Difference Between Administration and Management

Administration vs Management

It may appear that both the terms, namely administration and management are connotative of one and the same meaning, but there is actually some kind of difference between the two.  Administration is the science of determining the policies and objectives of an organization or a firm, where as management is the act of putting into practice the policies and objectives framed by the administration.

It can thus be said that administration is a determinative function whereas management is executive function.  It is executive in the sense that it executes the objectives and policies that are already framed by the administration and included in the constitution.  Top level activity controls an administration where as middle level activity controls a management.  Administration comprises of top level personnel that have contributed to the capital, that are partners of the firm or the organization.  Management comprises of a group of managers that exhibit their skill in putting into practice the objectives of the organization.  In short it can be said that the management is directly under the control of administration or the administration controls the management.

A management would survive only if the administration is satisfied by its academic show.  Hence management should strictly comprise of talented managers that show their dexterity in translating into practice what the administration expects of them.  Planning is the key factor of an administration whereas motivation is the key factor of a management.  It is important to note that administrative handles the most vital aspect of an organization, namely, finance.  Administration organizes resources so as to use them to fulfill their mission.  Management does not handle the sensitive issue of finance but does handle the method of operation to carry out the strategy of the administration.

It is the administration that takes vital decisions of an organization whereas management is not authorized to take vital decisions of an organization but can take decisions within a certain framework, by the approval of the administration.  Administration is made of administrators whereas management is made of managers.  Administrators are found only in government, religious, military and educational organizations, whereas managers are found in business firms only.  The relationship between administration and management is that management is construed to be a subset of administration in the sense that everything management does gets included in the administration.  Everything a management achieves gets included in the administration and everything a management fails to achieve also gets included in the administration.  In fact it would be appropriate to say that a managerial failure is actually an administrative failure.  A managerial success is an administrative success too.

The major differences between administration and management can be summed up as follows:

Administration frames the objectives and policies of an organization, whereas management does work hard to put into practice these policies and objectives.

Administration is determinative in character while management is executive in character.

Administration is the body that takes vital decisions of an organization, whereas management too takes decisions, but confines them to a certain framework only.

Administrators are found in government, educational and religious bodies whereas managers are found in business firms.