Due to severe winter and rising pollution levels, 'Green India Electronics' planned to launch a new eco-friendly heater in the market. It conducted a survey and found that the demand of this product was very high. As the winter season lasts only for 2 to 3 months, the Chief Executive Officer wanted that there should be close coordination among all the managers to deliver orders on time. Top level managers were asked to work in coordination with their subordinates to ensure that company's policies were properly followed. To ensure that the heaters would be ready on time, the production manager co-ordinated with the operational level managers. Operational level managers co-ordinated the activities of the workers to ensure that work proceeded according to plans. As a result 'Green India Electronics' was able to launch its heaters on time, in the market. The feature of co-ordination discussed in the above case is :
Due to severe winter and rising pollution levels, 'Green India Electronics' planned to launch a new eco-friendly heater in the market. It conducted a survey and found that the demand of this product was very high. As the winter season lasts only for 2 to 3 months, the Chief Executive Officer wanted that there should be close coordination among all the managers to deliver orders on time. Top level managers were asked to work in coordination with their subordinates to ensure that company's policies were properly followed. To ensure that the heaters would be ready on time, the production manager co-ordinated with the operational level managers. Operational level managers co-ordinated the activities of the workers to ensure that work proceeded according to plans. As a result 'Green India Electronics' was able to launch its heaters on time, in the market. The feature of co-ordination discussed in the above case is :
Options
The correct option is (B) Co-ordination is the responsibility of all managers.
Reason: The case shows co-ordination being performed at every level — top-level managers with subordinates, the production manager with operational-level managers, and operational-level managers with workers. Since managers at all levels co-ordinate, it is the responsibility of all managers (an all-pervasive function).
Marking Scheme
- 11 mark: correct option (B) Co-ordination is the responsibility of all managers.
- 2No partial marks for naming a related but different feature.
Hint
Look at how many managerial levels are co-ordinating — top, production, operational — pointing to a feature about all managers.
Quick Oral Answer
It shows co-ordination is the responsibility of all managers — top managers, the production manager and operational managers all co-ordinate their teams, so co-ordination runs across every level of the organisation.
Analysis & Explanation
This question maps a case to one specific feature of co-ordination, which NCERT calls the 'essence of management'.
Concept
Co-ordination is the responsibility of every manager, at every level, in every department — it is all-pervasive. Whether a top, middle, or supervisory manager, each must synchronise the work of their people.
Key case clues
- Top-level managers co-ordinate with subordinates.
- Production manager co-ordinates with operational-level managers.
- Operational-level managers co-ordinate the workers.
This chain across all three levels signals 'responsibility of all managers'.
Why the distractors are wrong
- (A) Deliberate function: Would need emphasis on managers making conscious/willing effort to co-ordinate; the case stresses who co-ordinates, not that it is intentional.
- (C) Continuous process: Would need co-ordination described as ongoing at every stage from planning to controlling, not just across levels.
- (D) Ensures unity of action: Would need the focus on binding diverse activities toward one common goal; the case highlights participation at all levels rather than a single unified action.
Exam trap: Multiple features can loosely fit a case — pick the one the wording most directly demonstrates. Here the repeated 'level-by-level' structure points squarely to all managers.
Common Mistakes
- 1Choosing 'Coordination ensures unity of action' — that feature stresses a common goal, not participation of every level.
- 2Selecting 'Coordination is a continuous process' by confusing 'all managers/levels' with 'all stages/time'.
- 3Overlooking the explicit chain from top managers down to workers, which is the direct clue to 'responsibility of all managers'.
Interesting Facts
NCERT calls co-ordination the 'essence of management' because it is not a separate function but weaves through planning, organising, staffing, directing and controlling.
Because co-ordination cuts across all departments and all levels, it is described as both all-pervasive and a continuous activity, unlike a one-time task.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How is 'responsibility of all managers' different from 'all-pervasive'?
They are closely linked. 'All-pervasive' means co-ordination is needed in every department and at every level, while 'responsibility of all managers' stresses that every manager, regardless of level, must perform it. In this case the top-to-operational chain demonstrates both, but the option provided names the managers' responsibility.
Why is coordination called the essence of management?
Because it is not a separate, fifth function but an integrating force present within all functions — planning, organising, staffing, directing and controlling all require co-ordination to synchronise group effort toward common goals.