ManagementPast to Present

CLASSICAL MANAGEMENT APPROACHES

Scientific Management

Administrative Principles

Bureaucratic Organizations

Frederick Taylor & The Gilbreths

Henry FayolMary Parker Follett

Max Weber

CLASSICAL MANAGEMENT APPROACHES

Scientific Management

Who? Frederick W. Taylor

When? Beginning of the 20th century

Why? Search for efficiency

Basis? People will work in a manner that is most economically beneficial to themselves

What he believed:“The principal object

of management should be to secure maximum

prosperity for the employer, coupled with the maximum prosperity for the

employee”

Problem:Workers did their jobs “their own way” and

without clear and uniform specifications.

RESULTinefficiency &

performing below true capacities

One of my most famous studies involved shovels. I noticed that workers used the

same shovel for all materials. I determined that the most effective load

was 21½ lb, and found or designed shovels that for each material would

scoop up that amount. I was however, generally unsuccessful in getting his concepts applied and was dismissed

from Bethlehem Steel. Nevertheless, I was able to convince workers who used shovels and whose compensation was

tied to how much they produced to adopt my advice about the optimum

way to shovel by breaking the movements down into their component

elements and recommending better ways to perform these movements.

What I Discovered?- Workers purposely

work at a pace slower than their capability

What I did- Instituted a

piecework pay system

Develop for every job a “science”—rules of motion

Carefully select skilled workers

Properly train & give incentives

Provide supervisory support

Key Principles of SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT

Who? Frank & Lillian Gilbreth

When? Followers of Taylor in the early 1900’s

Why? Search for efficiency

Basis? Using motion studies to reduce a task to its basic physical motions

One of their most interesting research projects was their motion study of bricklayers at work, after which they developed several procedures for doing the job more efficiently. For example, they specified standard materials and techniques including the positioning of the bricklayer, the bricks and the mortar at different levels. The results of these changes were a reduction from 18 separate physical movements to 5 and an increase in output of about 200%.

Working together, the Gilbreths developed number techniques and strategies for eliminating inefficiency. They applied many of their ideas to their family. Their experiences in raising 12 children are document in the book and movie “Cheaper by the Dozen”.

Modern Applications:

Job simplification

Work standards

Incentive wage plans

CLASSICAL MANAGEMENT APPROACHES

Administrative Principles

Max Weber

Who? Henri Fayol

When? In Early 1900’s

Why? Focus on improving management skills

Basis? Used his experience as an engineer leading large-scale enterprises of 1000s of employees

MANAGEMENT CAN

BE TAUGHT!

I believe managers have 5 duties:1) Foresight2) Organization3) Command4) Coordination5) Control

I was a pretty smart dude as I was ahead of my time because my 5 duties for a manager closely resemble the functions of a manager you follow today. (planning, organizing, implementing and controlling.

Who? Mary Parker Follett

When? In early-1900’s

Why? How to get diverse groups of individuals to work cooperatively for greater good

What she believed…

“Organizations were ‘communities’ in which managers and workers

should labour in harmony without one party

dominating the other & with freedom to talk over & reconcile differences.

Modern Applications:

•Employee ownership

•Profit sharing

•Gain-sharing plans

•Managerial ethics

•Social responsibility

She said:

• Managers must respect the experience & knowledge of workers

• Warned against organizations having too much of a “hierarchy”

This leads to today’s …

Modern Applications:

• empowerment

• involvement

• flexibility

• self-management

CLASSICAL MANAGEMENT APPROACHES

Bureaucratic Organizations

Who? Max Weber

When? Late 1900’s in Germany

Why? Reaction to organizational performance inefficiencies & unfair promotions & hiring based on “privileged” status

Basis? A bureaucracy could solve these problems

Characteristics of a Bureaucratic Organization:

• Clear division of labour

• Clear hierarchy of authority

• Formal rules and procedures

• Impersonality

• Careers based on merit

The DOWNSIDE of Bureaucratic Organization:

• excessive paperwork or “red tape”

• slowness in handling problems

• rigidity in the face of shifting customer/client needs

• resistance to change

• employee apathy…lack motivation or interest

Modern Day Management:

“Current trends in management include

many innovations that seek the same goals as

Weber, but with different approaches to how

organizations can be structured.”