History of Management Development
Below are very brief summaries of contributions made toward the development of the science of management. This assignment is to examine a current organization in view of at least eight of the many principles and conclusions of these contributors.
Summary of Contributions to Management Development:
F.W. Taylor defined the techniques of scientific management in four principles; Max Weber focused on the efficiency of the organization, which administration is based on five principles; Mary Parker Follett introduced the human side of management, having studied behavior of managers and responses from workers. She also advanced ideas concerning authority and self-managed and cross-functional teams, while looking at a horizontal view of authority.
The Hawthorne Studies suggested that environmental conditions do not affect workers as much as attitudes of workers toward their managers; and those managers could behave in ways that influence workers’ attitudes in order to produce greater output. The Hawthorne Studies also concluded that work groups establish norms and discipline those who do not conform.
Douglas McGregor realized two sets of assumptions about workers, which he named Theory X and Theory Y. These assumptions define the worker as either disliking work, having little ambition, not desiring responsibility and requiring close monitoring or as one who gains satisfaction or not from work, and when committed to organizational goals will be self-monitored; the latter worker responds to an appropriate setting created by the manager.
Assignment:
Your assignment is to understand these contributions and to directly examine whether at least eight principles or conclusions are relevant in a local organization of your finding. You may use Zappos or Google if you are unable to use a local firm. You should compare the findings or principles of Weber, Follet, the Hawthorne Studies, and McGregor explained in the textbook on pages 35-42 to the current management practices of the organization, excluding Taylor’s four principles.
Your research will compare the organization’s practices against Weber’s five principles and your list of Follett, the Hawthorne Studies, and McGregor’s conclusions, then research whether your chosen organization deems those principles relevant to their organization, and if relevant, then how? If not relevant, then explain what the organization uses in place of the principle(s) or findings.
You may create a questionnaire or an outline to create organization and structure for your research and your paper. It must include at least eight areas of analysis. I will extend my review of your questionnaire or outline for you benefit.
Your findings should be submitted on a minimum 6 pages with a 8-page limit including attachments, if any. It should be double spaced with 1-inch margins and a font size of 11-12.
Either one or two students may complete this assignment.
Summary of Contributions to Management Development:
F.W. Taylor defined the techniques of scientific management in four principles; Max Weber focused on the efficiency of the organization, which administration is based on five principles; Mary Parker Follett introduced the human side of management, having studied behavior of managers and responses from workers. She also advanced ideas concerning authority and self-managed and cross-functional teams, while looking at a horizontal view of authority.
The Hawthorne Studies suggested that environmental conditions do not affect workers as much as attitudes of workers toward their managers; and those managers could behave in ways that influence workers’ attitudes in order to produce greater output. The Hawthorne Studies also concluded that work groups establish norms and discipline those who do not conform.
Douglas McGregor realized two sets of assumptions about workers, which he named Theory X and Theory Y. These assumptions define the worker as either disliking work, having little ambition, not desiring responsibility and requiring close monitoring or as one who gains satisfaction or not from work, and when committed to organizational goals will be self-monitored; the latter worker responds to an appropriate setting created by the manager.
Assignment:
Your assignment is to understand these contributions and to directly examine whether at least eight principles or conclusions are relevant in a local organization of your finding. You may use Zappos or Google if you are unable to use a local firm. You should compare the findings or principles of Weber, Follet, the Hawthorne Studies, and McGregor explained in the textbook on pages 35-42 to the current management practices of the organization, excluding Taylor’s four principles.
Your research will compare the organization’s practices against Weber’s five principles and your list of Follett, the Hawthorne Studies, and McGregor’s conclusions, then research whether your chosen organization deems those principles relevant to their organization, and if relevant, then how? If not relevant, then explain what the organization uses in place of the principle(s) or findings.
You may create a questionnaire or an outline to create organization and structure for your research and your paper. It must include at least eight areas of analysis. I will extend my review of your questionnaire or outline for you benefit.
Your findings should be submitted on a minimum 6 pages with a 8-page limit including attachments, if any. It should be double spaced with 1-inch margins and a font size of 11-12.
Either one or two students may complete this assignment.
Your paper should read as an analysis of each principle/conclusion emphasizing your findings and not as a news story or history of the company; however, a general description of the company will be necessary. You may use the following recommended format for your paper:
• Introduction: The introduction should read as a summary of your findings. It may give an overall picture such as in the following: ‘XYZ is a local company operating in Walnut, California. They are importers of furniture and employ 18 people in total. Three are supervisors over specific areas and one acts as the operator or general manager. We examined the management practices of Company XYZ in view of several management principles derived from early contributors of management development and found that six of eight principles are relevant to XYZ. This finding may indicate the validity of conclusions made by early contributors to the development of the science of management’
• Body: The following eight areas of thought by early contributors to management science were tested to determine whether they have relevance at XYZ. Six principles, which are relevant are cited first, followed by two which bear no relevance.
• Six of eight relevant principles:
1. We examined whether Webers five principles of bureaucratic structure. Specifically, …….. We have concluded that …… is relevant because XYZ practices ……, which corresponds to Weber’s third principle.
2. Follett’s XXXXX
3. Theory X and Theory Y XXXXX
4. XXXXX
5. XXXXX
6. XXXXX
B. Two of eight principles not relevant to XYZ
1. We examined Weber’s principle number # and found it not relevant in XYZ’s management practices. Instead, XYZ is structured in a flat manner, giving decision authority to low level workers……
2. XXXXX
III. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that many early developed principles of management science are still valid and relevant based on our examination of XYZ’s management practices. ……..
• Six of eight relevant principles:
1. We examined whether Webers five principles of bureaucratic structure. Specifically, …….. We have concluded that …… is relevant because XYZ practices ……, which corresponds to Weber’s third principle.
2. Follett’s XXXXX
3. Theory X and Theory Y XXXXX
4. XXXXX
5. XXXXX
6. XXXXX
B. Two of eight principles not relevant to XYZ
1. We examined Weber’s principle number # and found it not relevant in XYZ’s management practices. Instead, XYZ is structured in a flat manner, giving decision authority to low level workers……
2. XXXXX
III. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that many early developed principles of management science are still valid and relevant based on our examination of XYZ’s management practices. ……..
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