2 Administrative Management
2 Administrative Management
2 Administrative Management
Source: www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/principles-of-management
Whereas scientific management focused on the productivity of individuals, the classical
administrative approach concentrates on the total organization. The emphasis is on the
development of managerial principles rather than work methods.
Contributors to this school of thought include Max Weber, Henri Fayol, Mary Parker Follett,
and Chester I. Barnard. These theorists studied the flow of information within an organization
and emphasized the importance of understanding how an organization operated.
In the late 1800s, Max Weber disliked that many European organizations were managed on a
“personal” family‐like basis and that employees were loyal to individual supervisors rather
than to the organization. He believed that organizations should be managed impersonally and
that a formal organizational structure, where specific rules were followed, was important. In
other words, he didn't think that authority should be based on a person's personality. He thought
authority should be something that was part of a person's job and passed from individual to
individual as one person left and another took over. This nonpersonal, objective form of
organization was called a bureaucracy.
Weber believed that all bureaucracies have the following characteristics:
A well‐defined hierarchy. All positions within a bureaucracy are structured in a way
that permits the higher positions to supervise and control the lower positions. This clear
chain of command facilitates control and order throughout the organization.
Division of labor and specialization. All responsibilities in an organization are
specialized so that each employee has the necessary expertise to do a particular task.
Rules and regulations. Standard operating procedures govern all organizational
activities to provide certainty and facilitate coordination.
Impersonal relationships between managers and employees. Managers should
maintain an impersonal relationship with employees so that favoritism and personal
prejudice do not influence decisions.
Competence. Competence, not “who you know,” should be the basis for all decisions
made in hiring, job assignments, and promotions in order to foster ability and merit as
the primary characteristics of a bureaucratic organization.
Records. A bureaucracy needs to maintain complete files regarding all its activities.
Henri Fayol, a French mining engineer, developed 14 principles of management based on his
management experiences. These principles provide modern‐day managers with general
guidelines on how a supervisor should organize her department and manage her staff. Although
later research has created controversy over many of the following principles, they are still
widely used in management theories.
Division of work: Division of work and specialization produces more and better work
with the same effort.
Authority and responsibility: Authority is the right to give orders and the power to
exact obedience. A manager has official authority because of her position, as well as
personal authority based on individual personality, intelligence, and experience.
Authority creates responsibility.
Discipline: Obedience and respect within an organization are absolutely essential.
Good discipline requires managers to apply sanctions whenever violations become
apparent.
Unity of command: An employee should receive orders from only one superior.
Unity of direction: Organizational activities must have one central authority and one
plan of action.
Subordination of individual interest to general interest: The interests of one
employee or group of employees are subordinate to the interests and goals of the
organization.
Remuneration of personnel: Salaries — the price of services rendered by employees
— should be fair and provide satisfaction both to the employee and employer.
Centralization: The objective of centralization is the best utilization of personnel. The
degree of centralization varies according to the dynamics of each organization.
Scalar chain: A chain of authority exists from the highest organizational authority to
the lowest ranks.
Order: Organizational order for materials and personnel is essential. The right
materials and the right employees are necessary for each organizational function and
activity.
Equity: In organizations, equity is a combination of kindliness and justice. Both equity
and equality of treatment should be considered when dealing with employees.
Stability of tenure of personnel: To attain the maximum productivity of personnel, a
stable work force is needed.
Initiative: Thinking out a plan and ensuring its success is an extremely strong
motivator. Zeal, energy, and initiative are desired at all levels of the organizational
ladder.
Esprit de corps: Teamwork is fundamentally important to an organization. Work
teams and extensive face‐to‐face verbal communication encourages teamwork.