Classical Approach in Management
Management Theories – a Reality Check
This essay will explore the differences between the theories and the reality of a manager’s job - what he really does. Keeping in mind the complexity of this topic, the large number of theories in the management science and the fact that there is no one and only theory of management, this essay will concentrate on different approaches and go into this topic on the basis of 2 selected theories. Corresponding examples will show that these theories are not always working in reality. Afterwards the whole topic will be summarised and a conclusion will be drawn about an ideal approach in management.
Classical approach in Management
Starting with the early beginnings of management we come across the “Scientific Management” also known as “Taylorism”, named after his founder and father Frederick Winslow Taylor.
His theory was one of control and co-ordination. For an increase in production, managers should take control of the whole process. They should observe their workers and analyse each step in terms of time spent and energy expended and then use the results to determine the best methods for working processes. They should give workers the right tools and equipment and a standardised method of doing the job. These persons do it like they were asked to, not thinking about what they do and what for. Management will do all the work which workers are not able to do. But acting in behalf of this theory manager's supervised every step of the workers closer and closer, so that they had no more autonomy at all. The workers got unhappy about the situation and thought that they know more about their work then all the managers and experts.
Even today this theory of management is common in many places. Companies and managers use time and motion studies to increase productivity of their workforce. They hire the best qualified employees and design incentive systems based on output they are bringing. I came across one example of a plant
This essay will explore the differences between the theories and the reality of a manager’s job - what he really does. Keeping in mind the complexity of this topic, the large number of theories in the management science and the fact that there is no one and only theory of management, this essay will concentrate on different approaches and go into this topic on the basis of 2 selected theories. Corresponding examples will show that these theories are not always working in reality. Afterwards the whole topic will be summarised and a conclusion will be drawn about an ideal approach in management.
Classical approach in Management
Starting with the early beginnings of management we come across the “Scientific Management” also known as “Taylorism”, named after his founder and father Frederick Winslow Taylor.
His theory was one of control and co-ordination. For an increase in production, managers should take control of the whole process. They should observe their workers and analyse each step in terms of time spent and energy expended and then use the results to determine the best methods for working processes. They should give workers the right tools and equipment and a standardised method of doing the job. These persons do it like they were asked to, not thinking about what they do and what for. Management will do all the work which workers are not able to do. But acting in behalf of this theory manager's supervised every step of the workers closer and closer, so that they had no more autonomy at all. The workers got unhappy about the situation and thought that they know more about their work then all the managers and experts.
Even today this theory of management is common in many places. Companies and managers use time and motion studies to increase productivity of their workforce. They hire the best qualified employees and design incentive systems based on output they are bringing. I came across one example of a plant