Concept, Function and Importance of Office

Subject: Business Studies

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Overview

An office is the center point of organization. It is a place to perform different activities of a business organization. The office is the brain of a whole organization. The office performs a clerical function such as information collection, recording analyzing, distribution of information and executive function such as planning, policies formulation, organization, decision making etc.

Concept, Function and Importance of Office

Concept of Office

Source: www.slideshare.net
Source: www.slideshare.net

An office is the center point of organization. It is a place to perform different activities of a business organization. The office is the brain of a whole organization. The office performs a clerical function such as information collection, recording analyzing, distribution of information and executive function such as planning, policies formulation, organization, decision making etc.

There are two concepts of office. They are:

  1. Traditional concept

    Traditional concept defines office as the place to perform all managerial and clerical activities. It is the definite area in business. All business functions are regulated and directed from the office. It collects and stores information about the office.

    J.C.Denyer- Office is a place where clerical operations are carried on.

    M.C. Shukla- The point at which the greatest concentration of paperwork activity is found is popularly referred to as the office.

    Therefore, traditional concept explains office as a specified place. It is the particular place for handling whole business.
  1. Modern concept

    The modern concept of office explains office as an activity rather than the place. According to this concept, any place can be said as an office, if the official activities such as executive and clerical activities function are performed.

    Jame Stephenson- The office is that part of business enterprises which is devoted to the direction and coordination of its various activities. It is the seat, not only of the administrative activities which determine the policy of the whole business but also of the principal executive activities whereby that policy is carried into effect.

    Edward Roche- Office exists anywhere certain kinds of work are performed. It is a mistake to regard an office as a specific place. Just as a tree is known by its fruits, so also a business office is known by the functions it discharges.

    Therefore, an office is an important part of the organization in which different administrative and clerical functions are performed to achieve the objective of the organization. It has given importance to a functional area of business rather than a specific place.

In conclusion, an office is a place to perform all business activities relating to clerical and executive. It acts as the central point of the whole organization and all the information and resource come to an office and they are distributed from the office itself. The office is the brain of an organization.

Function of Office

Source: oaforcsec.wikispaces.com
Source: oaforcsec.wikispaces.com

Every organization is established with the objective to attend specified goals. To achieve this goal different functions are to be performed. The office is the center point for all the business various activities. Therefore, an office has to perform various activities. For our simplicity, we have divided the function of the office into the following two categories:

  1. Basic Function
  2. Administrative Function

Basic Function

The regular activities of collecting and distributing information are called the basic function. It involves the functions like the collection, recording, analyzing, storing and distribution of information. Every type of business will perform basic activities from its office. The basic activities of office are explained as follows:

  1. Receiving and collection of information:
    It is the primary function of office to collect information from the different source. Generally, there are two sources of information for office i.e internal and external. Internal information is provided from different units of the business. On the other hand, external sources are agencies and institution who collect and distribute information.
  1. Recording information:
    It is the other activities of the office. The office will record the information available from a different source in ‘inward book’ and ‘dispatch book’. That information which is available from outside the organization like letters, bill, order etc is recorded in inward books. The information provided by the organization to outside people are recorded in the dispatch book. This system of recording information helps to organize record and message of business.
  1. Analyzing:
    It is concerned with detail study of collected information. The information collected from different sources are raw and unprocessed form. In this function, information is studied in detail to find the necessity of information for a future purpose.
  1. Storing Information:
    The recorded information should be protected for future purpose. The degree of necessity information will determine how long the information should be protected. According to the importance of information, an office will store information in a separate file.
  1. Distribution of Information:
    It is the basic function of every office to distribute information to related people and department. The collected information is distributed to different people and department in order to help them in decision making and other activities.

Administrative Function

The administrative function is related to management of a business organization. It is the high-level function and non-routine in nature. The administrative function of the office is related to human resource management, purchase, and control of resource protection of asset, public relation etc. Administrative function of office are explained as follows:

  1. Managerial function:
    The activities related to management of business such as planning, leading, controlling, directing, etc. are called a managerial function. Top level people of the organization are involved in managerial activates from office. The managerial function is necessary to successfully accomplish the function.
  1. Human resource function:
    Human resource function is related to placing the right employee in the right place. It is the responsibility of the office to determine the requirement of differently skilled people and place them in the right position after selecting an appropriate candidate. The office will make a record of employee performance provide the prize and benefit in the future.
  1. Purchase and control function:
    The office will involve identifying different assets and resource requirement for business. It is the basic function of an office to purchase an appropriate asset at a reasonable price. The office develops the systematic mechanism to purchase an asset and other resource required for business at minimum possible cost.
  1. Public relation:
    The relationship with a mass of public like a shareholder, creditor, supplier, media person, social group, customer, community etc is called public relation. It is the responsibility of the office to maintain a close relationship with the people who are directly or indirectly related to business. The office maintains a close relationship with the public by regular distributing information and organizing different activities.
  1. Safeguarding properties:
    The office should protect the properties and assets of an organization. It maintains a record of assets and provides updated information about this situation. It is the responsibility of the office to protect the asset from theft and damage like fire, accident, flood, water, etc. The office should provide regular maintenance of its resource.
  1. Forms design and control:
    The office should design forms to bring uniformity in office operation. It helps to simplify the operation and brings a system in performance. The office needs a different kind of forms such as bills, inquiry form, voucher, letter pad, purchase order etc. Therefore, an office should design a separate form for each kind of activity.
  1. Development of office system and procedure:
    System and procedure are required to successfully accomplish different activities. Office uses to develop different procedure and systems required to complete a specific task. It helps to bring simplicity into office work. Therefore, an office must have a developed system and procedure to carry out each job.

Importance of Office

An office is the center point of any business activities. It is like the brain in a human body. As human physical activities are regulated and control by the brain, the activities of department and people in an office as well regulated and control from office. The importance of office can be explained with the help of the following point:

  1. Information center:
    The office is very much important to collect and distribute information. Information is available from a different source such as invoice, letter, memos, agreement, voucher etc. The office collects information and protects them in safe mode on the basis of their importance.
  1. Proof of existence:
    The office is the evidence for existence and survival for business. We generalize the information about the existence of business with the help of the office. If the office is regular then we can say business is running.
  1. Channel of communication:
    The office is the channel of communication between different peoples and the department of business. There are a various level of staffs in business who are communicating with each other through means of office. Different department such as marketing and production are communicated with the help of the office.
  1. Co-ordination of work:
    Business is divided into department and sub-units for bringing simplicity into the operation. The office will work as a coordinator to maintain the relationship between departments. It develops productivity relationship with different department to achieve a co-operative objective.
  1. Center for the formulation of plan and policies:
    Business is established with the objective of attaining a certain result. To achieve this result top-level manager formulate plans and policies from office. These plan and policies are communicated to the related person through the office. Therefore, the office is a center for the formulation of plans and policies.
  1. Managerial control:
    The process of developing performance standard and comparing with actual performance is called controlling. The office helps in controlling the activities of different people and department of business. The office ensures that activities performed in business are accurate.
  1. Memory center:
    Office protects important information about the past in a safe manner. It provides information storage facilities in files and devices on the basis of their importance for the future. The department and people who need information are available from the office. Therefore, the office is a memory center.
  1. Service center:
    The office works as a service center for different units and department of business. It provides clerical services like mailing, filing, typing, printing, supplying resource etc. to concern department. It provides assistant facility to all people as well as units in business.

 

 

 

 

 


References:

Khanal, Soma Raj, Surendra Thapa Aslami and Sitaram Dhakal.Business Studies.Kathmandu: Taleju Prakashan, 2067.

Pant, Prem R., et al.Business Studies.Kathmandu: Buddha Academic Publishers and Distributors Pvt. Ltd., 2010.

 

 

 

Things to remember
  1. An office is the center point of organization. 
  2. Traditional concept defines office as the place to perform all managerial and clerical activities. It is the definite area in business.
  3. The modern concept of office explains office as an activity rather than the place.
  4. The regular activities of collecting and distributing information are called the basic function. 
  5. The administrative function is related to management of a business organization. 

 

 

  • It includes every relationship which established among the people.
  • There can be more than one community in a society. Community smaller than society.
  • It is a network of social relationships which cannot see or touched.
  • common interests and common objectives are not necessary for society.
Questions and Answers

An office is the center point of organization. It is a place to perform different activities of a business organization.  This is the place where all the functions relating to administration, management, and control are performed. All the information are gathered, analyzed, processed and preserve in office.

There are two components they are:

Traditional View:

Traditional concept defines office as the place to perform all managerial and clerical activities. It is the definite area in business. All business functions are regulated and directed from office. It collects and stores information of office.

J.C.Denyer- Office is a place where clerical operations are carried on.

M.C. Shukla- The point at which the greatest concentration of paperwork activity is found is popularly referred to as the office.

Therefore, Traditional concept explains office as a specified place. It is the particular place for handling whole business.

Modern View:

The modern concept of office explains office as an activity rather than the place. According to this concept, any place can be said as an office, if the official activities such as executive and clerical activities function are performed.

Jame Stephenson- The office is that part of business enterprises which is devoted to the direction and coordination of its various activities. It is the seat, not only of the administrative activities which determine the policy of the whole business but also of the principal executive activities whereby that policy is carried into effect.

Edward Roche- Office exists anywhere certain kinds of work are performed. It is a mistake to regard an office as a specific place. Just as a tree is known by its fruits, so also a business office is known by the functions it discharges.

Therefore, An office is an important part of the organization in which different administrative and clerical functions are performed to achieve the objective of the organization. It has given importance to a functional area of business rather than a specific place.

In conclusion, an office is a place to perform all business activities relating to clerical and executive. It acts as the central point of whole organization and all the information and resource come to an office and they are distributed from the office itself. The office is the brain of an organization.

 

Basic Function:

The regular activities of collecting and distributing information are called the basic function. Receiving, recording, arranging, and disseminating information are the basic function of an office. Every type of business will perform basic activities from its office. The basic activities of office are explained as following:

  1. Receiving and collection of information:

It is the primary function of office to collect information from the different source. Generally, there are two sources of information for office i.e internal and external. Internal information is provided from different units of the business. Letters, circulars, reports, invoices, inter-departmental notes etc are the internal sources of information. On the other hand, external sources are agencies and institution who collect and distribute information.

               2. Recording information:

It is the another activities of the office. The office will record the information available from a different source in ‘inward book’ and ‘dispatch book’. Both received and collected information should be properly recorded in a suitable form. That information which is available from outside the organization like letters, bill, order etc is recorded in inward books. This system of recording information helps to organize record and message of business.

  1. Analysing:

It is concerned with detail study of collected information. The hidden fact has to be highlighted through proper analysis. The information collected from different sources are raw and unprocessed form. In this function, information is studied in detail to find the necessity of information for a future purpose.

  1. Storing Information:

The recorded information should be protected for future purpose. The degree of necessity information will determine how long the information should be protected. According to the importance of information, an office will store information in a separate file.

  1. Distribution of Information:

It is the basic function of every office to distribute information to related people and department. The collected information is distributed to different people and department in order to help them in decision making and other activities.

 

An office is the center point of organization. It is a place to perform different activities of a business organization.  This is the place where all the functions relating to administration, management, and control are performed. All the information are gathered, analyzed, processed and preserve in office.

There are two components they are:

Traditional View:

Traditional concept defines office as the place to perform all managerial and clerical activities. It is the definite area in business. All business functions are regulated and directed from office. It collects and stores information of office.

J.C.Denyer- Office is a place where clerical operations are carried on.

M.C. Shukla- The point at which the greatest concentration of paperwork activity is found is popularly referred to as the office.

Therefore, Traditional concept explains office as a specified place. It is the particular place for handling whole business.

Modern View:

The modern concept of office explains office as an activity rather than the place. According to this concept, any place can be said as an office, if the official activities such as executive and clerical activities function are performed.

Jame Stephenson- The office is that part of business enterprises which is devoted to the direction and coordination of its various activities. It is the seat, not only of the administrative activities which determine the policy of the whole business but also of the principal executive activities whereby that policy is carried into effect.

Edward Roche- Office exists anywhere certain kinds of work are performed. It is a mistake to regard an office as a specific place. Just as a tree is known by its fruits, so also a business office is known by the functions it discharges.

Therefore, An office is an important part of the organization in which different administrative and clerical functions are performed to achieve the objective of the organization. It has given importance to a functional area of business rather than a specific place.

In conclusion, an office is a place to perform all business activities relating to clerical and executive. It acts as the central point of whole organization and all the information and resource come to an office and they are distributed from the office itself. The office is the brain of an organization.

Basic Function:

The regular activities of collecting and distributing information are called the basic function. Receiving, recording, arranging, and disseminating information are the basic function of an office. Every type of business will perform basic activities from its office. The basic activities of office are explained as following:

  1. Receiving and collection of information:

It is the primary function of office to collect information from the different source. Generally, there are two sources of information for office i.e internal and external. Internal information is provided from different units of the business. Letters, circulars, reports, invoices, inter-departmental notes etc are the internal sources of information. On the other hand, external sources are agencies and institution who collect and distribute information.

               2. Recording information:

It is the another activities of the office. The office will record the information available from a different source in ‘inward book’ and ‘dispatch book’. Both received and collected information should be properly recorded in a suitable form. That information which is available from outside the organization like letters, bill, order etc is recorded in inward books. This system of recording information helps to organize record and message of business.

  1. Analysing:

It is concerned with detail study of collected information. The hidden fact has to be highlighted through proper analysis. The information collected from different sources are raw and unprocessed form. In this function, information is studied in detail to find the necessity of information for a future purpose.

  1. Storing Information:

The recorded information should be protected for future purpose. The degree of necessity information will determine how long the information should be protected. According to the importance of information, an office will store information in a separate file.

  1. Distribution of Information:

It is the basic function of every office to distribute information to related people and department. The collected information is distributed to different people and department in order to help them in decision making and other activities.

 

 For the smooth functioning of the organisation, there are several other activities which are performed by an  office. These activities really help to improve the efficiency of an office. The administrative function of the office is related to human resource management, purchase, and control of resource protection of asset, public relation etc. Administrative function of office are explained as following:

  • Protecting assets:
    All assets movable and immovable, documents and office record should be safely guarded. Buildings, machines, office equipment, vehicles, debtors, cash and bank balance etc. are the assets and properties. Hence, an office is responsible for taking care and saving these assets through insurance policies, locker etc.

  • Managerial functions:
    Good management is most important for making a business successful. An office performs a number of managerial functions such as planning, organising, directing, coordinating, communicating. Therefore, managerial functions help in smooth functioning of the organisation.

  • Purchase and control function
    The office will involve identifying different assets and resource requirement for business. It is the basic function of office to purchase an appropriate asset at a reasonable price. The office develops the systematic mechanism to purchase an asset and other resource required for business at minimum possible cost.

  • Public relation:
    Public relation are crucial function of an office. The main purpose of  a public relation is to make an organisation look trust worthy to all people who deal with in its all action. The office has to keep close relations with its suppliers, investors and the general people as well. The office maintains a close relation with public by regular distributing information and organising different activities.

  • Forms design and control:
    An office designs, develops and prepares many types of form needed for office management. The office needs a different kind of forms such as bills, inquiry form, voucher, letter pad, purchase order etc. Therefore, an office should design separate form for each kind of activity.

  • Purchasing stationery and supplies
    Office stationery and supplies are essential for doing work. Office must be involved in controlling stationery and supply materials as efficiently as possible while buying, storing, issuing, and using them in order to minimize wastages and losses.

  • Purchasing office machines and furniture:
    Office requires various types of office furniture and machines for efficient performance. Machines,equipment and furniture are the important assets of an office which contribute to the efficient functioning of the organising.

  • Performing personal functions:
    Office is also related to recruiting, training, placing,and promoting the employees. Besides these, the office should also direct, motive, coordinate and remunerate employees to maximize their productivity.

 

Basic Function:

The regular activities of collecting and distributing information are called the basic function. Receiving, recording, arranging, and disseminating information are the basic function of an office. Every type of business will perform basic activities from its office. The basic activities of office are explained as following:

  1. Receiving and collection of information:

It is the primary function of office to collect information from the different source. Generally, there are two sources of information for office i.e internal and external. Internal information is provided from different units of the business. Letters, circulars, reports, invoices, inter-departmental notes etc are the internal sources of information. On the other hand, external sources are agencies and institution who collect and distribute information.

               2. Recording information:

It is the another activities of the office. The office will record the information available from a different source in ‘inward book’ and ‘dispatch book’. Both received and collected information should be properly recorded in a suitable form. That information which is available from outside the organization like letters, bill, order etc is recorded in inward books. This system of recording information helps to organize record and message of business.

  1. Analysing:

It is concerned with detail study of collected information. The hidden fact has to be highlighted through proper analysis. The information collected from different sources are raw and unprocessed form. In this function, information is studied in detail to find the necessity of information for a future purpose.

  1. Storing Information:

The recorded information should be protected for future purpose. The degree of necessity information will determine how long the information should be protected. According to the importance of information, an office will store information in a separate file.

  1. Distribution of Information:

It is the basic function of every office to distribute information to related people and department. The collected information is distributed to different people and department in order to help them in decision making and other activities.

 Auxiliary or Administrative Management Functions

 For the smooth functioning of the organisation, there are several other activities which are performed by an  office. These activities really help to improve the efficiency of an office. The administrative function of the office is related to human resource management, purchase, and control of resource protection of asset, public relation etc. Administrative function of office are explained as following:

  • Protecting assets:
    All assets movable and immovable, documents and office record should be safely guarded. Buildings, machines, office equipment, vehicles, debtors, cash and bank balance etc. are the assets and properties. Hence, an office is responsible for taking care and saving these assets through insurance policies, locker etc.

  • Managerial functions:
    Good management is most important for making a business successful. An office performs a number of managerial functions such as planning, organising, directing, coordinating, communicating. Therefore, managerial functions help in smooth functioning of the organisation.

  • Purchase and control function
    The office will involve identifying different assets and resource requirement for business. It is the basic function of office to purchase an appropriate asset at a reasonable price. The office develops the systematic mechanism to purchase an asset and other resource required for business at minimum possible cost.

  • Public relation:
    Public relation are crucial function of an office. The main purpose of  a public relation is to make an organisation look trust worthy to all people who deal with in its all action. The office has to keep close relations with its suppliers, investors and the general people as well. The office maintains a close relation with public by regular distributing information and organising different activities.

  • Forms design and control:
    An office designs, develops and prepares many types of form needed for office management. The office needs a different kind of forms such as bills, inquiry form, voucher, letter pad, purchase order etc. Therefore, an office should design separate form for each kind of activity.

  • Purchasing stationery and supplies
    Office stationery and supplies are essential for doing work. Office must be involved in controlling stationery and supply materials as efficiently as possible while buying, storing, issuing, and using them in order to minimize wastages and losses.

  • Purchasing office machines and furniture:
    Office requires various types of office furniture and machines for efficient performance. Machines, equipment and furniture are the important assets of an office which contribute to the efficient functioning of the organising.

  • Performing personal functions:
    Office is also related to recruiting, training, placing,and promoting the employees. Besides these, the office should also direct, motive, coordinate and remunerate employees to maximize their productivity.
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