Principles of Coordination

Coordination is one of the prominent functions of management. It is an ongoing process that helps to smooth ongoing activities and communication between the employees, whether they are individuals or groups, or teams. It always aims to minimize friction and maximize collaborative efficiency. Let us explore more about the principles of coordination, techniques of coordination, etc.

Meaning of Coordination

Coordination is very important in management. The business has multiple functions. These functions are performed by different people. In addition, performing these functions requires division of labour and grouping activities and decision-making at different levels. These need to be coordinated to achieve the desired goals. Coordination involves synchronizing, integrating, or unifying the actions of all groups in the enterprise to achieve its goals. It is a process in which managers balance the activities of different individuals and individual groups, reconcile their differences in interests or methods, to achieve a common goal, achieving a harmonious group effort and unity of action.

Defined by Mcfarland, “Coordination is the process whereby an executive develops an orderly pattern of group efforts among his subordinates and secures the unity of actions in pursuing a common purpose.”

Principles of Effective Coordination

As coordination plays a vital role in the organization, every manager tries to maintain good collaboration with other executives which helps in the growth of the organization. That's the reason managers need to understand and implement some principles to attain effective coordination. Mary Parker Follett has given a set of principles of effective coordination.

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They are,

1. Early Stage:- This is the most important principle of coordination, which specifies that the coordination should start at an early stage or initial stage of the organization. If proper coordination has been done before the planning system, we can provide effective plants that automatically develop the name and fame of the organization.

2. Personnel Contract:- Coordination itself is a process involved with human resources. If the direct contact of personnel is implemented, it eradicates Several conflicts and misunderstandings. Face-to-face communications, group discussions, grievances, and settlement methods come under this principle.

3. Continuity:- It is the most important principle of coordination. Because it is a continuous process and cannot be left or restricted to some activities. The entire organization requires coordination around the clock.

4. Reciprocal Relationship:- It is the best principle of effective coordination. Because the coordination will be in a two-way direction. If the purchasing department works with the sales department, the sales department again needs to work with the finance department. Similarly, the communication I'm the influence but also done in the same way. Every person needs to communicate with another person, and if one person influences the other, he might be influenced by any third person. So the coordination should be reciprocally also.

5. Dynamism:- The process, principles, and techniques of coordination should not be static. Based on the requirements and the scenarios, it keeps on changing according to the context spontaneously.

6. Simplified Organization:- This principle also achieves effective coordination. It is merely like a divide and rule policy. If the size of the organization is too large, it can be divided into several departments, and each department should have a coordinator or coordination head. He will look after all the collaborations, delegations, etc.

7. Self-Coordination:- This principle explains that expecting coordination from other departments is as essential as maintaining the same thing in our department. It is like giving respect and taking respect. Initially, if we are perfect, then we can expect the same thing from others. So self-coordination is the initial measure or principle of effective coordination.

8. Clear-Cut Objectives:- the objectives and standards were set by high-level management. These objectives should be properly facilitated and create awareness of all the departmental heads and other employees. All the employees have a clear idea of what they need to achieve; then they can work according to that.

9. Clear Definition of Authority and Responsibility:- The high cutter employees should explain and define the authorities and responsibilities to the respected person, and it should be explained to all the lower-level employees. Every employee needs to understand to whom he needs to report and what are his responsibilities. This kind of coordination is significant for a healthy organization.

10. Effective Communication:- Communication is the basic principle of coordination. Clear and proper communication avoids several problems and provides multiple solutions for a single problem. So proper communication should be I'm graduating within the staff, which helps to exhibit their skills.

11. Effective Supervision:- the high-end executives should monitor and supervise all subordinate's works regularly. They should not neglect their responsibility and should not mislead their supervision. This helps to maintain effective coordination as well as reduce the chances of making mistakes.

These are the various principles formulated by Mary Parker Follett for the growth of the organization in terms of quality and quantity. As it is clear that Principles and techniques of coordination are dynamic, the techniques of coordination had formulated with different opinions. The generalized techniques of coordination are categorized as:

Features of Coordination

The features of coordination are: 

1. Coordination focuses on integrating collective efforts, not the integration of individual efforts.  

It involves arranging the activities of a group of people in an orderly manner. However, individual performance is related to collective performance.

2. Coordination is a concerted effort to give the necessary quality and quantity at the right time. 

Coordination means cooperation, that is, collective effort, plus time and direction.  According to Haimann: “Coordination is the orderly synchronization of efforts of the subordinates to provide the proper amount, timing and quality of execution so that their unified efforts lead to the stated objective, namely the common purpose of the enterprise.”

3. Coordination is a continuous and dynamic process. 

It is a continuous concept because it is realized through the execution of functions. It is dynamic because the function itself is dynamic and may change over time.

4.  Coordination has three important elements: balancing, timing and integrating

Different activities can only be coordinated when different responsibilities are performed at the right time and in the right amount.

5.  Coordination and cooperation tasks do not mean the same thing. 

Cooperation simply means that two or more people voluntarily participate in the execution of certain tasks through collective efforts. But it has nothing to do with the time, amount, and direction dimensions of the team's efforts. In contrast, coordination means applying the necessary team effort in the right direction at the right time by deliberately executing actions.

6. Every manager is responsible for coordination.

Every manager in the organization is responsible for coordination because he aims to synchronize the efforts of his subordinates with others.

7. Coordination can be internal or external.

Coordination is to be used both inside and outside the company as a blending factor for all activities and endeavors. In another way, coordination can take place both internally and externally. Internal coordination refers to the coordination of actions between employees, departments, and supervisors at different levels inside a company. 

Outside the enterprise, coordination work is extended to create a harmonious relationship with the competitors, suppliers, and customers activities; technological and technical advances of the time, government regulatory measures, national and international interdependence, as well as the wishes and wants, likes and dislikes of consumers, employees, and owners.

8. Coordination can be horizontal or vertical.

Coordination between horizontal departments at the same level in the managerial hierarchy is known as horizontal coordination. For example, coordination between the sales manager, the work manager, the finance manager, and the buyer is necessary so that when the sales department is ready to sell the new product, the production department will be able to fill the orders; and financial arrangements are made so that the necessary funds are available to obtain the correct raw material and other factors.

Vertical coordination occurs between the multiple links of the different levels of the organization. Take the production department, for example, where the work manager is followed by the superintendent, then the foreman, and lastly, the workers.

Techniques of Coordination

1. Structural and Formal Techniques 

• Departmentalization 

• Centralization/Decentralization 

• Formalization and Standardization Planning 

• Output and Behavioural Control.

2. Informal and Subtle Techniques. 

• Lateral or Cross-Departmental Relations Informal Communication 

• Socialization

These are the various principles and techniques of coordination which each principle and technique has its significance and strive for the growth of the company.