History of Management

When you review the history of management, you get an interesting perspective on current management techniques and trends.
 
American mechanical engineer Frederick Taylor (1856 – 1915), known as the father of Scientific Management, was one of the first “management consultants”.

The scientific approach to management is the art of gaining efficiencies by increasing the output volume of workers.  When you consider the era, this approach was born at a time when workers predominantly used their backs to produce results.

Frederick’s fundamental principle revolved around maximum gain for both employer and employee by effectively training each individual employee in a role that was most suited to their capabilities.  Of particular interest was investigating ways to increase output by reducing unnecessary movement.

German sociologist Max Weber (1864 – 1920) developed what is known as the bureaucratic approach to Management.  The principles of this style of management centre on job specialisation and clear job descriptions, where qualifications determined positions.  Clear hierarchy and control along with the uniformity of applied regulations created formal rules and performance indicators.  Clear pathways for career advancement were designed to promote long term employment with a single company.

Elton Mayo (1880 – 1949) approached management from a more social aspect.  Coined human relations management, the theory he developed was more concerned with employee motivation, team building, communication and leadership skills. He theorised that employee motivation stems from relational factors such as feedback and team dynamics more so than simply pay and environmental conditions.

French mining engineer Henri Fayol (1841 – 1925) took an administrative approach and developed six primary functions of management; Forecasting, Planning, Organising, Commanding, Coordinating, Controlling.  These are closely aligned with 14 principles of management that cover off the division of labour, authority, discipline, unity, remuneration, order, equity and initiative.

Management consultant, author and educator Peter Drucker (1909 – 2005) was interested in the social ecology of man, exploring the way we organise ourselves and interact.  With an extensive body of work (39 books and countless articles) he was and remains incredibly influential when it comes to management by objectives; believing that by setting clear goals and with effective collaboration and communication, it is possible to allow staff to do a job in their own way.

A retrospective look at management evolution enables us to see how modern management borrows aspects from each of these theories.  Management today is a healthy mix of science, bureaucracy, administration, human relations and goal setting.
 
Good managers should be borrowing techniques and theories from all these approaches and applying them as best determined by the particular situation.