Question

Consider the following statements about the POSDCORB view:

1. It was advocated by Luther Gulick and consists of seven elements of administration.

2. It includes the element of Coordinating, which involves interrelating various parts of the work.

3. It emphasizes the substantive services provided by administrative agencies.
   

• A. 1 & 2
• B. 2 & 3
• C. 1 & 3
• D. All are correct

Answer 1

Answer:

A. 1 & 2

POSDCORB View

• The POSDCORB acronym represents a set of seven management functions or principles crucial for effective administration.

• This concept was prominently introduced by Luther Gulick and Lyndall Urwick in their influential 1937 paper titled "Notes on the Theory of Organization," which was part of the broader collection "Papers on the Science of Administration."

• The framework emerged during the classical school of thought in Public Administration, which sought to identify universal principles for organizational efficiency and effectiveness.

• The seven elements of POSDCORB are:

  • P - Planning: Involves defining objectives, outlining broad strategies, and developing detailed action plans to achieve organizational goals.

  • O - Organizing: Establishing the formal structure of authority, through which work is divided, arranged, and coordinated for a specific objective.

  • S - Staffing: Encompasses the entire personnel function, including recruitment, training, and maintaining conducive working conditions for employees.

  • D - Directing: The continuous task of making decisions, issuing specific and general orders, and providing leadership to guide the enterprise.

  • Co - Coordinating: This element focuses on interrelating the various parts of the work and harmonizing different efforts within the organization to achieve a common purpose.

  • R - Reporting: Keeping executives and those to whom they are accountable informed about ongoing activities, achieved through records, research, and inspection.

  • B - Budgeting: All activities related to financial planning, systematic accounting, and fiscal control.

• The POSDCORB view is often characterized as a functional or mechanistic approach to administration, emphasizing the universal tasks of an executive irrespective of the specific field of work.

• A primary criticism of POSDCORB, notably by scholars like Herbert A. Simon, is its tendency to focus exclusively on the "tools" or "process" of administration (the 'how') rather than the "substance" or content of public policy and services (the 'what').

• Despite criticisms regarding its universality and lack of emphasis on substantive matters, POSDCORB provided a significant and widely adopted conceptual framework for understanding the core responsibilities of an administrator and has influenced management thought for decades.