How is management defined?
How is management defined? In hundreds of definitions from experts and practitioners, I like best the simple one from our very approachable Wikipedia, quote,
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it be a business, a not-for-profit organization, or government body. Management includes the activities of setting the strategy of an organization and coordinating the efforts of its employees (or of volunteers) to accomplish its objectives through the application of available resources, such as financial, natural, technological, and human resources. The term “management” may also refer to those people who manage an organization.
unquote.
As we are all aware, management is not just a mere office thing. It is an ever present requirement in any healthy organization, big or small. I would like to dwell on the last sentence of Wiki’s definition, “The term “management” may also refer to those people who manage an organization”. Yes, to the people who manage an organization. Which, in our field, brings us to the
side of the shipboard organizational structure as well. There was a period in history in which the whole ship was literally ran by one man who ruled like a king, whose words were seemingly infallible. As the maritime industry has developed and progressed, the totally authoritarian shipboard atmosphere turned into aggressive commercial mindedness and the
one-man authoritarian rule still prevailed but in a lesser degree. The running and operating of a ship gradually became more structured especially when almost all of the mighty seafarers are already graduates from maritime institutions. Time has
practically evolved and the previous practice of semi-military style management on-board ships has now graduated to the present shipboard organizational management structure.
I would like to describe MMSM’s outlook and recommendation in running and operating the shipboard affairs through a
well-balanced management system. The structure is already existing but I would like to further describe and define it in a more simple way for everybody’s consumption and understanding. The main structure of the shipboard organization is divided into functional departments.
As in every organization, there are always leaders, hence the shipboard operation is practically being run and managed by a general manager, managers, supervisors and rankings. On-board MMSM managed vessels, there are three departments, namely the Deck Department, the Engine Department and the Catering Department. As you have already guessed, the Master is the General Manager (GM), the 3 Department Heads are the Managers :the Chief Engineer is the manager of the Engine Department, the Chief Officer is the manager of the Deck Department and the Chief Cook is the manager of the Catering Department. All of these 3 managers are responsible and reporting directly to the Master/GM. These managers are the executive arms of the Master and are expected to be promptly and thoroughly reporting to the Master everything, barring none, that is going on in their respective departments. In this way, the Master is able to properly conduct and precisely execute his business, responsibility and authority to the crew, the vessel, the ship managers I Owners and other parties.
In the hierarchy of organizations, the top layers are being upheld and supported by the layers below. Without the full connecting and continuing support, cooperation and assistance, the organization is bound to collapse. Therefore, the contribution from each and every person employed on-board is of utmost importance to the whole organization.
MMSM’s free-of-charge VOW (Vessel Officers Workshop) for senior officers from our managed vessels is now in full implementation and we are into our third batch of management trainees in November. More VOW’s will be scheduled next year until all our colleagues have participated. We are also looking at cascading the managerial and supervisory training’s to the junior officers in order to further enhance the on-board operational management. I’m looking forward to see you all gladly partake this special endeavor and fully enjoy the sweet fruit of our hard work through proper development and often use of our innate management skills.
And again, I wish you safe sailing as ever into all the seas of the world and may God bless us all!
MMSM INSIGHTS I Issue No. 9
 is the administration of an organization, whether it be a business, a not-for-profit organization, or government body. Management includes the activities of setting the strategy of an organization and coordinating the efforts of its employees (or of volunteers) to accomplish its objectives through […])
