Meaning of Controlling 

Controlling is the process of assessing actual progress with the expected progress in order to find deviations and rectify them. This will help organisation in accomplishing their objectives. 
According to Philip Kotler, “Control is the process of taking steps to bring actual results and desired results closer together.” 


Importance of Controlling  

Controlling is an indispensable function of management due to the following reasons : 
i. Accomplishing organizational goals- The controlling function monitors progress toward organizational goals, detects deviations if any, and also suggests corrective action. 

ii. Making efficient use of resources-  Controlling plays a vital role in reducing the wastage and spoilage of resources (i.e.  men, material, machinery and money ) and ensuring their optimum utilization so that organisation can achieve the predetermined goals.  

iii. Improving employee motivation- A good control system communicates employees about the goals and standards well in advance. An effective control aids in the removal of employees' weaknesses, allowing them to contribute to the best of their abilities. It motivates them and helps them to perform better. 
 
iv. Judging accuracy of standards - The controlling function assists company managers in assessing the objectivity and correctness of current standards. It also aids in the review and revision of standards in light of upcoming changes in the business's internal and external environments. 

v. Facilitating co-ordination in action - Controlling provides direction to all activities and efforts for achieving organizational goals. It improves coordination between departments by establishing performance standards. Every department is governed by pre-determined standards that are well coordinated with one another. This ensures that the overall organizational goals are met. 

vi. Ensures order and discipline - Controlling ensures  order and discipline by keeping a check on undesired activities like theft, corruption etc. 
 

Limitations of Controlling  

The process of controlling suffers due to following reasons. 

i. Difficulty in establishing quantitative standards - When standards cannot be defined quantitatively, the controlling function becomes less effective. As a result, measuring performance and comparing it to standards becomes more difficult and a challenging task. Some of the areas where this issue could develop are employee morale, job satisfaction etc. 
 
ii. Limited control over external factors - External factors such as government policies, technological changes, and competition, among others, cannot be controlled. 

iii. Employee resistance - Employees resist controlling as they believe this acts as a  restriction on their freedom. 

iv. Expensive affair - Controlling is an expensive and time-consuming affair. Management needs to ensure that the cost of controlling does not outweigh the    benefits gained.