Define Order? Types of Orders

Define Order

An order is an oral or written communication directing the starting, stopping or modification of an activity. It is a form of communication by which management directs its subordinates and employees and seeks to achieve its objectives. Before issuing an order, there should be proper planning by the order issuing person.

Mr. George Terry gives us the five Ws and H of a good order. For an order to be effective, it must tell the subordinate. Who, What, When, Where. Why and How.

Orders are important part of internal management of a business. They are commands laid down by superiors, and the subordinates dare not ignore or violate these commands. The superiors only issue order, but they do not communicate to the subordinate as to how he is to do or modify an activity.

An instruction is an order issued by a superior who shows the subordinate how the activity needs to be carried out. All orders are instructions, but all instructions are not orders. Thus, we can say that an order is what to do, but an instruction is how to do it. For Eg. If a teacher tells a student "Get Out" it is an order. If, the room has several doors, and the teacher says, "Get out by that door," it is an instruction.

Types of Orders

Types of orders are given in the image below.

Image credits © Manoj Patil.

Types of orders are followed:

1. Oral and Written Orders
2. General or Specific Orders
3. Procedural and operational Orders
4. Mandatory and Discretionary Orders

Types of orders chronological are.

1. Oral and Written Orders

Oral orders are issued, for carrying out certain jobs immediately and there is no need of maintaining any written record. Written orders are issued when it is essential to keep a record of it and the job is of a repetitive nature, etc.

2. General or Specific Orders

If orders are related to a particular activity, they are specific but sometimes general orders are issued where there is a similarity of working or operating in a number of activities.

3. Procedural and Operational Orders

These are issued when the subordinates have to follow exact procedure and operational instructions specifying how a particular job is to be done.

4. Mandatory and Discretionary Orders

Mandatory orders have to be obeyed, and they are compulsory in nature. Discretionary orders are in the manner of recommendations.