Castañeda, Benedick M.

B17 – CEM

Major Contributions in the Fields of Management

1. Henri Fayol (1841 – 1925)

> “Father of Principle of Management”

> Mining Engineer

> Appointed as the General Manager of the company

where he was working early as the mining engineer.

> contributed to theory of management by writing a book

in French by name Administration Industrielle et

Generale in 1916.

.> He strongly advocated that management is an activity

common to all undertakings which involve human activity.

The significant contributions made by Fayol are:

(i) Universality of management which means that management is a separate body of knowledge is applicable to all
forms of group activities.

(ii) He specified the functions of management by a systematic analysis of management process.

(iii) The concept of teaching and developing management curricula in colleges and universities.

(iv) His ideas paved the way for the development of the theory of management.

Thus he has made a unique and outstanding contribution to management.

2. Mary Parker > “Modest spinster lady who has never managed a business in her life”

> She was consulted by many successful business administrators for help in
their immediate difficulties involving group and personal relationships.

> Her ideas on leadership, constructive conflict, power, co-ordination, control,

responsibility, conciliation and arbitration, consent and participation were
coloured with realism and conviction.

> She advocated four important principles of co-ordination as the basis of good
management.
They are:

(i) Co-ordination by direct contact by the responsible people concerned.

(ii) Co-ordination in the early stages.

(iii) Co-ordination as a reciprocal relation of all features in a situation.

(iv) Co-ordination is a continuous process.

3. Chester I. Barnard

> Developed the concept of social system

> Founding father of social system school.
> He viewed organisation as a social system consisting of people who work in
co-operation.

> His publication the Function of Executive is a highly significant work.

> He wrote this book with two objectives:

(i) To set forth a theory of co-operation and organisation

(ii) To present a description of the executive process.

> Often remembered for his views on social responsibility of management.

4. Peter Drucker

> He started his career as a reporter in a newspaper.

> He has written several books on management of which
“The practice of management”

> Drucker reminds managers to bring out an awareness of

their entrepreneurial function in the discharge of their
responsibilities and to run the organisation efficiently.

> He advocates a periodical dispassionate reappraisal of all

activities of existing organisations, and to discontinue activities
wherever necessary.

> He concludes by saying that it is essential for management

to concentrate more on planning function for the realisation of
future business potentials.