Defining Management What is Management? Management has several meanings depending on context and purpose. As a discipline, it is a learning field much like education, medicine, law, and so on. As a profession, it is a career pursued though a long period of study. As a group of people, it is the group that directs the operations of an organization. As a process, it is considered as the fundamental integrating activity aimed at achieving pre-determined goals. Management is basically the activity of directing the work of people in the fulfillment of organizational goals, or simply getting things done through others. Management is a crucial tool in facilitating and directing the work of a group of people to achieve pre-determined organizational goals. It is essential in utilizing scarce resources to accomplish maximum output. Management Art or Science? Management is both an art and a science. As an art, it brings ends and means together. Skills are basically required in this sense. This can be found in the task of communicating, leadership, and goal-setting. As a science, management is subject to observation, analysis, and theoretical formulation in much the same way as sociology, psychology, and economics. The scientific approach to management lies in decision-making, planning, and adoption of new technology.