[Solution] The Classical Management Perspective
Created at:
Author: Sarah Bennett
Management theories had been around since the early 1800s, but the early 1900s saw the first widespread use of such theories in business. This was a response to emerging problems that businesses encountered as they grew larger.
Two Early Schools of Thought
Two main management theories emerged at this time:
- Scientific management, which focuses on improving the performance of individual workers
- Administrative management, which focuses on managing the whole organization
These were the first two theories that had a major influence on how whole industries were run. Taken together, they are now referred to as the classical management perspective.
Scientific Management
Scientific management focused on analyzing work to find the most efficient ways for workers to perform their tasks. This approach involved studying workers' movements, designing specialized tools, and creating incentive systems.
Administrative Management
Administrative management examined the organization as a whole, developing principles about how organizations should be structured and managed. This approach focused on the functions of management and organizational design.
What Classical Management Theory Means for Today
Many principles from classical management theory continue to influence modern organizations. From assembly lines to organizational charts, these early theories laid the foundation for contemporary management practices.
Select the phrase that best completes the sentence.
The theory that focuses on managing the whole organization is known as .
View Explanation
Administrative management theory focuses on how to better manage a whole organization. It identifies the core tasks that managers perform and develops ways to help them do those tasks better. It also focuses on restructuring organizations to make them more efficient.
Select the correct response(s) to the following question.
Which of the following are examples of improvements developed by scientific management researchers? Check all that apply.
- Job design, specialization, and training
- Production quotas
- Identifying the importance of how an organization is structured
- Identifying the essential functions of managers
View Explanation
Scientific management focuses on ways to make individual employees more productive. These researchers therefore seek to improve how employees do their jobs and give them incentives to do them better.
Administrative management focuses on the whole organization.
