Reflection on POLC
Discuss about the Evolution of Management Thinking.
I once served as a school administrator in the position of deputy principal and as such in most cases, I was involved in management functions of planning, organizing, leadership, and coordination. As a planner, I was involved in budgeting functions of the school that entailed planning for the expenditure that was to be used on a term basis. Also, in the context of planning, I was responsible for planning the school lessons and timetable in advance. Organizing function was well manifested when I was tasked with allocating teachers various duties in the absence of the principal. This also entailed grouping students and preparing them for major functions within the school and also in educational contests.
The role of assigning duties was also in my docket and this preparing a list on weekly basis. Leadership to me was a daily phenomenon and I can say my type of leadership was that of servant leadership. I always was passionate about serving in my position. I reminiscence one time when I led a group of students in starting a club that was to assist the needy students in paying for their school fees and also meeting their basic necessities particularly the girl child. The club was instrumental in initiating and inspiring bright yet needy students who required assistance as their parents were either unable to meet the needs of such students or were dead. As the patron of the club, I can confess that things were not easy at first as there were hurdles with mobilizing both the parents and students to donate and assist others. As such great leadership traits were essential in running such a club. I was also recognized as a leader when I facilitated and conducted a mathematics contest that hosted more than 300 students. The contest was aimed at identifying talented students in such a subject while also identifying weaknesses of our students. The move was instrumental in uniting departmental heads from various schools and led to great networking among teachers in our zone.
Controlling is a powerful tool as it associated with monitoring and authority. As a discipline master, I was most often involved in controlling the behavior of the students to ensure that they comply with the laid down rules and regulations as per the school culture. As such, I was closely involved in matters relating to controlling discipline issues to ensure that they never went beyond certain limits. Also, as the person in charge of academics, I had to ensure performance with regards to both teachers and students was achieved by ensuring that there were proper mechanisms to ensure that integrity with regards to the supervision of exams on the side of teachers was achievable.
Facts of Taylors scientific management
The theory was postulated and focused on studying people systematically with regards to their behavior and tasks (Reddy, 2016). The main task of Taylor’s theory was that it embraced the strategy of breaking work into sub-tasks with an intention to establish the most efficient process for accomplishing a specific task. Also identified as classical management theory, the theory of scientific management was first recognized in the early 1900’s in order to facilitate productivity in the workplace.
Facilitated production
This management theory by Taylor was tasked with enhancing production as it focuses on making stable improvements in the operations of enterprises. As such, there is a productive relationship and unity between the managers and the employees thus facilitating effective teamwork. Such harmonious existence that prevails between management and employees helps in boosting productivity in the organization.
Ability to control
The best component of management theory is that the managers are better positioned in having proper control over the process of production (Clegg, et al., 2015). As such the employees become specialist in their own areas as they have the tendency of repeating the same tasks on a routine, thus making it easy for the managers to have complete domination over their employees.
Decreases inaccuracy
There are instances of having inaccuracy and discrepancies decreased as the theory primarily rests on experiments and observations with regards to context-focused resolutions. Accuracy and precision are attained through better planning and sound decision making.
Decreased accuracy
The management theory recommends the management to adopt relationships that are meaningful with leadership. With enhanced cooperation amongst employees and managers, there is a possibility to facilitate democracy in places of work. As such there is decreased autocracy by adopting Taylor’s theory of scientific management.
Pay system
The theory follows the idea of piecework pay mechanism where payment gets controlled with regards to piecework. An incentive in this context is important in facilitating productivity and ensures that employees are paid high wages. High productivity in the workplace is always associated with an increase in wages for workers. However, with differential incentive strategy, high wages are only paid to employees that are efficient. In this manner, the standards of living among the employees are made better.
Huge initial capital
The scientific management theory requires a high initial cost in terms of investment and thus classified as being a costly system. The development of work-study culture, department associated with planning and training employees are all processes that require a lot of money.
Strengths of the scientific theory of management
Management takes control and dominates
The management in this theory takes absolute responsibility with regards to control and planning for workplace activities. The ability of managers to take control of workers leads to lack of control and creativity. Also due to the repetition of same tasks on daily basis, this translates to monotony in the workplace and tedious making motivation associated with workers get reduced significantly.
Division of labor
A bureaucratic institution adopts the policy where tasks are divided into smaller proportions that are then assigned to each person as individuals are specialized to conduct specialized tasks (Samson & Daft, 2017). Work in this context is proportioned with regards to specialization. Each unit has perfect knowledge of the department it operates, its competencies and the line it should not cross.
Scalar chain
An enterprise adopts a hierarchy of power where orders are given from the top to bottom, also, obedience as a virtue follows from bottom to top (Bartol, et al., 2011). It is through a hierarchy that communication and coordination get enhanced within the organization. Every distinct lower unit gets controlled by a higher-level unit and as such, control is attained in the whole organization (Tanuja, n.d.). The scalar chain also ensures that there is an effective delegation of authority as authority gets delivered from higher to lower levels.
Appointments are made on the basis of merit and performance
All appointments are entirely based on merit on the assigned jobs and tasks.
Individuals in this theory are treated equally irrespective of their positions and ranks (Villasenor, 2012). This promotes impartiality when it comes to managing individuals and events. Relationships in this scenario are monitored through the stipulated rules and authority and inspired by factors that are rational as opposed to personal factors both from internal and external operations of the organization.
Such organizations that adopt the theory of bureaucracy are deemed to be rational and thus represents an ideal structure of organizations. It is through rationality that efficiency of operations is achieved. Also, managing enterprises by following the chain of command by managers that are highly qualified and skilled maximize the utilization of resources to the optimum level. Depersonalization of functions done by management has been found to lead in operations uniformity which translates to fairness and equal treatment of all employees. Structures that are bureaucratic are not only attributed to facilitating organizational efficiency through individual subordination but also enhances the growth of enterprises that are large-scale in terms of operations.
Limitations
It hampers creativity and innovation as there is impersonal touch in dealing with individuals. This has the implication of affecting personal development and growth of workers. The slight variations and emotions exhibited by human beings can be effective when it comes to the decision-making process. However, institutions that are bureaucratic do not accommodate this flexibility (Cole, 2012). Also, this theory ignores the function played by informal organizations that supplement the establishment of such enterprises in achieving formal objectives. The hierarchy associated with authority and power limits the advantages that accrue to open communication. As such this may not facilitate the level that is desired to enhance efficiency. The strict adherence to rules and regulations makes the rules undesirable to many employees. The enterprises are seen as entities that are procedure-oriented as opposed to being goal-oriented. There is ignorance of social needs and desires as there is too much focus on formal procedures.
A good example of a firm that still utilizes the theory of management by Taylor is Johnson & Johnson. The firm has standardized most of its functions and the process department is centralized. For example, operations entailing research and development manage activities as a unit research group. On the other hand, the departments such as manufacturing and the sales are managed in a decentralized model to render the process of decision making as one that is tailored in meeting the specific requirements and dimensions of a product.
References
Bartol, K., Tein, M., Sharma, B. & Scott-Ladd, B., 2011. Management:A Pacific Rim focus. 6th ed. North Ryde,N.S.W: McGraw-Hill Australia.
Caramela, S., 2018. The Management Theory of Max Weber. [Online] Available at: https://www.business.com/articles/management-theory-of-max-weber/
Clegg, S., Kornberger, M. & Pitsis, T., 2015. Managing & Organizations:An introduction to theory and Practise. London: Sage.
Cole, K., 2012. Management:Theory & Practise. 5th ed. Pearson: Australia.
Krenn, J., 2017. Management Theory of Henri Fayol. [Online] Available at: https://www.business.com/articles/management-theory-of-henri-fayol/
Reddy, C., 2016. Scientific Management Theory: Advantages and Disadvantages. [Online] Available at: https://content.wisestep.com/advantage-disadvantage-scientific-management-theory/ [Accessed 16 May 2018].
Robbin , S., Cenzo, D. & Coutler, M., 2016. Fundamentals of Management:Management Myths Debunked!. Pearson Education ed. s.l.:Global Edition(10e).
Samson, D. & Daft, R. L., 2017. Management:Asia Pacific Edition. 6th ed. South Melbourne: VIC,Cengage Learning Australia.
Tanuja, A., n.d. Weber’s Bureaucracy Theory: Features, Significance and Limitations. [Online] Available at: https://www.businessmanagementideas.com/management/webers-bureaucracy-theory-features-significance-and-limitations/4705 [Accessed 16 May 2018].
Villasenor, J., 2012. Chapter 2 the evolution of management thinking. [Online] Available at: https://www.slideshare.net/1bsba/chapter-2-the-evolution-of-management-thinking-13641604 [Accessed 16 May 2018].
Virtual Learning Environment, 2018. Max Weber’s Bureaucratic Management. [Online] Available at: https://vle.du.ac.in/mod/book/view.php?id=8635&chapterid=11576
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