With Reference to Appropriate Literature and Cases, Critically Evaluate the Influence of Classical and Human Relations Approaches in Management Today
Autor: Mikki • May 29, 2018 • 3,241 Words (13 Pages) • 1,191 Views
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the manager ensuring the plan is adhered to in order for the desired result/output for the organization.
• Subordination – Fayol emphasized that the organization needs come first and this cuts across all levels i.e. no selfish interest by individuals or group.
• Remuneration - Efforts and work need to be rewarded appropriately either by monetary, recognition or whatever best fit, a worker deserves his wages with Fayol also highlighting the need for the rewards to be enough to keep workers motivated.
• Centralization – Who are eligible to make decisions is important as it makes workers feel part of the company, Fayol warned on the need to strike the right balance in decision making so workers and managers could feel part of the process and then are willingly to make the effort.
• Scalar chain – these just highlights the need for a clear reporting channel and chain of command known to all the workers so there is no turf fights.
• Order – This deals with arrangements in the workplace as workers need to be comfortable where they work, with things light hygiene proper working equipment available, with Fayol emphasizing that for work to be done their must be proper work materials.
• Equity – All workers needed fair treatment and this without gainsaying should also be a culture in all work place.
• Stability of tenure of personnel – Workers need to want to stay and feel secure in workplace as high turnover leads to loss of knowledge and skill sets.
• Initiative – Fayol said that workers needed to be able to contribute as these add value, just to add that no one is a reservoir of knowledge.
• Esprit the corps – Fayol felt that every member of the team needed to chip in and that this would help the team to be unity with understanding among workers and management (Van Vliet 2009).
A lot of what Fayol proposed still remains relevant even in present situation, with both workers and managers expecting fair pay, reducing turnover of staff and expecting to work in a decent place, etc. and in fact a lot of common sense is seen in play here.
The administrative approach is used in a lot of private firms excluding but not totally the manufacturing organizations such as the information technology sector, the health sector, banking sector, shipping sector etc. In the health sector in Nigeria although supervised and regulated by government the Health insurance scheme is run by private companies with each headed by the CEO reporting to a board of directors, they manufacture nothing but the end product is health insurance to Nigerians and for this to be achieved they ae given set targets which achieved are rewarded, workers are allowed to take initiative and each unit is broken down into teams with a number of teams making up the unit and the unit heads reporting to directors etc so we have clear reporting channel, rewards is shared by teams and teams are given what is needed to achieve results such as cars, laptops nice working environment and workers feel part of the decision making process.
Bureaucratic theory and its place in management
Anytime one hears the word bureaucracy one easily reflects to how government function, but the word cuts across all organization and is defined by Merriam Webster “as the government characterized by specialization of functions, adherence to fixed rules, and a hierarchy of authority” with complicated way of doing things (Anon 1928). The bureaucratic theory was propagated by Max Weber a German sociologist and was modelled on a hierarchical structure with clear lines of authority along with documented rules expected to be followed by officials.
Weber described six Principles of Bureaucratic Management that include:
1. Proper Division of Labor with every one knowing his/her role, duties and functions.
2. The need to be a chain of command with everyone knowing who the boss is and therefore who makes the decision, with a clear hierarchical organization.
3. Separation of personal and official property, this is emulated in lots of organization as official vehicles, houses etc. are clear and need to be used for official work.
4. Application of Consistent and Complete Rules, and the rules need to be no respecter of person to allow for consistency in the workplace.
5. Selection and Promotion Based on qualifications, here nepotism is discouraged and for one to rise in the workplace one needs the proper skills, experience and not who you are or know.
6. Training for and on the job in order to acquire needed skills (Tony Waters and Dagmar Waters. 2015).
Bureaucracy will continue to be relevant especially in organizations that conduct repetitive services and where conflict of interest may arise as the rules are readily available when in doubt, and this style can be seen to have a bit of input with parts of it adopted in almost all organizations, as most organization have rules expected to be adhered to (Tháng 2010).
Bureaucracy is mostly noted in government organizations and large organizations such as the United Nations. This is best exemplified using a government agency in Nigeria, the Nigeria Customs service, the boss is Comptroller General who receives his marching order from the President of the Federation, he in turns articulates this orders into policies, goals and activities and assigns sub ordinates to carry the out these activities. He is the boss with a clear hierarchical structure drawn up, with clear demarcations between official and personal effects. Rules and regulations are set from point of entry into its service with it being document and joking called the book of life in the Customs, and the officers are drawn from all over the country based on entry exams and physical examinations to ensure they are fit for purpose and trainings are done, with promotions based on a combination of written exams and years of services leaving room for little or no nepotism. The example stated is found in all government organizations in my country Nigeria.
Some disadvantages specific to this approach are too much of organizational structure relies on rules and structured way of getting work done which ultimately leads to delays in taking critical decisions and no room for innovations among workers, It also entails a lot of paper work and little decision making from workers as this power resides with management thereby making it inefficient and puts organizations at disadvantages when it comes to making on the spot decisions especially if the situation is a new one with no previous laid down rules. Another
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