibility and accountability, e.g. if a supervisor is given responsibility to get the work done, he should also be given the authority to divide the work among his subordinates.

(iii) Coordination in staffing In staffing, coordination is needed

between the skills of the workers and the jobs assigned to them.
between the efficiency of the workers and the compensation, etc, e.g. a Chartered Accountant should be given work of financial nature.

(iv) Coordination in directing In directing, coordination is required

among orders, instructions, guidelines and suggestions.
between superiors and subordinates, e.g. a manager instructs the subordinates, motivates them and also supervises their work.

(v) Coordination in controlling In controlling, coordination is required

between the standard and the actual performance.
between correction of deviations and achievement of objectives, e.g. If production target for workers is set as 80 units per hour while they are able to produce only 60 units per hour, then there is a need to coordinate the plans with actual performance.

Thus, coordination makes planning more purposeful, organisation well knit and control more effective. It is the key to the success of management.
(vi) Coordination is the essence of management Management function revolves around making, arranging things, moving things in an organisation in relation to overall objective of the organisation. Thus, coordination can be considered as the core function of management which ensures that all the factors in the business work together smoothly.

3. Explain any five features of coordination. (All India 2013)
or
State any five features of ‘coordination’. (Delhi 2012)
or
Explain any four characteristics of coordination.
Ans. Coordination is a continuous process, by which a manager integrates the inter-related activities of different departments in order to achieve the common organisational goals.
Features of coordination are as follows:
(i) Integration of group efforts All business activities are interdependent. Therefore, there should be coordination among them. Coordination enables the business to make efficient use of its available resources.
(ii) Unity of action Coordination enables the manager to secure unity of action in the direction of a common purpose.
(iii) Continuous process It is a continuous process and not a one-time task. A manager has to continuously coordinate the activities of different departments in order to meet the targets by using the available resources efficiently.
(iv) All pervasive function It is an all pervasive function, which runs through all managerial functions from planning till controlling. It is not only needed among different departments but also within the departments at all levels.
(v) Deliberate function A manager has to coordinate the efforts of different individuals working in an organisation in a conscious and deliberate manner.

4. What is meant by coordination? How it integrates group efforts and ensures unity of action. Explain. (Delhi 2012)
Ans. Coordination is the integration, synchronisation or orderly arrangement of group efforts to provide unity of action, directed towards the accomplishment of common objectives.
(i) Coordination integrates group efforts It integrates group efforts by unifying diverse interests, thereby giving them a common focus to ensure that performance is in accordance with pre-determined plans.
(ii) Coordination ensures unity of action The purpose of coordination is to ensure unity of action for the realisation of a common purpose. It acts as the binding force between departments and ensures that all actions are aimed at achieving the goals of the organisation.

5. ‘Coordination is a synchronisation of group efforts to achieve organisational objectives’. In the light of this statement, highlight any three features of coordination. (All India 2011)
or
‘Coordination’s the orderly arrangement of group efforts to provide unity of action in the pursuit of common purpose’. In the light of this statement, explain the nature of coordination.
(All India 2011; Delhi 2011,2009)
Ans. Coordination is the process whereby an excecutive develops an orderly pattern of group efforts among his subordinates and ensures unity of action in the pursuit of common purpose.
Features/Nature of Coordination
The features or nature of coordination are as follows:
(i) Integration of group efforts All business activities are interdependent. Therefore, there should be coordination among them. Coordination enables the business to make efficient use of its available resources.
For example, supply of material should come, when production needs it. If there is a mismatch in the time schedule, it is an instance of lack of coordination. It is the central task of the manager to reconcile differences in approach, timing, efforts or interests to harmonise individual goals with organisational goals. Coordination is the effort to ensure a smooth interplay of the functions and forces of all the different components of an organisation so that its purpose will be realised with minimum friction and maximum collaborative effectiveness
(iii) Coordination is needed at all levels Coordination is an essential function which is required at all levels of management. The content and scope of coordination will vary at different levels. However, it is a part of duty which should be performed by every managerial personnel right from operational level to the top management.
(iv) Coordination ensures unity of action The purpose of coordination is to unite the efforts of every individual in the realisation of common purpose.

6.Coordination is needed at all levels of management and is the responsibility of all managers. Explain how? (All India; Delhi 2009; HOTS)
Ans. Coordination is required in all group efforts, in every organisation at all levels of management. It is not the responsibility of top management only. Managers at all levels are responsible for achieving coordinated efforts in their respective departments or units.
The need of coordination at various levels of management may be described as follows:
(i) At the top level management It has to take care that there is coordination between organisational goals and the goals of the units and sub-units formed for achieving these goals.
(ii) At the middle level management That is the departmental managers, who have to coordinate their departmental plans with the plans of other departments. This level links the top level management with the lower level management and coordinates between them by transmission of orders downward and problems and feedback reports upward.
(iii) At the lower level management Coordination is required between the actual operations with the plans made and reconcile the view of management and workers.

7.Justify how coordination is

a continuous process
an all pervasive function
a deliberate function (Delhi 2009C; All India 2009)
Ans. Coordination as
(i) A continuous process ‘To coordinate is to harmonise all the activities of an organisation so as to facilitate its success’. It is a continuous process because the goals cannot be achieved with harmony and sustained efforts. It should start at the planning stage and continued with the other functions of management. The continuity arises as a result of being the essence of management rather than being a separate function.
(ii) An all pervasive function It is required at all levels of management due to the interdependent nature of activities of different departments. It integrates the efforts of different departments and different levels.
(iii) A deliberate function A manager has to coordinate the efforts of different people in a conscious and deliberate manner even where the members of a department willingly cooperate and work, coordination gives a direction to that willing spirit.

Important Questions for Class 12 Business Studies Class 12 Business Studies NCERT Solutions Home Page