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Successful management requires an understanding of the fundamental concepts of
effective management techniques and principles. In order to gain such insight, and manage
effectively and efficiently, managers must develop an awareness of past management
principles, models and theories. From the turn of the 20th Century, the need for a formal
management theory was growing evident; organisations required a system to guide
managers in an attempt to improve productivity and efficiency of workers. This urgency
for a theory saw the development of six major management approaches, the focus of this
essay will be on two of the classical management theories; the scientific management
theory and the human relations movement. The contributions of both these theories will be
examined, followed by an analysis of the similarities and differences that these two
theories propose. The last point will see a discussion of the relevance that these two
theories have in modern managerial practice.
Scientific management was developed in the early 1900 and fronted by Fredrick Winslow
Taylor. Robbins, Bergman, Stagg and Coulter (2006) describe scientific management as:
The use of scientific methods to define the one best way for a job to be done.
The objective of Scientific Management was to ensure that maximum productivity was
achieved for both the employer and employee. (Dwyer, 2005) Scientific Management is
essentially an authoritarian approach that breaks up the thinking and doing responsibilities
to the manager and worker respectively. (Morgan, 1986). The main philosophies arising
from the Scientific Management approach include; an emphasis on experimentation,
research, and timed studies, as opposed to rule of thumb, management and labour
co-operation in order to ensure economic efficiency, emphasis on individualism, and the
simplification of tasks to reduce learning problems and time. (Mohanty and Sethi, 1996)
The underlying assumption of the Scientific Management Theory, according to Dwyer
(2005) is that
Human nature is machine-like and thoroughly rational, motivated by simple,
uncomplicated economical needs.
In 1924, a series of studies were conducted in an attempt to determine the effect that
lighting had on the productivity of a worker. These studies were later known as the
Hawthorne Studies. The studies, which were fronted by Elton Mayo, provided new
insights into individual and group behaviour, and found that social norms or group
standards were the major determinants of workers behaviour. (Robbins et al., 2006).
It is from the Hawthorne Studies that the Human Relations Movement stemmed, and this
theory holds a philosophy that a managers concern for workers will lead to their increased
