Managerial Tasks Of Production Manager

Successful agricultural production management depends on the effective application of standard management principles and practices. It is similar to managing any other complex project – similar steps are followed. These steps are as follows:

• Define, understand and clearly state the overall goal or objective of the operation or project, for example, define the standards to which the end product has to comply;
• List the actions needed to achieve the end result (what has to be done)
• Naming the individuals who are responsible for the work (by whom)
• The deadline dates by when the various tasks have to be completed (by when);
• Define ways of evaluating and measuring progress and use the results of this constant review process to influence future planning and operations (how will we know it is done/what will we do differently next time).

Click here to download a handout that contains information about the production management plan and schedule.

Planning

Definition: Planning is to formulate a scheme, a programme or method, to accomplish a specific goal within a specific timeframe, and with a specific purpose in mind.

If goals are long-term, meaning that it will take more than a few years to achieve, or strategic, meaning that they apply to the farming operation as a whole, the planning involved in achieving these objectives will likewise be long-term and strategic in nature. If, on the other hand, goals are short-term, such as applying fertilisation before a certain date, a short-term operational plan or action plan is required.

Planning is concerned with thinking through, and when necessary, listing, the steps and actions required to progress from the present situation to the desired situation. These steps are planned in chronological order, together with whatever resources are required to complete each step.

We plan our everyday activities automatically, such as getting up and dressed in the morning. However, when it comes to more complex actions or tasks we have to put more effort and care into planning. For example, fixing a roof leak requires as a first step, a plan. This plan will include:

Without planning there would be no step-by-step sequence of actions taking us from where we are to where we want to go. Our actions would be random, and we would waste time, energy and money in repeating certain steps and leaving out others while compromising our chances of reaching our goal. In the process, we could do things that threaten the future of the business and harm the environment.

Scheduling

Definition: Scheduling is the management term that involves entering or drawing up a timetable for the completion of various stages of a complex project, or the coordination of multiple related actions or tasks into a single time sequence. Scheduling is most commonly used with regard to repetitive tasks, such as the application of irrigation.

A schedule indicates the intervals between, or frequency of, actions. For example, a class timetable shows when different subject lessons will be taught and the intervals between similar lessons. In the same way, a bus roster shows the regular arrival and departure times of buses. These are different kinds of schedules.

Scheduling is important because it provides the manager and her/his staff with a fixed programme for carrying out required actions or tasks. Once a schedule of action has been set and communicated, the expectation is that it will be strictly kept to.

Organising

Definition: Organizing means arranging tasks in an orderly functional, structured, coherent and systematic manner to bring about harmonious or united action.

Proper organisation means that different resources for a specific task are available when and how they are required.

For example, consider the planting of a new citrus orchard. The production manager has to ensure that all the necessary resources for this operation are available in the situation and at the time they are needed. Part of the labour force would be allocated to preparing the orchard layout, while another would install the irrigation system, and a third group would be unloading the nursery trees from the truck. In all cases, the manager has to ensure that the labour force has the right equipment to carry out their tasks effectively. At the same time, the manager has to ensure that he has allocated his capital effectively between the different parts of the planting program.

Clearly, an effective organisation has to be preceded by good planning.

Implementation

Definition: Implementation is the act of carrying out the agreed plan according to an agreed schedule to achieve what has been agreed should be done.

A plan cannot be effectively implemented unless the necessary resources are available. It is equally important that the required infrastructure is in place. Infrastructure is a term that refers to permanent non-consumable items required to support the implementation process. This includes roads, rail and air links, equipment, tools, vehicles, fuel supply depots, vehicle maintenance facilities, chemical supply points, offices, storage rooms, pump houses, packhouses, etc. The production manager ensures that the necessary infrastructure is in place and makes the appropriate contingency arrangements when such facilities are not yet available.

As circumstances and conditions change, the implementation process has to be constantly measured, evaluated, reviewed and adapted.

Coordination

Most tasks and almost all projects involve the activities of more than one person. Production management is, by definition, a process; the various aspects of which are carried out by different individuals with different skills.

We have already dealt with the concept of organising, which is about the allocation of resources. Coordination is about bringing in the various players at the appropriate times and in the most effective way in pursuit of the agreed objective. Most projects and tasks require some form of coordination. Without it, aspects of the work could be unnecessarily repeated, and others lost.

Coordination is an important aspect of the agricultural production manager’s job. In fact, virtually all that gets done by the staff in the production process is the result of the coordination of different tasks or inputs. For example, the application of a pest control spray requires that the production manager coordinates with the administration personnel to ensure that the chemicals are ordered and delivered in time, the maintenance department to ensure that the tractors and spray equipment are in good working order, and the labour force to ensure that enough workers are available to complete the task.

Monitoring

It is not enough to plan, organise, and implement a program. The process can only operate successfully when the feedback cycle is also operating.

The feedback cycle must be formalised and be part of the procedure for executing tasks. It may involve the use of short interval control measures. A short interval control measure is a progress check on a regular short interval basis, such as weekly or fortnightly.

One way of doing this is to break down the program into smaller short-term milestones and measure progress against these milestones on a scheduled basis. If any of the milestones are not met, a decision has to be taken on whether the implementation of the plan needs to be changed or whether the original plan needs to be adapted or corrected. The effectiveness of a pest control program can for example be monitored by carrying out frequent and systematic inspections of pest populations. Based on these results the programme can be adjusted to ensure that the original objective is met.

Figure 1.2 illustrates the management process chain, incorporating all the stages through to feedback and correction.

Figure 1.2: Management Process Chain

Motivation

Motivation is about helping people to be passionate about their work. The basis for good motivation is participative goal setting, where every person is given the opportunity to participate in setting goals. As Tony Manning, a strategy consultant says:

• People get turned on when they’re counted in
• When you treat them like eagles, they soar
• What you get hinges largely on what you expect
• Most people can and will take on far more than we think, if only they’re given a chance

According to Farmers’ Weekly contributor Peter Hughes, motivation killers include professional managers who do things by the book but don’t care about their people.

Incentives can enhance motivation, though it must be remembered that internal motivation lasts longer than external motivation which must be repeatedly reinforced by praise and concrete rewards. A feeling of belonging (affiliation) and approval are strong motivators.

Delegation

Delegation is the practice whereby the manager entrusts his authority to others. The aim of delegation is to get the job done by someone else, not just the simple tasks, but also decision-making based on incoming information. With delegation, personnel have the authority to react to situations without referring back to their manager. However, the manager still remains accountable for the satisfactory completion of the task.

Delegation is a style of management that allows staff to use and develop their skills and knowledge to their full potential.

To enable someone else to do the job, the manager must be sure that his personnel:

• Know what he wants
• Have the authority to do or achieve it
• Know how to do it

These all depend on clear communication of the nature of the task, the extent of the discretion they can use, and the sources of information available to them.

Delegation does not mean that the manager should pass on his less pleasant tasks to his subordinates and keep the more pleasant tasks to himself. A good manager will distribute the mundane tasks as evenly as possible and the more exciting ones widely. Delegation also does not mean that the manager can hide behind her/his staff by giving full accountability to them for issues that s/he should be dealing with her/himself, which is referred to as abdication.

Discipline

Discipline is about doing what you are supposed to do when you are supposed to and how you are supposed to do it. A production manager is required to exercise discipline at all times. Discipline is what is required when a number of tasks have to be completed in a short period of time.

Discipline in the manner in which one approaches a task is essential, and this is based on disciplined thinking. If the objects have been set, the plan has been agreed upon and all the other tasks have been completed, it is the discipline of executing the task in the prescribed manner that will get the job done.

Disciplinary action is taken to deal with individuals who disobey company rules or whose performance is unsatisfactory in relation to agreed standards. Disciplinary action is an important part of the manager’s duties and positively reinforces the significance that the company and manager attach to the maintenance of standards and behaviour.

Some managers tend to avoid disciplining their subordinates for fear of becoming unpopular and losing their support. Other managers tend to use their disciplinary powers to enforce participation and performance. Neither of these extremes is good. Preferably the manager should strive to maintain consistency in dealing with disciplinary matters and be seen to be firm but fair.

Decision-Making

Definition: Decision-making is the cognitive process of selecting a course of action from among multiple alternatives. Common examples include shopping, deciding what to eat, etc

Click here to view a video that explains decision-making strategies.

We all make decisions every day, both at home and at work. We make many decisions without much effort, and without concerning ourselves unnecessarily with what their impact will be. For example, we make decisions about what to wear, when to perform a task, what to eat, when to eat, and many other small, seemingly insignificant issues. But even for the smallest decision, there are consequences and risks. As the risk associated with a decision increases, the decision becomes more important.

In agricultural production, as in any other business, the level of decision-making is tied to the nature and level of the job. For example, the office cleaner has his tasks clearly and precisely described and performs his tasks according to this description without making very many decisions on her/his own. At the other end of the scale, the production manager is faced with many different situations, some requiring decision-making that carries long-term and serious consequences for production, and thus for the company. The production manager has to use her/his discretion more often and with greater consequence than the cleaner.

Decision-making is part of every facet of every business. Decisions are required when goals are set and when actions have to be taken to enable those goals to be met.

The Decision-Making Process

Leadership

In order to manage, and therefore to deal with management issues such as planning and budgeting, organising, implementing, controlling and problem-solving, it is important for managers to demonstrate good leadership qualities.

Leadership requires a range of abilities and characteristics and there are many good leaders with very different personality types. However, four key ingredients tend to be common in most successful leaders. These are their ability to:

• Give direction
• Align people
• Motivate and inspire people and
• Introduce change

Good managers need to have leadership qualities in order to:

• Develop a vision of the future
• Influence the creation of teams that understand the vision and goals
• Energise people by understanding and satisfying their human needs and
• Introduce new, more effective ways of doing things

Good leaders are usually emotionally mature, resilient, flexible and adaptable, persistent, results-driven, energetic and decisive.  They demonstrate the ability to take initiative, have a full grasp of the situations for which they are responsible, express their convictions and stimulate others to do the same, and encourage evaluation and feedback.