Which statement best defines management?

• A. The process of maintaining resources within budget
• B. The process of working with and through people to achieve organizational goals
• C. The strategy of maximizing shareholder value through cost cutting
• D. The arrangement of tasks to automate operations

Answer: (B)

Management is coordinating and directing people and resources to achieve organizational goals. It’s a social process that involves planning, organizing, leading, and controlling activities through others. The emphasis on “working with and through people” to reach objectives captures the broad, ongoing effort of guiding efforts toward common aims, not just a single task like budgeting, automation, or a narrow financial strategy.

The other ideas are narrower fits: maintaining resources within budget reflects a budgeting or control task, not the full practice of leading and coordinating. Maximizing shareholder value through cost cutting targets a specific financial objective rather than the overall process of achieving goals through people. Arranging tasks to automate operations describes process optimization rather than the broader human-centered management function.