What is a management control process?
James Craig
Published Feb 15, 2026
Management control is the process by which managers influence other members of the organization to implement organization’s strategies. If management control is regarded as a closed system, that is, the control environment is certain, the procedures of management control system are called formal control process.
What is management as a process?
We have defined management as a process to achieve organizational goals. A process is a set of activities that are ongoing and interrelated. Ongoing means that the activities are not done in a linear, step-by-step fashion where responsibility is passed from one activity to the next.
Is the process in control or out of control?
When points on a control chart move outside the upper or lower control limit, the process is said to be “out of control.” As long as the points are within control limits, the process is “in control.” But, what does an out of control process indicate? Many believe that an out of control process produces defective parts.
Is process a control?
A process is said to be in control or stable, if it is in statistical control. A process is in statistical control when all special causes of variation have been removed and only common cause variation remains. A process can be in control, yet fail to meet specification requirements.
Why do we use a control chart?
A control chart is used to monitor a process variable over time. That process variable can be plotted on a control chart over time. The objective of the control chart is to find any “special” causes of variation as well as to reflect the process improvements that have been made.
What are the three key properties of a management control system?
The three are:
- The MCS is aligned with the organization’s strategies and goals.
- Designed to fit the organizational structure.
- Motivate people through different reward systems.
What are the two principles of management control?
These principles of management control are given below.
- Principle of Assurance of Objective.
- Principle of Efficiency of Controls.
- Principle of Control Responsibility.
- Principle of Forward Looking.
- Principle of Direct Control.
- Principle of Reflection of Plans.
- Principle of Organizational Suitability.
In simple words, a management process is a well-defined system of setting goals, planning and controlling any action’s execution. It constitutes a set of interrelated operations or functions necessary to accomplish desired organisational objectives.
What are the steps in control process?
The control function can be viewed as a five-step process: (1) Establish standards, (2) Measure performance, (3) Compare actual performance with standards and identify any deviations, (4) Determine the reason for deviations, and (5) Take corrective action, if needed.
What are the 3 basic steps of any control process?
There are three basic steps in a control process:
- Establishing standards.
- Measuring and comparing actual results against standards.
- Taking corrective action.
What are the four steps of control process?
4 Steps of Control Process are;
- Establishing standards and methods for measuring performance.
- Measuring performance.
- Determining whether performance matches the standard.
- Taking corrective action.
What is Departmentation in principles of management?
Meaning of Departmentation Departmentation is the foundation of organisation structure. Departmentation means division of work into smaller units and their re-grouping into bigger units (departments) on the basis of similarity of features. Each department is headed by a person known as departmental manager.
What are the controlling principles?
Home » Accounting Dictionary » What is the Control Principle? Definition: The control principle is the concept that accounting systemsmust have procedures and processes in place to help managers monitor and regulate business activities. These processes are traditionally called internal controls.
What does the process of Management Control mean?
The process includes comparing actual and planned performance, measuring the difference between the two, identifying the causes that have lead to the difference and taking corrective action to minimize or remove the difference.
What are the different types of control processes?
Controls can be categorized according to the time in which a process or activity occurs. The controls related to time include feedback, proactive, and concurrent controls. Feedback control concerns the past. Proactive control anticipates future implications. Concurrent control concerns the present.
What are the boundaries of a management control system?
6. 6 Boundaries of Management Control Management Control: Ensuring that the necessary resources are mobilized and are deployed effectively so that the planned objectives are met without much difficulty. It is a process by which the managers influence other members of the organization to implement the organization’s strategies.
When to implement changes in the control process?
As part of the process, managers may also implement changes if the goal is not achieved. Three months after the changes are implemented, managers will review the new results to see whether the goal was achieved.
