Classical Approach to Management

Course Title: BSc/HNC Business
Programme
Module Title: Contemporary
Management Practice
Module Number: G106431
Module Tutor: Dave Jenkins
Student Number: 20903677

Student Number: 20903677 Contemporary Management Module No: G106431
There are different approaches to management. Some of the most influential
ones are classical approach, the human relations approach and contingency
approach. Each approach offers valuable insights for practicing managers in their
efforts to define management problems and opportunities, and to develop ways to
deal with them.
Choose one from the three approaches above. Explain and evaluate this approach.
Defining and pin pointing the management concept can be extremely
challenging as it is ever evolving and extremely broad. For different individuals the
term management can imply very different ideas, theorists have and still are
attempting to develop a universal definition of the term management. In basic terms
it is the control of the internal environment made up of all employees within an
organisation working together to achieve the organisations objectives and goals
(CIMA,2009). There are numerous management styles that an organisation can
consider when analyzing which approach may produce the most efficient, effective
and profitable results. The four most common approaches adopted are the; classical,
human relations, systems and contingency models. This essay will explore and
evaluate the classical approach to management and how it can be applied in a
modern organisation. It is difficult to provide a universal definition of the term
classical management. An organisation implementing the classical approach has a
clear, rigid and hierarchal structure consisting of numerous layers that are apparent
and fixed. The roles are strictly defined and specific and the employees have
specialised skill sets to suit the roles. The management is significantly centralised,
authorative and adopts universal principles of operation (Boddy, D,2010).
Management view employees instrumentally and believe that monetary incentives
will optimize the levels of productivity, this way they can ensure certainty, tight
control of schedules and mechanically run operations. This is a very traditional
approach that creates a uniform environment where employees are restrained,
expected to conform and be as efficient as possible (accel-team.com). It focuses on
the economical and physical needs of the business rather than elements such as
motivation and job satisfaction. There is a perceived one best way of accomplishing
the organisations goal, it is set, implemented and controlled by management. The
employees are functional units and are sometimes viewed as extensions of the
machines because of their predictability (Boddy, D,2010). The classical approach
can be broken down into three sub divisions; scientific, bureaucratic and
administrative management, different schools of thought that have built upon one
concept.
Scientific management was developed and implemented by Frederick Taylor.
He attempted to replace ‘solidering’ with the scientific study of individual situations
and processes to determine the optimal one way of performing a task. He
recognized that precision, specialized skills and standardised methods could
increase efficiency. This logical and rational work ethic seemed to increase
productivity but at the same time reduce effort. Taylor attempted to synchronize all
aspects in the workplace under a scientific umbrella (Mullins,L.J,2007). In order to
progress he believed that there was a heavy managerial responsibility to select, train
and motivate staff within the layers of the organisation. He examined the close link
between work and science by using experiments such as time and motion studies

Student Number: 20903677 Contemporary Management Module No: G106431
which carefully calculated the optimal level of production, the amount of rest and
specific skills needed alongside the specific tools required (vectorstudy.com). The
intimate and constant control from managers secured maximum prosperity for the
employee and employer by linking productivity and wages, this in turn created a
mutual interdependence of managers and workers(Rollinson, D and Broadfield, A,
2002). Adopting functional foremanship increased the co-operation and produced an
effective economical unit. Using economic reward allowed tight control and close
supervision parallel to motivating employees (Mullins,L.J,2007). The hierarchal
structure meant that power lay with the management who analysed work flows,
planned ahead, eliminated waste, replaced inactivity, rid interruption and intelligently
devised how the labour could be efficiently distributed.
Max Weber built upon Taylors concept developing the idea of bureaucratic
management. He believed management show be viewed as a body of knowledge
that is extremely logical, rational and transparent. He believed the strong line of
authority and control should be seen and relationships between management and
staff should be impersonal (Hatch, M.J 2006). Webers key concepts relied upon rigid
rules, regulations and formal organisation. The theory can be summarized in few
words; clear hierarchy, division of labour, impersonal relationships, systematic
thinking and rational behavior. Identical to scientific management, employees are
specifically selected and extensively trained to fulfill the requirements of all tasks,
there is a standard procedure and uniform way of dealing with all employees.
Managers manage based on facts, observations, logical plans and intelligently
devised guidelines constructed by themselves. They will have a universal and
uniform procedure that could be applied in any situation in order to tackle errors,
waste and inefficiency (Newstrom,J.W,2007) . Managers are extremely competent
being able to construct comprehensive and detailed standard operating procedures
for all tasks. Every aspect is documented in order to track, control and amen any
factor that could possibly hinder efficiency and effectiveness (marxists.org).
Administrative management devised by Henri Fayol developed and evolved
as it was tried and tested in live situations. He used other theories to build his
concept, so the main foundation stones are the same as the theories mentioned
above; centralisation, authority, division of labour and fact based development. Fayol
believed management to be a profession that could be trained and developed, he
tended to focus upon the manager as an individual being able to reign over his
workforce. He was infamous for his fourteen principles that clearly set out and
documented all elements of the classical approach such as planning, controlling,
commanding, co-coordinating etc (Mullins,L.J,2007). He believed managers should
be capable of finding a universal process that was innovative, established clear order
and equity, built a unit of command and implemented rational principles and
guidelines. Managers should be aware of when, where and how all tasks are
completed, they should be able to eliminate errors quickly, minimize waste and know
their staff are capable of securing maximum productivity from the outset and over the
long term.