Different words for "management"

Question

What exactly are the differences between 経営, 運営, and 管理? I believe 経営 can only be used for private businesses, but are there differences beyond that?

Answer 1

I think they differ mostly in what they can take as objects, rather than in meaning.

運営 means steering or organizing an event or the like. Typically done by some committee. オリンピック/国会/ソーシャルゲームの運営(not 経営 nor 管理).

経営 has connotations of financial/business aspect and 管理 means more about overseeing actual operations.

• CEO, CFO, CTO etc. are usually referred to as 経営陣.
• If a factory is on fine, 管理者 would be responsible for it.
• Due to the fire, the company goes bankrupt, then it is the responsibility of 経営者.
• 'Managing jobs' (typically with manager in the title) are called 管理職. Most CxO are managing some people (who are often managers themselves), so in that sense they are both 経営者 and 管理職. (管理者 usually refers to a person in charge of specific institution.)

So 経営 means to make sure that things keep going, aiming for better results whereas 管理 means to make sure that things proceed without problems, as designed.

See also a thesaurus entry.