What are the initial steps in the control process of management?

The control process in management is designed to ensure that organizational goals are met efficiently and effectively. The initial steps in this process include setting standards and measuring performance.

Setting standards involves defining the expected outcomes or benchmarks that guide the performance of processes, teams, or the organization as a whole. These standards serve as the reference points against which actual performance will be evaluated. Once these benchmarks are established, measuring performance becomes the next crucial step. This involves collecting data on actual performance and comparing it against the predetermined standards.

In this way, setting standards provides the framework, while measuring performance assesses how well the organization is doing relative to those standards. Together, these initial steps create a baseline for understanding organizational performance and help inform subsequent actions in the control process, such as analyzing the results and making any necessary adjustments to strategies or operations.