Evolution of Management Theory
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Managing is one of the most important human activities. From the time human beings began forming social organizations to accomplish aims and objectives they could not accomplish as individuals, managing has been essential to ensure the coordination of individual efforts. As society continuously relied on group effort, and as many organized groups have become large, the task of managers has been increasing in importance and complexity. Henceforth, managerial theory has become crucial in the way managers manage complex organizations. It has to be unequivocally emphasized that managers who mix management theories in their day-to-day practice, have better chances of managing their organizations more efficiently and effectively to achieve both individual and organizational objectives. Therefore, managers of contemporary organizations ought to appreciate the important role they play in their respective organizations if they are to achieve set goals. Secondly, there is need to promote excellence among all persons in organizations, especially among managers themselves.
1.1 DEFINITION OF MANAGEMENT
Management is the art, or science, of achieving goals through people. Since managers also supervise, management can be interpreted to mean literally
“looking over” – i.e., making sure people do what they are supposed to do.
Managers are, therefore are expected to ensure greater productivity or, using the current jargon, ‘continuous improvement’.
More broadly, management is the process of designing and maintaining an environment in which individuals, working together in groups, efficiently accomplish selected aims (Koontz and Weihrich 1990). In its expanded form, this basic definition means several things. First, as managers, people carry out the managerial functions of planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling. Second, management applies to any kind of organization. Third, management applies to managers at all organizational levels.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Managing is one of the most important human activities. From the time human beings began forming social organizations to accomplish aims and objectives they could not accomplish as individuals, managing has been essential to ensure the coordination of individual efforts. As society continuously relied on group effort, and as many organized groups have become large, the task of managers has been increasing in importance and complexity. Henceforth, managerial theory has become crucial in the way managers manage complex organizations. It has to be unequivocally emphasized that managers who mix management theories in their day-to-day practice, have better chances of managing their organizations more efficiently and effectively to achieve both individual and organizational objectives. Therefore, managers of contemporary organizations ought to appreciate the important role they play in their respective organizations if they are to achieve set goals. Secondly, there is need to promote excellence among all persons in organizations, especially among managers themselves.
1.1 DEFINITION OF MANAGEMENT
Management is the art, or science, of achieving goals through people. Since managers also supervise, management can be interpreted to mean literally
“looking over” – i.e., making sure people do what they are supposed to do.
Managers are, therefore are expected to ensure greater productivity or, using the current jargon, ‘continuous improvement’.
More broadly, management is the process of designing and maintaining an environment in which individuals, working together in groups, efficiently accomplish selected aims (Koontz and Weihrich 1990). In its expanded form, this basic definition means several things. First, as managers, people carry out the managerial functions of planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling. Second, management applies to any kind of organization. Third, management applies to managers at all organizational levels.