Classical Approach to Management Essay

The classical instill of thought, established in the late nineteenth century, was self-possessed of the writers who first contributed to organisational theory. Over the last one hundred years, the perception on eliminatement has evolved significantly. However many an(prenominal) of the original views devised by the classical theorists argon still evident. The theories formulated by Henri Fayol, Max weber and Frederick W Taylor strain predominantly on efficiency, leading to a rational perspective on management and organisations. This strain will discuss the opinions portrayed by these writers and demonstrate that their approach re mains relevant to daylight.Henri Fayol suggested management should be classified as a separate activity in business. Within this managerial class he composed five primary objectives that managers should follow and adhere to. These were to plan and forecast, organise, command, co-ordinate and control. He also fixed fourteen principles of management, wh ich included specialisation, self-confidence and unity of command. Fayols approach seemed very(prenominal) logical and rational, regarding management as a science roundthing that could be taught. He believed his principles could be educated to managers and as a result, encourage them to manage more efficiently.Fayol was a lucrative business mortal and his research was based upon this success. This light-emitting diode others to believe his findings were more plausible. Fayols work could be deemed as being too idealistic and to a certain extent some of his principles could be classed as being rather old-fashioned. Much of his work is based upon the assumption of compliant fight, heretofore in this innovative century employees atomic number 18 not always happy to oblige to new procedures or regulations. On the other hand, his identification of distinct managerial activities is still able to influence modern day managers.His principles can be commonly found in twenty first cent ury organisations. The specialisation of labour sees big corporations broken down into smaller departments such as marketing, finance and human relations whilst wage of personnel sees workers being rewarded in the form of wages and bonuses for their efforts. Although Fayols observations were derived from an thriftiness dissimilar to our present one, his efforts very much provide the basic building blocks to the more modern and dynamic style of management.Max Weber was concerned with the structure of authority and identified three sources. Firstly, charismatic authority, a lot indicated by politicians, is when a person is able to persuade others through their personality. Secondly traditional authority, when authority is passed on from one generation to the next, is ofttimes seen in monarchies and family run firms. Thirdly rational-legal authority, when an individual has power through the position they hold due to interpret or ability. It is the last example, Rational-legal, whic h is the main form of authority in modern society.Weber is responsible for introducing the termination bureaucracy, a type of organisational structure, which has been developed from the principles of rational-legal authority. Although a bureaucratic organisation repels the use of charismatic authority and has a definitive hierarchical structure, there tends to be a high level of efficiency because workers are normally following a designated set of tasks whilst adhering to set rules.This can particularly be seen in large fast food chains e. g.McDonalds and Burger King, whereby employees have different roles within the organisation which contributes towards a keep up level of efficiency and productively. Work is centred on achieving goals instead of the need to innovate and be creative. Other examples are government organisations, the military or large monopolistic companies such as royal mail, which all focus greatly on specialisation and efficiency. Webers approach to management i s shown in todays police force, which has a definitive authority structure and is effective at delivering a productive value to society.Frederick W Taylor developed ideas on scientific management. He conducted numerous experiments on activities such as shovelling and bricklaying, in enact to maximise efficiency and productivity throughout the workplace. He achieved this by simplifying procedures and enhancing specific variables in order to ascertain an optimum level. Taylors efforts are evident within the Bethlehem Steel works, where productivity was increased by four hundred per cent. There is a great degree of controversy surrounding Taylors theories, the main criticism being his dehumanising approach.Workers are often likened to resources, a lack of regard is experienced towards their feelings and the opportunity for personal identity is limited. However, his findings do lead to efficient production levels and wages are distributed accordingly to performance levels. The quotat ion a fair days pay for a fair days work, often expressed by Taylor, is limited in modern times due to the introduction of a tokenish wage. However, remuneration is achieved in the form of bonuses. There is a lot of evidence of Taylorism being used by a wide variety of industries in the twenty first century.The McDonalds franchise is a modern example of a corporation who operates using scientific management. The roles and tasks to be undertaken are made clear to mental faculty and the process of ordering and supplying a good to the consumer remains the same in every exclusive outlet. The service provided by the staff, outlet and ultimately brand, remains consistent. Taylors theories have also been closely relate to Henry Ford and in modern automobile production plants, as well as speak centres, fast food chains and countless other mass-produced goods such as computersAlthough the classical enlighten were dominant in a previous century, much of their work is still evident in p resent-day(a) management styles in particular Henri Fayols and Frederick Taylors.The ideas put forward by the classical theorists were in effect, a set of rules on how to manage. There is little room for flexibility, which is not the case in this modern economy which is very dynamic. Companies are focused on globalisation, consumers have different desires and needs, attitudes towards careers have changed and technological advancements have led to people being replaced by machines to complete simple or tedious tasks.With that being said, the classical school has a huge influence on the way managers behave in todays society. Fayols five managerial objectives are repeated throughout the office and the scientific approach is frequently seen by planning tasks and assigning them to individuals who are most appropriate for them. The classical approach has provided a fundamental stem for management, not only in the past and present but also for the future.