MN4062QA Reflective Paper: Traditional and Contemporary Management

This reflective paper explores the differences between traditional and contemporary management approaches, drawing on content from weeks 1-6 of the MN4062QA Principles of Management module and feedback from a formative assignment. It discusses the importance of management in achieving organizational goals and objectives, highlighting how traditional approaches were goal-oriented and hierarchical, while contemporary approaches emphasize flexibility, collaboration, and innovation. The paper reflects on the student's learning journey, identifying strengths in understanding management theories and areas for improvement, such as incorporating author names and defining management tools like SWOT and PESTEL. The student outlines a plan to enhance their knowledge of these tools through further reading and practical application, aiming to improve future performance and career prospects. The conclusion emphasizes the need for contemporary approaches to address the dynamic challenges of the modern business environment.

Principles of
management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
TASK ..............................................................................................................................................3
Identify major developments in the history of managerial thought including classical and
contemporary approaches............................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES:...............................................................................................................................6
Books and Journals:....................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Management is defined as the process that involves important steps such as planning,
organising, staffing, decision making, controlling, etc. in order to achieve the goals and
objectives. In today's business environment, organisations are facing many complex situations
and challenges due to uncertain behaviour of market (Van Diepen and et.al., 2017). Due to this,
it becomes very important and compulsory for companies to involve a better management in
their workplace. Management helps an organisation to accomplish their goals and objectives.
This report will be discussing a reflective paper on learning the comparison between traditional
and contemporary approaches of management.
MAIN BODY
TASK
Identify major developments in the history of managerial thought including classical and
contemporary approaches
Management plays a vital role in success of an organisation. It can be defined as a
process of optimum utilisation of resources in such manner that organisation is able to achieve its
goals and objectives. It is seen that the company that has proper management is able to gain
advantage over the competitors (Johnson and Stewart, 2017). The process of motivation includes
planning, organising, staffing, directing as well as controlling. It is seen that the company that is
able to form effective goals and objectives and then hire a right person to do the job is
successful. The work is divided as per the capability of the employees and they are motivated so
that they can complete the work on time. It is also important for a company to keep control on
the work of employees. The last function of management is controlling in which the deviations in
actual and standard performance are analysed so that corrective measures can be taken by the
company. It is necessary to note that traditional approach of management was goals and
objective focused. The aim was to achiever the goals and objectives that are formulated by the
senior management. The employees were motivated to complete the work that is being assigned
to them. The training was provided to the employees but it was related to the technical work that
they have to complete. Then with time the approaches to management also changes. During the
lectures, I studied about classical, system, human approach and then I found contingency
approach. These approaches are explained in the order of period.

Now the business organisations follow contemporary approach of management. It is
seen that after globalisation the organisation work on forming strong strategy that take care about
quality, competitive advantage, innovation and achieve desired outcomes that are accepted
globally (Iankova and et.al., 2019). These all are I learned in the module and lectures. During the
modules, I got to know about some contemporary and traditional management approaches which
are necessary to learn by organisations. I got to learn that today's business complexities are
increasing everyday and that's why it is necessary for a company to use some contemporary
management approaches which are able to handle with the upcoming and current challenges. I
found that contingency approach is useful in today's organisations as it says that there is no
single approach available which suited in every situation. Everyday the workload of an
organisation is continuously increasing and that's why it becomes very crucial for a company to
use some contemporary management approaches (Spring and Munshi, 2021). I analysed that
both are using in organisation but currently now companies are more focused on contemporary
as these approaches are effective in order to deal with the challenges. I found that traditional
approaches are hierarchical and organised, command and control, objective based on the results,
etc. Whereas contemporary management approaches are flexible and adaptable, increase
collaboration, transformational, innovative, and objectives are based on dynamics and team
performances.
In the feedback which I got helps me to work on my weak areas. In the feedback I got to
know some my strengths which assists me to increase motivation. I found that I have a good
knowledge of theories and models of management. I only lack on understanding the theory of
management which is necessary to work on them. I analysed that I am not using the names of
authors and management writers during the discussion of definition of management. It is
necessary for me to write a name of management writer which need to be improve. The second
thing which I analysed that it needs to improve on me i.e. defining the tools and techniques that
used by organisational managers such as SWOT and PESTEL. These tools should be get define
so that other person get to know the use of these tools (Hussain, HAQUE and Baloch, 2019). So
in these areas, I need to work on them.
After got my feedback, I should make a plan in which I have to work on gaining
knowledge of theoretical as well as practical applicability of management tools such as SWOT
and PESTEL. I found that it is the area in which I have to work on them. It is necessary for me to

develop some knowledge about management tools so that in future I will not perform any
mistakes. This is nit just helpful in gaining high score but also very helpful in my future. For
example, in future if I will become a manager then I need less training programs as I already
have the knowledge of these tools and techniques. This also very helpful in increasing the
number of opportunities. For that purpose, I decided that I have to take more and more reading of
good management books which assist me to use names of management writers and also gives me
a detailed knowledge of defining tools of management. I found that this techniques helps me to
work on my lack areas and I will be able to perform best.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from this reflective paper that every day the dynamic nature of
business environment increases the problems for a company. That's why company needs to use
some important approaches. There are some traditional and contemporary management
approaches which assist an organisation to handle with the situations. But both are different from
each other. By comparing both approaches, it is found that company needs to use contemporary
approaches as it assists in dealing with the upcoming challenges.

REFERENCES:
Books and Journals:
Hussain, N., HAQUE, A.U. and Baloch, A., 2019. Management Theories: The Contribution of
Contemporary Management Theorists in Tackling Contemporary Management
Challenges. Journal of Yaşar University, 14, pp.156-169.
Iankova, S., and et.al., 2019. A comparison of social media marketing between B2B, B2C and
mixed business models. Industrial Marketing Management, 81, pp.169-179.
Johnson, A.R. and Stewart, D.W., 2017. A reappraisal of the role of emotion in consumer
behavior: traditional and contemporary approaches. In Review of marketing
research (pp. 3-33). Routledge.
Spring, J. and Munshi, L., 2021. Oncologic Emergencies: Traditional and
Contemporary. Critical Care Clinics, 37(1), pp.85-103.
Van Diepen, S., and et.al., 2017. Contemporary management of cardiogenic shock: a scientific
statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 136(16), pp.e232-e268.