The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Management \Man"age*ment\, n. [From Manage, v.]
   1. The act or art of managing; the manner of treating,
      directing, carrying on, or using, for a purpose; conduct;
      administration; guidance; control; as, the management of a
      family or of a farm; the management of a business
      enterprise; the management of state affairs. "The
      management of the voice." --E. Porter.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Business dealing; negotiation; arrangement.
      [1913 Webster]

            He had great managements with ecclesiastics.
                                                  --Addison.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Judicious use of means to accomplish an end; conduct
      directed by art or address; skillful treatment; cunning
      practice; -- often in a bad sense.
      [1913 Webster]

            Mark with what management their tribes divide
            Some stick to you, and some to t'other side.
                                                  --Dryden.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. The collective body of those who manage or direct any
      enterprise or interest; the board of managers.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: Conduct; administration; government; direction;
        guidance; care; charge; contrivance; intrigue.
        [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

management
    n 1: the act of managing something; "he was given overall
         management of the program"; "is the direction of the
         economy a function of government?" [syn: management,
         direction]
    2: those in charge of running a business

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (19 January 2023):

management

   1. Corporate power elites distinguished primarily by their
   distance from actual productive work and their chronic failure
   to manage (see also suit).  Spoken derisively, as in
   "*Management* decided that ...".

   2. Mythically, a vast bureaucracy responsible for all the
   world's minor irritations.  Hackers' satirical public notices
   are often signed "The Mgt"; this derives from the
   "Illuminatus!" novels.

   [Jargon File]

   (1995-02-28)


The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003):

management
 n.

    1. Corporate power elites distinguished primarily by their distance from
    actual productive work and their chronic failure to manage (see also suit
    ). Spoken derisively, as in “Management decided that ...”.

    2. Mythically, a vast bureaucracy responsible for all the world's minor
    irritations. Hackers' satirical public notices are often signed ‘The Mgt’;
    this derives from the Illuminatus novels (see the Bibliography in Appendix
    C).