Coordination as a separate function of management has been advocated by many authorities including Henri Fayol. However, since coordination is all pervasive and it encompasses every function of management, it is better considered as an important managerial essence than a separate management function. Poor coordination is attributed to the failure of performing all the management functions vecationed before.
Coordination deals with harmonizing the work relations and efforts at all levels for some common purpose. It may be described as unifying and achieving harmony of individual efforts for the purpose of accomplishing group goals. The whole idea of coordination is to adjust, reconcile and synchronize individual efforts, so that group efforts become more effective. This helps in achieving some common objectives.
Sometimes, coordination is confused with cooperation and it is thought, though erroneously, that if there is cooperation, coordination will automatically follow. Though, cooperation helps in achieving coordination, it is by no means the sole condition for the latter to follow. One can take the example of a cricket match.
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Without coordinated efforts on the part of players, it is difficult for the team to win a match. Coordination cannot happen spontaneously. First, the differences in understanding, approach, timing, interest or efforts have to be reconciled during synchronizing the individual efforts.
While managing, a manager coordinates the work of his subordinates. For better results following guidelines are suggested:
(a) Coordination should be viewed as a responsibility of every manager right from the bottom to the top and every individual should know how his job contributes towards accomplishing the objectives of his department and also the dominant goals of the enterprise.
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Even when a supervisor is able to accomplish the objectives of his department, he should realize that his achievement is nothing unless combined with the achievements of the other units. The combined effort of all individuals contribute to the attainment of high level objectives of the organization. Thus, every manager should understand and appreciate hierarchy of objectives.
(b) Individual efforts are more easily synchronized if coordination is achieved in early stages of planning and policy making. Thus, where production and marketing policies are at cross ends, coordination between the two groups of activities will be a serious problem.
(c) Coordination is better achieved through understanding of interpersonal, horizontal rather than vertical relationships of people in the organization and by issue of orders for coordination.
(d) Another essential requirement for good coordination is good communication. As a result of constant change in the business environment, plans and policies are frequently revised and compromises and adjustments are made. Sometimes, information is not communicated well in time. In that case, unifying individual efforts for accomplishment of enterprise goals becomes difficult without this communication.