Anticipating Contemporary Management - Essay Example

Management Theory Student’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Course Code: Date of Submission: Introduction Management is an important aspect of human life and not only at work but also in an individual life. Management therefore as a concept, has moved from individual level to group level and finally into workplace and organizational level. Management goes back into the old ages and can be traced as earlier as during the stone-age period. This is because management is seen to bear a lot of meaning into various activities and ways either as an individual or a group in order to achieve a certain objective in a coordinated way. In an organization managed used for managing an environment entangled with different activities and that is composed of different people from diverse backgrounds (Hill and McShane, 2008). This essay will discus the contribution of Jules Henri Fayol in the contemporary society by looking at various management principles that had been developed by him which include division of work, discipline, authority and responsibility, fair remuneration, equity, spirit of co-operation and centralization and decentralization. Management should always deal with division of work and assigning responsibilities (Pryor & Taneja, 2010). In every organization different works do exist and that each and every employee is expected to work on certain role. Division of work according to Fayol, dividing work and assigning them to individuals is always very critical in ensuring individual output is enhanced. This is because by staying at same post for a while, the employer is able to gain new capabilities, sureness about certain processes and activities entailed in the employee’s job as well as enhanced accuracy. Accuracy and sureness in an organisation is given priority because of its ability to utilize available organizational resources for maximum production. With the ever changing business where skills, experiences and competencies of individuals are given priority, it is emerging that assigning specific roles to specific individuals is very strategic for the management. This management principle according to Fayol, in the 21st century, is likely to help the managers nurture different skills for allowing individuals to work on those areas where they are best suited (Brunsson, 2008). According to Fayol, division of work allows the management to assign roles to specialists who can enhance their efficiency and the same time increase productivity and that specialization which also means division of work, starts with top management down to the junior staff. Without division of work, it is not easy to achieve organisational goals since more resources and time will be wasted in the process. In regard to this, avoiding applying this management principle, organizations are likely to suffer high costs of doing business. In the contemporary high level of discipline at work is fundamental (Joyce and Jacob, 2010). Fayol presents this management principle as one of those that represent the values the management stands for. Discipline in a management context is very fundamental. This is because discipline is associated with sincerity at workplace and that transparency and accountability should always prevail when executing different responsibilities. Discipline is also important in ensuring that the organizational policies and procedures are followed when giving and taking orders and instructions at workplace. An organization is likely to operate in a broken system if both the staff and the management do not obey the company rules and regulations. For orders and instructions to be taken more seriously, the management is charged responsibility of ensuring that the kind of staff at place is of high integrity and that is always eager to obey and work according to the prevailing business regulations (Fells, 2000). While, many organizations tend to apply different methods to maintain discipline such as fines, suspension, warming and dismissals, Fayol is of the view that these kinds of rewards should not be used. Discipline according to Fayol should be practiced and not imposed and that maintaining and promoting high level of discipline at workplace is the responsibility of the management. This management principle is particularly important in the contemporary society in dealing with frauds and other abuses that may be available. However, this view is being challenged because it is not always easy to measure the level of an indiscipline case and determine appropriate penalty. In general, lack of discipline in an organization may always affect the reputation and the image of the based on perceived actions. The management should always ensure authority and responsibility in all business operations. According to Fayol, he had used the term command to illustrate how managers can use their authority to lead and direct employees in such away so as to achieve organization goals and objectives. From a natural view the term, ‘command’ looks more draconian and authoritarian and seems to give much power to the management to take control over all operations without involving the entire staff. However, this management principle was developed when many organizations were experiencing widespread industrialization and that managers were expected to state the next step for the business. This theory was referred to as ‘classical school’ (Hill and McShane, 2008). This theory did not encourage participative management styles as managers took complete charge. Even though many may consider, this theory to be relevant in the contemporary management, there are those who are of the view that this management approach has its shortcomings. For example, this approach does not allow individuals with brilliant opinions to come in and contribute on how businesses should be run because of their rank in the organizational structure. In the 21st century, leadership for example is coming into place on behalf of command. Leadership as a management principle has been used to help guide managers on how they can influence, influence and motivate individuals to a certain direction that organizational goals and objectives can be achieved. Despite the role that authority and responsibility can play in realizing business goals and objectives, application of authority and leadership are being practiced to promote creativity and development of new ideas and lack of which can easily lead to industrial actions (McLean, 2011). Fair remuneration and reward is a managerial tool for paying individual efforts to the organization (Fells, 2000). According to Fayol, paying wages should always be fair and satisfactorily and that the methods used should be acceptable by all. Determining the fair pay is seen as management principle that Fayol considered to have in order to help managers pay wages that can sustain the employees. Fair pay is actually important in important in motivating the employees especially when the employees feel that their effort to the realizing company goals and objectives is surely recognized. While developing this management, principle, Fayol had been informed by the increased industrial actions, by employees complaining of low pay despite working under very difficult conditions and contributing greatly to the business. So as to help easy tension between the employees and their managers, this management principle is intended at helping the management to ensure harmonization and working relationships among all employees. This management principle in the contemporary management environment is becoming very fundamental especially in the era of global economic recession where the cost of living has continued to rise (Joyce & Jacob, 2010). During Fayol’s era, he had advocated for the need for management to take into account various aspects that affect employees financially such as housing, electricity and water. This is important in ensuring that the employees could manage good life. In the contemporary society, this management principle is applied by the management in determining rates for employees’ wages that can match with the rest in the same industries. This is to help reduce the situation where employees will be leaving the business to look for good pay elsewhere. Research is showing that those companies that are applying good pay wages are likely to retain their employees for relatively longer. Equity is a management principle that is used to ensure that all people are treated as equals at workplace. According to Fayol equity at workplace should be applied at all levels of management and across all functions. Being a management responsibility, equity is especially important in promoting fairness and justice in a workplace where people from all diversities exist (McLean, 2011). In the contemporary society where the global labor market has opened up as a result of liberalization of world trade, different workplaces are now recruiting people from different markets who all have very different backgrounds. The element of discrimination as a result of caste, culture, color, race, sex, religion, experience and qualification can only be managed if equity is promoted in the management. Equity in management is also important in according respect and human reception to all people at workplace. With this regard, Fayol considered equity as a management principle that kind be used to ensure kindness in all dealings with staff. Research has shown that those businesses that embrace equity stand a better chance in winning employee loyalty and that short off it will mean bad reputation and lack of loyalty and commitment to the business. With no equity, the organization is likely to scare very competent employees who may wish to join the workforce (Wren, 2001). Management in an organizational context is all about co-operation and teamwork. For any organization that is looking forward to succeed in the current management environment the spirit of teamwork and co-operation should be at the core of the business. This is to ensure that despite individual interests, effort must always be made to make sure that team spirit is enhanced towards common objectives which can move the organization into the next level of performance and efficiency (Parker & Ritson, 2005). It’s with this regard that Fayol pays much attention to production as a factor of well coordinated and integrated team events among the staff. The importance of practicing teamwork at workplace is to assist individuals understand the need for sacrificing personal interests in order to achieve best results. However, Fayol argues that for team spirit to be alive in an organization, loyalty and trust must always prevail among the group members. Loyalty and faithfulness can only be possible if individual contribution is recognized. Further, team spirit in management is also important to ensuring positive relationships among the employees and positive approach to different management issues (Parker & Ritson, 2005). Centralization and decentralization is a management approach to ensuring that all activities are well coordinated for better performance (Brunsson, 2008). According to Fayol it’s always for the management to decide on the management approach to use either centralization, decentralization or a combination of both. However, Fayol in this management principle provides room for the organizations to determine the extent of decentralization or centralization and this may be influenced by the business demands. In small organizations, Fayol recommends for a centralization management approach as it’s easy to coordinate the business activities since they are relatively view. However, with large organizations where there are several units, a decentralized approach is preferred according to Fayol. This is because of the high number of activities that will have to be performed at any given time (Pryor & Taneja, 2010). In the contemporary management, decentralized approach is commonly used in managements where organizations are large and franchising and have businesses in different parts of the world. The ultimate choice of choosing on a management approach centralization and decentralization is to ensure efficiency and easier process of decision making. The purpose of this essay was to study into the management concepts by Henry Fayol and relate them into the contemporary management. Despite receiving some criticism from various quotas and other management professionals and writers, Fayol’s theory still hold even up to today. This essay has discussed how management come into being and in trying to relate how Fayol fairs in the contemporary the following management principles by him have been discussed: division of work, discipline, authority and responsibility, fair remuneration, equity, co-operation and teamwork and centralization and decentralization. References Brunsson, K. (2008). ‘Some Effects of Fayolism’, International Studies of Management & Organisation, vol. 38, no. 1, p 30-47. Fells, M. (2000). Fayol stands the test of time. Journal of Management History, Vol. 6, No 8, p. 345-360 Hill, C. and McShane, S. (2008). Principles of Management. New York: McGraw Hill. Joyce, T. & Jacob W. (2010). "Management pioneer contributors: 30-year review", Journal of Management History, Vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 427 – 436 McLean, J. (2011). ‘Fayol – standing the test of time’, British Journal of Administrative Management, Spring, p. 32-33. Parker, L. & Ritson, P. (2005). ‘Revisiting Fayol: Anticipating Contemporary Management’, British Journal of Management, vol. 16, pp 175-194. Pryor, M. & Taneja, S. (2010). ‘Henri Fayol, practitioner and theoretician – revered and reviled’. Journal of Management History, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 489-503. Wren, D. (2001). ‘Henri Fayol as strategist: a nineteenth century corporate turnaround’, Management Decision, vol. 39, no. 6, p. 475-487. 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