Is it degrading to the profession of management to

Is it degrading to the profession of management to suggest that effective management practice is primarily
common sense and was utilized by primitive people? It is no insult . . . because common sense is such an
uncommon quality in most generations. In fact, some of the most disappointed students ever to emerge
from learning institutions are those who think that, by taking a degree in management, they will receive
inside knowledge of the secret words and formulas for manipulating people. The truth is that even the best
management education curriculum can only hope to sharpen the skills and understanding that students
already have.
Management in Twentieth Century:
The major contribution of the Industrial Revolution was the substitution of machine power for human
power, which, in turn, made it more economical to manufacture goods in factories rather than at home.
These large, efficient factories using power-driven equipment required managerial skills. Why? Managers
were needed to forecast demand, ensure that enough material was on hand to make products, assign tasks

Principles of Management – MGT503 VU
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to people, direct daily activities, coordinate the various tasks, ensure that the machines were kept in good
working condition and work standards were maintained, find markets for the finished products, and so
forth. Planning, organizing, leading, and controlling became necessary, and the development of large
corporations would require formal management practices. The need for a formal theory to guide managers
in running these organizations had arrived. However, it wasn’t until the early 1900s that the first major step
toward developing such a theory was taken.
The development of management theories has been characterized by differing beliefs about what managers
do and how they should do it. In the next sections we present the contributions of four approaches.
Scientific management looked at management from the perspective of improving the productivity and
efficiency of manual workers. General administrative theorists were concerned with the overall organization
and how to make it more effective. Then a group of theorists focused on developing and applying
quantitative models to management practices. Finally, a group of researchers emphasized human behavior
in organizations, or the “people” side of management.
Professional Managerial Era
In our present age of market driven capitalism and futuristic knowledge driven economic markets, the
decisions are made and the trends are set by the professional managers. Unlike their predecessors, the
captains of today’s business do not own their own companies. They must know the whole business but
have control over only one small part. They must be product oriented, process conscious, financially
responsible and public spirited. They must know all things, yet still function as only one cog in the wheel.