Controlling
Controlling means ensuring that actual performance matches planned standards and correcting significant deviations. The exam tests the control process, types of control, critical point control and management by exception.
Core rules
- Process: set standards; measure actual performance; compare actual with standards; analyse deviations; take corrective action.
- Feedforward control prevents problems before they occur; concurrent control monitors during work; feedback control corrects after results.
- Critical point control focuses on key result areas where deviation matters most. Management by exception acts only on significant deviations, not every small difference.
- Planning and controlling are linked: plans provide standards, and control reveals whether plans need revision.
Worked example
A call centre standard is 500 calls per agent per day. Actual output is 450, a shortfall of 50, or 10%. The manager first checks whether the standard is realistic. If it is, and the cause is a system outage, corrective action is technical maintenance. If the cause is poor training, the action is coaching. If the standard was set without data, the standard itself is revised.
Traps
Do not say control is only post-action; feedforward and concurrent control also exist. Do not act on every minor deviation. Do not confuse management by exception with ignoring problems. Do not say controlling is independent of planning.