Directing

TM 38-400/NAVSUP PUB 572/AFMAN 23-210 MCO 4450.14/DLAM 4145.12

composite, well-balanced operation. One of the chief

d. Planning.

Planning is the deliberate

functions of the storage manager is to coordinate

consideration of a problem or an operation with a view

activities within their area of responsibilities, whether

to determining, in advance, the most effective means of

that area be the installation as a whole or an

accomplishing a desired result with the least expenditure

organizational element of the installation.

of manpower, time, and material.

g. Control. A plan having been developed, its

(1) Planning involves the determination and

execution directed and coordinated, a last and very

visualization of what should be done, where, when, how,

important step is to determine the status of the resulting

why, and by whom it should be done, and how long it

operation during its various stages of accomplishment.

should take (how many man-hours are required (i.e.,

work standard)).

(1) Proper controls permit timely corrective

action if the operation is not being effectively executed

(2) Once a recurring problem or operation

or proves to be defective.

Control founded on

has been defined, a procedure or system should be

comprehensive and accurate information takes the

established for handling the situation. Establishment of

guesswork out of management and forms a sound basis

a system reduces everyday work to routine and the

for decisions and planning. However, reports and charts

recurring problems or operations can be handled by less

do not in themselves provide solutions to management

experienced personnel. Additionally, personnel at the

problems. They merely serve to highlight areas of

top echelon are relieved for the more important work of

deficiency which must then be subjected to further

planning for any new or broader problems and for

planning, direction, and coordination.

directing, controlling, and coordinating the organization's

total effort.

(2) The use of ADP equipment and

techniques to their maximum potential usefulness must

e. Directing. Once a plan has been developed, it

be exploited. The astute manager will be constantly

then becomes necessary to issue appropriate

aware of the possible improvements to the organization

instructions for implementation.

as a result of the modern management techniques

(1) Instructions should be in sufficient detail

made possible by computers.

to assure that the recipient has a clear understanding of

(a) Daily progress or status registers

what, when, and how the job should be done. On the

are easily maintained by computer program.

other hand, except for uniform recurring procedures and

Voluminous printouts, however, are to be avoided. The

methods, which should be reduced to written

manager must be ever mindful of the cost of preparation

documents, the instructions should not be in such

and distribution of ADP reports, hence, reports should

defined detail that the recipient has nothing left to his

be keyed to the exceptional items or out of tolerance

judgment. Too much detail can destroy the initiative of

conditions which warrant immediate attention. Ideas for

the recipient and waste the time of top echelon officials

new or improved reporting techniques as well as

in its preparation.

elimination of those reports which are no longer useful,

(2) The potential of the most effective

contribute to a higher overall effectiveness and

planning or the most productive system in existence can

therefore are actively solicited.

never be reached without motivation of the people

(b) Toward this end, consideration

involved. To be successful, management must operate

should be given to the installation of peripheral

with recognition of abilities and unique desires of

input/output devices in the executive office(s). Several

people. For example, when a person is involved

of the newer high speed terminals such as the cathode

through contribution of ideas and energies to a group

ray tubes or thermal printers are fast and totally silent,

goal, the enthusiasm to give their best runs deep. To be

thereby lending themselves to the office environment.

still more specific, whenever changing to new

In this way, required information is available in the form

procedures or techniques, employees meet goals better

of graphics or text for display on a realtime basis, at a

when those aims take on a personal meaning gained

touch of the finger.

through understanding of the goals and recognition of

their ideas.

(3) Those installations which do not have

extensive central computer facilities should consider the

f Coordination. Two of the more noticeable

availability of time-shared terminals. Many commercial

features of a major military supply installation are

terminals are available on a rental basis with installation

specialization

and

large-scale

operations.

as simple as replacing an office typewriter. The only

Specialization provides experts attention to related but

additional requirement

limited subjects. Specialization also intensifies the need

for coordinating the various specialized activities into a

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