THREE SCHOOLS OF MANAGEMENT THOUGHT
(Note: Content below from Miles, ibid., page 212, referenced in Bibliography)
1. Traditional Model
Representative Theorists:
Max Weber, Henri Fayol, Frederick Taylor, Robert Owens
Major Assumptions
- Work is distasteful.
- Workers earnings maintain work.
- Workers have little creativity, self-direction, or self-control.
- Workers needs are contrary to management aims.
- What workers need has little affect on productivity.
Guiding Policies
- Managers job is to control workers.
- Manager gets more through repetitive simple task requirements.
- Manager must enforce work detail and discipline workers.
- Close supervision is only way to assure worker responsibility.
Expectations Resulting
- Work is tolerated for pay if manager is seen as "fair".
- Simple, carefully controlled tasks result in productivity.
2. Human Relations Model
Representative Theorists:
Elton Mayo, Chester Barnard, Hawthorne group
Major Assumptions
- People want to feel useful and valued.
- People appreciate belonging to a group.
- People want to be recognized as individuals.
- Human needs are major motivators, not just money.
Guiding Policies
- Manager's task is to make workers feel useful and valued.
- Informing and involving workers in management planning is important.
- Aiding self-direction and control enhances worker involvement.
Expectations Resulting
- Sharing information with workers helps their self esteem and feelings of value.
- Satisfying human needs improves morale, productivity, and cooperation.
- Satisfying needs reduces resistance to management goals and increases growth of skills (human assets).
3. Human Resources Model
Representative Theorists
: Chris Argyris, David MacGregor, Tosi and Carroll group
Major Assumptions
Work is not inherently distasteful.
People want to contribute to goals if they are made meaningful.
People can direct and control self interests productively.
Workers want a global understanding of their jobs.
Guiding Policies
Manager's task is to tap human resources potential.
Manager's task is to help create situations for workers to contribute to limits of their abilities.
Manager encourages worker participation in planning and decision making.
Expectations Resulting
- Worker efficiency results from more self direction and control and understanding of management goals.
- Worker satisfaction results from full use of resources, control of self purposes, and feelings of valued contributions.