Planning is the most important management function, in that it can be done independently of the other management functions.

The four key functions of management are applied throughout an organization. Management is simply the act of getting people together to achieve desired goal and this is accomplished through the four functions of management: planning, organizing, leading and controlling.

Planning means defining goals for future organizational performance and deciding on the tasks and use of resources needed to attain them. The intended result is the use of an organization's resources in a way that accomplishes its mission and objectives. However planning alone cannot achieve the organization’s goals or objectives.

These functions interact with one another and managers must be skilled in these coordinating processes and functions if they are to accomplish their goals through the efforts of other people.

First, one cannot tell which functions are most important and how much time must be allocated to each. All functions are important parts of a manager's job. A manager must have equal amount of planning, organizing, controlling, and directing for the organization to run efficiently. To say Planning is more superior or more important than the other management functions, is to say that planning is independent of the other management functions, is very much incorrect. No management function is independent of each other. In fact they are interdependent on each other. All four functions throughout the organization and are highly integrated.

The functions of management are important in all areas of management. In the operations department all four functions are important at all stages of the operation. The functions of management are needed at the input, processing and output stages. All functions are equally important for the creation of an