Fayol's Administrative Management:
In my previous blog, I have talked about Weber’s
Bureaucratic
Management Approach. The other important theory which constitutes
the part of Classical theory of management is:
Fayol Administrative Management: focused
on improving management efficiency.
Fayol Administrative Management differed from scientific
management as it is focused on efficiency through management training and
behavioral characteristics.
According to Henri Fayol, there are five functions of
management, viz.,
- Planning
- Organizing
- Commanding
(Directing)
- Coordinating and
- Controlling
Fayol's 14
Principles of Management
Fayol developed 14 principles of management in order to
help managers manage their affairs more effectively. The fourteen principles include:
- Division of
work: In
a division of labor, the process is broken down into a no. of stages, and
workers are assigned to particular stages. Cooperative labor is
specialized into specific, circumscribed tasks, which individuals in
specific roles accomplish. The key points are-
·
Divide work in to specialized tasks and
assigned responsibilities to specific individuals.
·
Division
of work leads to specialization, and specialization increases efficiency, and
efficiency improves the productivity and profitability of the organization.
EXAMPLE:
An example of the
division of labor in the workplace is how workers at a candy factory have very
particular tasks. One might monitor the caramel, while another monitors the
chocolate, and another sees to packaging. When the worker monitoring the
caramel no longer sees how his work contributes to the larger product, he is
said to be alienated from his labor.
- AUTHORITY & RESPONSIBILITY- Authority
means power to take decision ,Responsibility means obligation to complete
the assign job on time .The key
points are-
·
Delegate authority along with responsibility.
·
There should be a balance between Authority
(Power)and Responsibility (Duties)
- DISCIPLINE- Discipline
refers to general rules and regulations of an organization. It also means developing commitment in
the employees towards organization and towards each other. Discipline is required at every level of
organization, not only at a subordinate level. The key points are-
·
Maintain good discipline in order to make
expectation clear and punish violators.
·
If there is no self-discipline, then
discipline should been forced through penalties, fines, etc.
- UNITY OF
COMMAND-An employee should be responsible to,
and also receive orders from only one superior. Any orders by the chief
librarian to a professional assistant should be transmitted through an
assistant librarian, who is in charge of the section. The key points are-
·
Each employee has one and only one Boss /
Commander
·
In other words, a subordinate must report to
only one superior."Too many cooks spoil the soup."
- UNITY OF
DIRECTION-
- Unity
of command depends on working of staff together properly but unity of
directions is provided by means of properly arranging the organization so that
there is one head and one plan to make it sure that coordination effort
would be achieved. The key points are-
· All activities which have the same objective must be directed by one manager, and he must use one plan.· Direction also means leading.· No wastage of resources and efforts of employees
- Unity
of command depends on working of staff together properly but unity of
directions is provided by means of properly arranging the organization so that
there is one head and one plan to make it sure that coordination effort
would be achieved. The key points are-
- SUBORDINATION
OF INDIVIDUAL INTERESTS TO GENERAL INTEREST-
Interest of the organization must
supersede the interest of individuals. All employees should work towards
the interest of an organization. Employees should know that their growth
depends upon the company’s growth. The key points are-
·
When at work only the matters related to the
job or duties should be focused, pursued and thought.
·
The individual interest should be given less importance,
while the general interest should be given most importance.
- REMUNERATION-Salaries
to employees and method of payment should be fair enough comparable to
other staff of the parent body with equivalent qualifications. Employees
should be given incentives for successful efforts .The key points are-
·
Payments of salaries and incentive for
workers in appreciation of their service.
·
This policy should give maximum satisfaction
to both employer and employees.
- CENTRALIZATION-
Centralization of administration may be carried out in varying degrees,
depending upon the local situation. Anything that increases the importance
of the role of a subordinate should be decentralized. On the other hand
anything that decreases the importance of the role of a subordinate should
be centralized. The key point to know is that decisions are made from the top.
- SCALAR CHAIN- This principle implies that
authority and responsibility should flow in a clear unbroken line from the
highest executive to the lowest rank. This refers to hierarchy. A hierarchy
consists of a series of steps, extending in an unbroken line from chief
librarian to the lowest employee an attendant. This line serves as a mean
of communication .The key points are-
·
Scalar chain refers to the number of levels
in the hierarchy from the ultimate authority to the lowest level in the organization.
·
Having a formal chain of command from top to
bottom.
- ORDER-
Order refers to the best possible arrangement to achieve the most efficient
operation of the organization. As regards movement of materials, it would
be economical if order section and cataloguing section are located side by
side. The key points are-
·
All personnel and materials must have
designated place.
·
There should be “a place for everything and
everything in its place”, and the "right man in the right place
- EQUITY-
: In dealing with employees treatment of equality must be put into
practice. Justice must be combined with friendliness and kindness by those
in executive towards staff. Salary scales must be based on education, ability,
experience and level of responsibility. The key points are-
·
Equality of treatment without
indiscrimination for the gender, creed or ethnicity.
·
Equity creates loyalty and devotion in the
employees.
- STABILITY-
Stability of staff is an important factor .Rapid turnover of staff should
cause anxiety. In this context it is better to fill up some positions in a
library with mediocre persons, who will stay with the library relatively
for long periods. At the same time there should be promotion avenues for competent
persons .the major objective is to-
·
Ensure the Employee loyalty and longevity.
- INITIATIVE-
: It is essential that initiative of employees must be cultivated and
encouraged. Incentives may be offered in this regard. Provision of
incentives can stimulate output, leading to greater efficiency and effectiveness.
The key points are-
·
Thinking out a plan and do what it takes to
make it happen.
·
And management should also encourage others
to take initiative.
- ESPIRIT DE
CORPS- This principle refers to strength in unity, being
an extension of principle of unity of command. It Promotes unity of interest
between management and employees.
Example: Library
administration should create environment which leads to harmony and unity.
Equity, initiative, unity of command and leadership qualities of the senior
staff can do much to promote esprit de corp.
Conclusions: The
principles of management are universally applicable. These are flexible and not
absolute. These are applicable regardless of changing conditions. These form
basis of scientific management. We all know that a building cannot sustain stability
without proper foundation; an organization also cannot be stable in its long
run and achieve its long term goals without following these 14 principles of management.
Organization and these principles are like complimentary goods which complete
each other; one is useless without the other, like car & petrol.
