Management Functions at the Household Level in Rural Bangladesh: Application and Outcome

Abstract

Proper application of Management Functions helps an organization to achieve its predetermined objectives in a successful manner by ensuring effective, efficient, and synergistic utilization of whatever resources the organization has at its disposal. In a country like Bangladesh where eight out of ten people live in rural areas (Islam 2002: 97), to ensure overall socio1economic development of the country would remain a far cry if development (i.e. wellbeing) of the rural households cannot be ensured. In this village1based study I have attempted to find1out whether or not application of three core management functions such as decision1making, authority, and leadership can ensure wellbeing of rural households by utilizing the resources of the households. In order to do so I have taken a sample of one hundred and sixty households from three villages of three districts under three agro1ecological zones e.g. coastal, haor, and flood free. I have categorized the households from two points of view viz. economic condition of the households and typology of the households. According to the economic condition, I have divided the sample households into three types e.g. poor households, moderate households, and rich households. Likewise, according to the household typology, I have classified the sample households into three types e.g. nuclear households, joint households, and extended households. Besides, I have divided the resources of the households into three broad types such as natural resources, economic resources and human resources. Using both secondary data (gathered from secondary literature review) as well as primary data (collected from the sample households through questionnaire survey, key informant interviews, observation method, case study, and focus group discussion) I have found the emergence of four new types of households viz. despotic households, super1trader households, glued1together households, and circumstantial glued1together households. I have also found that a significant number of these four new types of households can ensure wellbeing of the household members in the forms of enhanced capabilities, livelihood security, equity, and sustainability by ensuring utmost utilization of their resources through prudent application of the three management functions. In addition, I have identified a few areas where further research could be conducted in the days ahead.