What does management mean?
Management means the activity of organizing and directing an organization, project, or resource, as well as the people who carry out that responsibility. It involves setting objectives, allocating resources, supervising work, monitoring performance, and making decisions that move an organization toward its goals. The word can be used broadly, as in “effective management,” or collectively, as when a company announces that “management has responded” to a crisis. In everyday use, it often suggests greater formality and institutional authority than simply “running” something. Management may also be evaluated positively or negatively: good management is commonly associated with organization, competence, and fair leadership, whereas poor management implies inefficiency or weak control. The term is widely used in business, government, healthcare, education, and other organized fields, and it remains useful because it identifies both a practical process and the collective responsibility for directing collective work.
nounThe process of organizing, directing, and controlling an organization, activity, or resource. It can also refer collectively to the people who manage an organization or its resources.
- The process of managing an organization, activity, or resource.
- The people collectively responsible for managing an organization or activity.
- The administrative or managerial structure of a business or other institution.
"The new management introduced more flexible working hours."
"Effective management requires clear communication and sound judgment."
"The hospital's management approved a major expansion of its outpatient services."
The plural is uncommon and usually denotes different organizations or governing bodies, rather than the ordinary activity of managing.
"The two managements use different systems for allocating resources."
Management literally comes from managing by hand: the word ultimately traces to Latin manus, meaning “hand.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does management come from?
The word was borrowed from French management, a noun derived from manage. The verb manage comes through French from Italian maneggiare, “to handle,” which is related to Latin manu, an ablative form of manus meaning “hand.” In early English, management developed from the idea of handling or controlling something, and its sense expanded from personal control to the organization and direction of businesses and institutions.
Related word forms
How management is actually used
When referring to the activity or process, “management” is normally singular. In the plural, “managements” can denote different organizations or governing bodies, but this use is relatively uncommon.