Preview

Theory Z

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2477 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Theory Z
Theory Z: The In-Between and Grey Area
Name Here
Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne
3/24/2013

Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the popular Theory X and Theory Y made famous by Douglas McGregor in the 1960’s which offers a very “hard” and “soft” view of leadership and addresses the grey area that is not addressed in his theory. We will take a look at the theory that is relatively new and in many respects attempts to blend the best of both of McGregor’s theories together. This theory is known as Theory Z and is often referred to as the Japanese Management style developed by William Ouchi. We will attempt to answer which theory is the best or if there is even one best theory to be used in every situation.
Keywords: McGregor, Ouchi, Theory X, Theory Y, Theory Z, Leadership
Theory Z: The In-Between and Grey Area
Name Here
Attaining a clear understanding of human nature is an important characteristic of leadership in the work environment. In order for both the leader and the follower to work together as an effective and productive entity, the follower must know how they fit into the overall scheme of things, and the leader must have a clear vision of how they can maximize productivity by supporting their followers through the appropriate leadership style. It is also extremely important for leaders to accurately assess the work environment, as well as the aspects of the assignment, in order to decide how he or she deals with and directs followers.
Apart from knowing how human nature dictates a worker’s actions, the leader must also be aware of the specific working environment, personalities, and motivational forces, which drive their followers.
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the theorists Douglas McGregor and how up until the research of this paper I believed his theory to be a complete view of management and leadership. It wasn’t until I was introduced to William Ouchi, with the notion of a “Theory Z” did I



References: Marilyn, M. (2013, March 25). Theory X and Theory Y. Retrieved from eNotes.com: http://www.enotes.com/theory-x-theory-y-reference/ Mishra, P VectorStudy. (2013). Theory X and Y. Retrieved from VectorStudy: http://vectorstudy.com/management-theories/theory-x-and-y VectorStudy Yukl, G. (2010). Leadership In Organizaions. New Jersey: Pearson College Div.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Ldr 531 Week 1

    • 823 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Trait Approach assumes that some people are natural leaders and examines motives, values, personality, and skills. The Behavior Approach branches into two sections. One method to the Behavior Approach is to look at leader behavior. What does the leader actually do? The other portion of the Behavior approach is to determine what actions are helpful and what actions are less helpful for leaders. The Power-Influence Approach looks at leadership from the perspective of power. This approach asks the questions like, “What type of power does the leader have in regards to the followers?” This approach looks at the amount and type of influence the leader has on the people around him or her. The situational approach looks at the situation leader must deal with. This approach examines the mission of the unit, the type of organization the leader is a part of, and the nature of the work environment. The Integrative Approach involves multiple types of approaches. Participative Approach involves both the behavior and the power-influence approach. Participate leadership involves the group in decision-making and creates a sense of project ownership by the group. Members who feel empowered are more committed to mission accomplishment. For these reasons, the Participative Approach is the desired…

    • 823 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    Mgts 1301

    • 2085 Words
    • 9 Pages

    The academic study undertaken Fukushige and Spicer refers to the importance of understanding the effectiveness of a particular leadership style from assessing the needs and wants from an employee’s retrospective. Most studies tend to analysis leadership practices from a leader’s perspective. Very little research has considered followers' leadership preferences, therefore representing a significant avenue for study given that leader effectiveness is potentially defined by the responses of those around them (cited by Fukushige and Spicer 2007, p.508). Their study goes on further to argue that the popular Bass and Avolio's (1997) "full-range leadership Model" which conceptualizes transformational and transactional forms, regardless of its popularity, was developed in the U.S.A and ideals differ to that of their case study country of Japan. In many cases culture can create some…

    • 2085 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The role of a leader is very important in any organization. Leadership styles have a direct and unique impact on the work environment and the success of an organization. A leader is someone who individuals look up to for guidance and support. Leaders are those individuals who are chosen to ensure that an organization’s goal is carried out. This paper analyzes the different attributes and styles of leaders, as well as looking at the leadership role of my current supervisor.…

    • 1048 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Four leadership theories have been outlined and analyzed in this paper. It is evident that many theories of leadership exist with overlapping qualities from these leadership theories are integrated by successful leaders in various organizations, as leaders adjust to their various leadership styles. There is no single leadership theory or style that can be upheld as the best management theory. One can conclude that leadership ultimately rests on the amalgamation of various leadership traits from the various leadership theories in existence. Northouse, P. (2004) maintained that successful leaders adopt different leadership approaches, implementing the appropriate combination of different leadership styles depending on the circumstances. Evidently, the leadership approach has a great influenced employee productivity and morale. The leadership theory research has been to use the various aspects of leadership to achieve leadership…

    • 454 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    Theories and Models

    • 754 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Fill in the table below by identifying major theories and modes used in the field. Be sure to list some of the leading advocates names and key ideas.…

    • 754 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Module 1 DQ 2

    • 305 Words
    • 1 Page

    Grand Canyon University, 2015. GCU Lecture notes: Theories and Concepts in Leadership and Management. Retrieved from: https://lc-ugrad1.gcu.edu/learningPlatform/user/users.html?token=P%2fA5aEkSE%2btyPV%2b9QYwh7V2uGjVT%2bkYk3HRqY4ZFPI4zSL5kU8MwEz45uvAbV6%2b5&operation=home&classId=1611349#/learningPlatform/loudBooks/loudbooks.html?currentTopicname=Theories and Concepts in Leadership and…

    • 305 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Leadership Approach Paper

    • 1046 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Yulk (2010, p.23) asserts that experts have come up with many definitions and theories of leadership to better understand and explain the concept so members of organizations and society can be effective leaders. Yulk adds that there is no single correct definition of leadership. Nonetheless, it is of chief concern to understand leadership and the various approaches that can be applied to different situations. Organizational behavior comes into play to aid management in enhancing their understanding of human behavior within organizations to better communicate, allocate resources, delegate tasks, plan, organize, direct, and control work activities. The main purpose of understanding organizational behavior is to increase leadership effectiveness, motivate workers, and inspire them to work toward a common objective. Although there are many leadership approaches, we will focus on the situational leadership approach. We will analyze the purpose, strengths and weaknesses of the situational leadership approach, and provide an example of how it can be applied to real situations.…

    • 1046 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    “1. The position or office of a leader; 2. Capacity or ability to lead; 3. A group of leaders; [and,] 4. Guidance, direction.” At best, the descriptors are convoluted and do not provide any meaningful insight into the nature of leadership. Definitions for lead, although a bit more descriptive, still do not facilitate an understanding of leadership as a theory. Many have offered constructs and models to define leadership. Primarily these ideas have been developed and assessed in the business community. Two such theories, The Leadership Challenge (Kouzes and Posner, 2003c) and Principle-centered Leadership (Covey, 1990) offer compelling designs for leadership application. Professional educators can also benefit from knowledge of leadership theory and applications to the profession as well as the classroom.…

    • 3770 Words
    • 16 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    While there are various components that make up leadership traits, individual personality characteristics have a direct bearing on the development process of good leadership. Style plays an intricate part in how leaders motivate, influence subordinates and accomplish objectives. Variations of personality and leadership presentations are precisely what determine positive or negative outcomes. Just as circumstances vary, approaches to matters must also adapt. In other words, there is no specific type of leadership that is applicable to every situation. Thus, it is incumbent upon overseers to acquire knowledge, skills and impart information in a manner that is easily understood by workers. “Leaders apply their skills and knowledge and motivate others to work harder and achieve certain goals. Leadership skills can be learned, but the knowledge which a leader possesses is influenced by certain traits and attributes like character, ethics, values and beliefs” (Bhattacharyya).…

    • 1184 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    A leader will have the ability to inspire. Employees will follow them because they have confidence in what they say and how they engage themselves, gaining the respect of their peers rather than being in a position that demands it. A long-term perspective would be held as well as being innovative in their way of thinking, not accepting the general consensus. They would be constantly trying to develop their ideas and that of those around them, focused on nurturing the skills of their team.…

    • 916 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Emotional Intelligence

    • 15069 Words
    • 61 Pages

    For organisations to survive in today’s changing world they should maintain their competitive advantage through the use of the whole workforce. In order for the change to take place, the employees, and the leaders should be adaptive to the environment, effective working and the continuous improvement of the processes and systems they use to achieve the objectives. Being able to get the results within the set time frames and those that are considered proper in their industries will make up an effective leader (Goleman, 2000). Great leaders are the ones that are able to direct their subordinates and they are able to make the best of us be visible and ignite our passion. When we simply explain why leaders are so effective we talk of the ideas they bring to the organisation, their vision and the strategy they apply in achieving objectives. But according to Goleman; Boyatzis and McKee (2000) great leaders are the ones that work through their emotions.…

    • 15069 Words
    • 61 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Leadership Research Essay

    • 1797 Words
    • 8 Pages

    According to psychodynamic Approach the leaders are aware of their personality and that of their followers. This is considered with an assumption that the personalities of individuals are deep rooted in individuals and very little can be done to change them (Northhouse, 2007). The personality of an individual is therefore important in establishing an individual’s leadership potential. The approach in a sense functions to strengthen the relationship between the leader and the followers in that, the leaders understanding of the followers personalities makes them to be accommodative to various personalities of the followers. The…

    • 1797 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Theory X and Y

    • 1396 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Douglas McGregor 's XY Theory, managing an X Theory boss, and William Ouchi 's Theory Z…

    • 1396 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Effective Nursing Leadership

    • 3086 Words
    • 13 Pages

    Without a solid base of self-understanding, self-control, emotional security, trustworthiness and adaptability, it is virtually impossible to open to others and constructive in work relationships. Thus, good leaders must know themselves well and be able to choose how they will respond in social situations.…

    • 3086 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    After reading the article, then reminiscing on my vocational work experience, I can attest to the statement that the author made. If people decide to start looking into human behavior, then they will honestly be better off with their own leadership and success in the long run. Getting into the minds of who you are dealing with before you even get started already gives people an advantage. Ultimately by acknowledging who you are dealing with and pinpointing their strengths and weaknesses, you can make changes and decide on situations that will overall benefit the nature of the leader or the leader’s team.…

    • 787 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays