Glossary of management terms

Concurrent control is a system for controlling work. It uses the standards to check whether the production is going according to plan.

Controlling something means to have power over it. Control is often used to support planning. Good control helps make sure that:

• goals are achieved
• standards (of, say, customer service or financial reporting) are maintained
• staff adjust to changes smoothly
• opportunities for improvement are identified, because control includes comparing what is actually done with what is wanted.

Coordination is about the timing of actions. One of the biggest jobs for a manager is to coordinate the actions of people and resources to get the best result.

All staff should be focused on their customers, whether their customers are in the organisation or outside it.