Directing Important Questions for CBSE Class 12 Business Studies Meaning and Importance of Supervision
1.Supervision It means instructing, guiding and monitoring the subordinates to ensure that they perform their jobs in accordance with the plans and instructions.
2. Definition of Supervision According for MS Viteless, ‘Supervision refers to the direct and immediate guidance and control of subordinates, in the performance of their tasks.
3. Functions of Supervisor/Importance of Supervision
The importance of supervision can be understood by the functions performed by a supervisor, which are given below:
- Maintains day-to-day contact and friendly relations with workers
- Acts as link between management and workers (Hi) Maintains group unity
- Ensures performance of work
- Provides on-the-job training
- Plays a leadership role
- Provides feedback to the workers
Previous Years Examination Questions
1 Mark Questions
1. Define supervision. (All India 2012,2008)
Ans. Supervision means instructing, guiding and monitoring the subordinates to ensure that they perform their jobs in accordance with the plans and instructions.
2. How does a supervisor act as a linking pin between management and the operatives?(All India 2009; Delhi 2008)
Ans. A supervisor acts as a link between management and operatives as he conveys management ideas to the workers, on one hand and workers’ problems to the management, on the other.
3. Why is supervision important? (Delhi 2008C)
Ans. Supervision is important because it helps in optimum utilisation of resources.
 3 Marks Questions
4. Explain any three functions performed by a supervisor that are vital to any organisation. (All India 2014)
Ans. Functions of a supervisor are as follows:
(i) Acts as a link between workers and management Supervisor conveys management policies and ideas to the workers on one hand and workers’ problem to the management on the other. He plays a crucial role of avoiding misunderstanding and conflicts between management and workers
(ii) Maintains group unity Supervisor directly overlooks the workers and this is a key link in maintaining harmony and unity among workers by sorting out their internal differences.
(iii) Ensures performance of work He takes the responsibility for task achievement according to the targets and motivates his workers effectively.
5. The performance of an organisation depends upon how a supervisor instructs and guides the subordinates at operative level. Explain.
(HOTS; Delhi 2009c; All India 2009)
Ans. Supervisor maintains day-to-day contact with workers. He is the link between workers and management. His role is to monitor and instruct the activities of employees from over and above. Supervision leads to facilitate control and ensures the optimum utilisation of resources. If he fails to perform his functions efficiently, best plans and organisation structure devised by the top management will be rendered useless. Thus, we can say that the performance of an organisation depends on how supervisor instructs and guides the subordinates.
4 / 5 Marks Questions
6. Describe the importance of supervision in directing function of management. (Delhi 2009C)
Ans. Importance of supervision are as follows:
(i) Ensures performance of work The supervisor makes sure that all the instructions are communicated to each and every employee.
(ii) Optimum utilisation of resources Under supervision, all the activities are closely monitored. In this situation, better utilisation of resources is achieved.
(iii) Acts as a link between workers and management Supervisor conveys the management’s ideas to the workers on one hand and workers problems to the management on the other, thus acting as a linkpin.
(iv) Plays a leadership role While guiding the employees, the supervisor encourages and motivates the subordinates to perform at the best of their ability, by good leadership.
(v) Provides feedback to the workers During supervision, a supervisor is always in direct contact with his subordinates. As a result, ideas, suggestions, complaints, etc of employees with regard to managerial decisions are continuously received by the supervisor. He also gives feedback to workers on how to improve there work.
7. ‘Supervision is not at all required in an organisation’. Do you agree? Give two reasons in support of your answer.
(HOTS; Delhi 2008; All India 2008)
Ans. No, I do not agree with the given statement. Supervision is required in an organisation. The supervisor occupies a strategic position in the organisation. He represents management’s ideas, thoughts and desires to the operative workers and conveys workers’ attitudes and opinions to the top management.
Reasons
(i) Ensures performance of work The supervisor makes sure that all the instructions are communicated to each and every employee.
(ii) Optimum utilisation of resources Under supervision, all the activities are closely monitored. In this situation, better utilisation of resources is achieved.
(iii) Acts as a link between workers and management Supervisor conveys the management’s ideas to the workers on one hand and workers problems to the management on the other, thus acting as a linkpin.
(iv) Plays a leadership role While guiding the employees, the supervisor encourages and motivates the subordinates to perform at the best of their ability, by good leadership.
(v) Provides feedback to the workers During supervision, a supervisor is always in direct contact with his subordinates. As a result, ideas, suggestions, complaints, etc of employees with regard to managerial decisions are continuously received by the supervisor. He also gives feedback to workers on how to improve there work.
6 Marks Questions
8. The function and performance of the supervisor are vital to an organisation because he is directly related with the workers whereas, other managers have no direct touch with bottom level workers’. In the light of this statement, explain any four functions Of a supervisor. (Compartment 2014)
or
‘The supervisor performs a very important role in an organisation by performing . multiple functions’. State any six such functions.
(Delhi 2013)
Ans. Supervisor is a person, who is primarily an incharge of a section and employees, or is responsible for both the quantity and quality of production.
The functions of supervision are as follows
(i) Providing Guidance and Leadership The supervisor leads the workers of his department. He fixes production targets for them and provides them the necessary guidance for doing thfe work assigned to them. He provides on-the-job training to the workers working under him.
(ii) Motivation The supervisor motivates his subordinates by providing financial and non-financial incentives. He inspires them for higher quality and productivity.
(iii) Preserving Records The supervisor keeps records of output and other related aspects of each employee. He sends the necessary information to the top management.
(iv) Controlling Output The supervisor controls the performance of the workers by comparing their performance with the standards. He also takes necessary action to ensure that production is done according to the predetermined standards.
(v) Liaison between Management and Workers The supervisor is an important link between the management and the workers. He explains management policies to the workers and also passes on the management’s instructions. He has a close contact with the workers and tries to understand their problems. He brings worker’s problems to the notice of the top management.
(vi) Grievance Handling A supervisor is in direct touch with the workers, so he can handle theirgrievances effectively. He should maintain good relations with the workers so that the workers come to him if they have any grievance. When a grievance is reported, he should try to remove it. But, if he can not redress the grievance, he should report it to the upper level management.
9. Give the meaning of supervision as an element of directing and any four points that explain its role. (Delhi 2012)
or
Explain the role of supervision as an element of directing function of management. (Delhi 2011)
Ans. It means instructing, guiding and monitoring the subordinates to ensure that they perform their jobs in accordance with the plans and instructions. It means overseeing what is being done by subordinates and giving instructions to ensure proper utilisation of resources and achievement of work targets.
Role of supervisor
Supervisor is a person, who is primarily an incharge of a section and employees, or is responsible for both the quantity and quality of production.
The functions of supervision are as follows
(i) Providing Guidance and Leadership The supervisor leads the workers of his department. He fixes production targets for them and provides them the necessary guidance for doing thfe work assigned to them. He provides on-the-job training to the workers working under him.
(ii) Motivation The supervisor motivates his subordinates by providing financial and non-financial incentives. He inspires them for higher quality and productivity.
(iii) Preserving Records The supervisor keeps records of output and other related aspects of each employee. He sends the necessary information to the top management.
(iv) Controlling Output The supervisor controls the performance of the workers by comparing their performance with the standards. He also takes necessary action to ensure that production is done according to the predetermined standards.
(v) Liaison between Management and Workers The supervisor is an important link between the management and the workers. He explains management policies to the workers and also passes on the management’s instructions. He has a close contact with the workers and tries to understand their problems. He brings worker’s problems to the notice of the top management.
(vi) Grievance Handling A supervisor is in direct touch with the workers, so he can handle theirgrievances effectively. He should maintain good relations with the workers so that the workers come to him if they have any grievance. When a grievance is reported, he should try to remove it. But, if he can not redress the grievance, he should report it to the upper level management.
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