MAC 419- Media Management

When people hear the term “management” many of them quickly take their minds to the big establishments such as universities like the National Open University of Nigeria; huge multi-national companies like Shell and Chevron; large commercial banks such as First Bank of Nigeria Plc., or the United Bank for Africa, big media organisations like Nigeria Television Authority and Africa Independent Television, etc. Be that as it may, the fact remains that virtually everyone engages in management on daily basis knowingly or unknowingly. For instance, a student who receives his up-keep allowances every semester consisting of three to four months practices management. This is because each time his allowances come; he evaluates his present needs and makes plans for the next three to four months. His plans may include food, books, stationery, toiletries, wear, transport, etc. At the end, he makes a personal assessment to see whether or not he overspent the amount he planned. Also, a civil servant who receives his monthly salary and plans on how to spend it in order to sustain himself and his family till he receives another is directly or indirectly practising management. What is Management? For a better understanding of the meaning of management, it is necessary that we consider some definitions by some writers and experts. 1. To manage is to forecast and plan; to organise, command, to coordinate and to control (Fayol, H. 1949). 2. Management is a process of planning organising, directing and controlling available resources of an organisation in order to achieve the set goals of the organisation (Okafor, et al., 2011: 26- 27). 3. Management is the process by which managers create, direct, maintain and operate purposeful organisations through systematic, coordinated and co-operative human efforts (McFarland, 1979:6). 4. Management is the process of working with and through others to achieve environment (Kreitner, 1992:8). 5. Management is the manipulation of resources to achieve predetermined objectives (Aina, 2002:1).