The Ideas of the Classical Theorists Particularly Those of Bureaucracy and Scientific Management, Are Generally Considered as Rather Old Fashioned and Out of Date, and of Little Relevance to Organisations Today.

Management has been studied by a lot of theorists who then learning from their own experiences came out with different theories and styles of management, explaining how to manage. The classical school has proven to be one of the most influential of all the schools. (Brooks 2009). Due to the success of the bureaucratic and scientific management style of managing, this essay will look into the bureaucratic style of management and then the scientific style of management and show that although these theories were developed during the turn of the twentieth century, they are still present in organisations today and are still very relevant to this day and age.
Fredrick W Taylor, who came out with the scientific management theory, believed that all organisation irrespective of their production, size or location need management and managers (Brunnson, 2008). He focuses his attention on the lower levels of the hierarchy, which are the individuals in the work force. Pearson (1947) explains how Taylor defined the art of management as knowing exactly what you want your men to do and achieving that in the cheapest, best way possible. Considering my job as a call centre representative, for six months, two years ago back home in India, and looking at Taylor’s principles on how to achieve maximum efficiency, I can with the help of my experiences explain the presence of his principles still in organisations today. Taylor (1911) in his scientific management theory explains his 4 basic principles, on how to manage. Firstly the manager needs to know what to do and how to do it in order to achieve maximum efficiency. The manager then needs to recruit his employees and train them so as to achieve greater results in the quickest time. He also explains on how the manager will need to keep his employees in check, and reward them with benefits for good performance. Also the manager needs to divide the work responsibility amongst the workforce and take some responsibility himself.
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References: Bankspider - http://www.bankspider.com/topbanks.php?sel=employees Brooks, I., (2009), Organisational Behaviour – Individuals, Group and the Organisation 4th Edition Fredrick Winslow Taylor, 1911, Harper and Row, Principles of Scientific Management. Karin Holmblad Brunsson, 2008, “Some effects of Fayolism”, Int. Studies of mgt & Org. Pg. 30 – 47 http://mesharpe.metapress.com/app/home/contribution.asp?referrer=parent&backto=issue,3,5;journal,7,31;linkingpublicationresults,1:110657,1 Norman M. Pearson, 1945, “Fayolism as a necessary compliment of Taylorism”. Journal of the American and Political Science Review. Toffler, A. (1984). The Third Wave. New York: Bantam Books.