Management of Resources Chapter Notes | Home Science for Class 11 - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

Introduction

• Resources are essential for carrying out daily activities, enabling individuals to accomplish their goals.
• Resources include time, energy, money, knowledge, interest/motivation, skills/strengths/aptitude, material goods (e.g., paper, pen, pencil, colors), water, air, and infrastructure like a school building.
• Different activities require varying amounts of specific resources, with some needing more of one resource than others.
• Personal strengths, as discussed in previous chapters, are considered resources.
• Anything not used by an individual is not a resource for them, e.g., an unused bicycle is not a resource if it remains idle but may be for someone else.

Human and Non-Human Resources

Human Resources

• Human resources are central to any activity and can be developed through training and self-development.
• Knowledge is a lifelong resource, essential for successfully performing tasks, e.g., a cook needs to know how to operate a stove, and a teacher requires thorough subject knowledge.
• Individuals must remain open to acquiring knowledge throughout their lives to enhance their capabilities.
• Motivation/Interest drives task completion, as a lack of interest can lead to excuses and unfinished tasks, e.g., a disinterested student may not complete assignments despite available resources.
• Interests influence hobbies like dance, painting, reading fiction, or crafts, reflecting personal motivation.
• Skills/Strengths/Aptitude vary among individuals, with each having unique areas of proficiency, e.g., different cooks produce distinct flavors in pickles due to their skills.
• Skills can be acquired through learning and training, even if not naturally present.
• Time is a universal resource, equally available to all with 24 hours daily, but its use varies individually.
• Time is irreplaceable, making it highly valuable, and effective time management is crucial for achieving goals.
• Time has three dimensions: work time, non-work time, and rest/leisure time, which need balancing for physical fitness, emotional strength, and intellectual alertness.
• Individuals should identify peak productivity periods to use time effectively for goal achievement.
• Energy is vital for physical output and personal growth, varying based on physical fitness, mental state, personality, age, family background, and living standards.
• Effective energy use requires careful planning to complete tasks efficiently and conserve energy.

Non-Human Resources

• Money is a critical resource, unevenly distributed, requiring judicious spending due to its limited nature.
• Material resources include space, furniture, clothes, stationery, food items, and other tangible items needed for activities.

Individual and Shared Resources

• Individual resources are available for personal use only, including both human (e.g., skills, knowledge, time) and non-human (e.g., school bag, clothes) resources.
• Shared resources are accessible to multiple community or society members and can be natural or community-based.

Natural and Community Resources

• Natural resources, such as water, mountains, and air, are freely available but require responsible use to protect the environment.
• Community resources, provided by the government, include human (e.g., doctors in government hospitals) and non-human (e.g., roads, parks, post offices) resources.
• Individuals must use community resources optimally and take responsibility for their maintenance.

Characteristics of Resources

• Utility refers to a resource’s usefulness in achieving a goal, which depends on the specific goal and situation, e.g., cow dung can be waste or a resource as fuel or manure.
• Proper use of resources leads to greater satisfaction for families or communities.
• Accessibility varies, with some resources more readily available than others, differing by person and time, e.g., money availability fluctuates within a month.
• Interchangeability allows resources to have substitutes, e.g., if a school bus is unavailable, alternatives like a car, tractor, or scooter can be used.
• Resources are manageable, requiring effective management for optimal use due to their limited nature, e.g., using one bucket of water instead of three for washing clothes maximizes efficiency.

Managing Resources

• All resources are finite, necessitating effective utilization to achieve goals efficiently without misuse or waste.
• Effective resource management involves getting the most from available resources, e.g., planning a daily schedule to use all 24 hours productively.
• Resource management includes procedures like planning, organizing, implementing, controlling, and evaluation.

The Management Process

• Planning is the initial step, visualizing the path to achieve goals using available resources.
• It involves selecting a course of action by answering four key questions: assessing the present situation, defining desired goals, identifying the gap between current and desired states, and determining how to bridge the gap.
• Steps in planning include identifying the problem, exploring alternatives, choosing the best alternative, acting on the plan, and accepting the consequences.
• Example: With one month left for exams and incomplete revision, a student plans to study five subjects by allocating hours, prioritizing subjects, and reducing other activities.

Organising

• Organizing involves collecting and arranging resources to implement plans effectively and efficiently.
• In the exam example, organizing includes gathering books, notes, stationery, and arranging a study space with adequate lighting.

Implementing

• Implementing is the execution of the prepared plan using arranged resources.
• In the exam example, the student begins studying with the collected resources like books and notes.

Controlling

• Controlling ensures activities produce desired results by monitoring outcomes and checking for errors.
• It provides feedback to revise plans, e.g., if watching TV disrupts study hours, the student minimizes distractions like TV or socializing to adhere to the study plan.

Evaluation

• Evaluation compares the achieved outcomes with the desired results, noting strengths and limitations for future improvement.
• In the exam example, the student evaluates exam results against preparation, identifying reasons for low scores and leveraging strengths to improve in future exams.