Management Theories
Management Theories
Introduction: Overview of Management
Human beings will remain to be the most complicated assets to manage in an organization unless probably the day computers will think, feel, and learn to do things without human intervention. Until then, every manager needs a management concept that will assist him or her to manage these complex resources. Management refers to the process of locating, organizing, planning, leading, and exercising control over the workforce among other resources. Every manager needs to have the necessary skills in making decisions and resolving issues for him/her to be effective, efficient, and beneficial.
In essence, managers’ primary role is to inspire the employees, inculcate and instill values, beliefs, attitudes, and goals that enable workers to achieve their targets (Huarng & Ribeiro-Soriano, 2014). When a manager builds an efficient company's culture, it becomes easy for employees to have a sense of direction. In the past 10 or 20 years, however, employers have been struggling with employee management. Today, radical changes in human nature, technological advancement, and globalization have made management even more complicated. Notably, the leaders who will survive the next century will be characterized by the ability to creatively access the appropriate information and their skills in workforce management.
Development of Management Theories and How They Reflect the Changing Business Environment
Primarily, various developments in management theories have influenced the business environment and employee management. The application of such models varies depending on the work environment, behavior of employees, and the purpose of a particular strategy. Over the years, various management theories have been developed. The historical management approaches include the Scientific Management Theory (1890-1940) whose chief proponent was Fredrick Taylor. The basis of this argument was having a standard measure of time in every task that would, in turn, determine the pay. Fundamentally, the approach advocated that employees were to be rewarded according to their routinized effort. The Bureaucratic Management Theory (1930-1950) proposed rigid rules within the organization. Lastly, the Max Weber and Human Relations Theory (HRT) has its roots in a study conducted by Hawthorne the years 1920-1930s. However, this was advanced by Elton Mayo in the 21st century (Huarng & Ribeiro-Soriano, 2014). Some of the contemporary theories of management include the Contingency Theory, which asserts that when leaders make choices, they have to evaluate all the facets of a given scenario. Lastly, there is the Chaos Theory, which recognizes that at times, events may be uncontrollable and chaotic. Many chaos theorists suggest that as a system grows, they become more complex and volatile and they must, therefore, expend more energy to maintain their complexity.
Compare and Contrast the Three Management Theories
The three management models that I included in my leadership theory table were the Scientific Management Theory by Fredric Tyler, Human Relations Theory by Elton Mayo and Management Science Theory. According to Tyler (1930), workers are motivated by the prospects of material things. He, therefore, believed that if employee’s wages are closely related to the volume of their work, and if the working conditions are well designed, there will be maximum output in the firm because employees will be motivated. Tyler argued that employees should expect changes in a firm and they should be ready to embrace change. He noted that employers need not employ highly qualified employees since the best technology will compensate their productivity. Tyler saw workers as financial tools that were only valuable when they are productive. Therefore, he based his arguments on the distributive method where employers must win, and employees must lose in any conflict that arises.
The Human Relations model was started by Hawthorne (1920), but Elton Mayo advanced it. They were both concerned about the welfare of employees in an organization. Primarily, employees were not regarded as mere parts of an organization but rather, they were seen as people who have moral needs and who have other interests apart from the job. As a result of this study, the “Hawthorne Effect” was born. Since employees could be listened to, housing communal and religious activities were started to cater for workers in places such as Port Sunlight and Bournville in the U.K.
The Management Science Theory uses different scientific principles, which are research based to enhance a company’s ability to enact rational and appropriate management decisions. Mostly, these scientific principles include statistics, numeric algorithms, and mathematical modeling. The approach is, therefore, only appropriate in organizations where mathematical calculations are essential.
The Theory That Works Best
Among the three management strategies, Elton Mayo's model (Human Relations Theory) is most applicable to most organizations. For instance, in the Coca-Cola Company, the model is used to enhance interpersonal relationships between the employers and the employees. Furthermore, it suggests that employers should be involved in the welfare of the subordinate. Notably, the role of a manager is small as the model direct employees towards a common goal. It views management as a social process since, according to Elton Mayo, employees work best when they are in a team. Hawthorne believed that workers needed to find intrinsic motivation, which they cannot get in a highly structured job. The theory, however, is only applicable in an organization where employees are highly motivated and willing to work.
Conclusion
It is essential to emphasize the role of a manager as a source of inspiration. Managers should not view employees as economic tools who have no right to good working conditions. Rather, employers should cultivate strong bonds with their employees so as to enhance cooperation as Mayo proposed. In such a situation, workers feel comfortable and motivated to give their best.
Reference
Huarng, K. H., & Ribeiro-Soriano, D. E. (2014). Developmental management: Theories, methods, and applications in entrepreneurship, innovation, and sense making. Journal of Business Research, 7(5), 27-62.
