TERM PAPER

JOMO KENYATTA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT:MEDIA TECHNOLOGY AND APPLIED COMMUNICATION
COURSE:BSc.CORPORATE COMMUNICATION AND MANAGEMENT

NAME:NJIRU MARGRET GAKII

REG NO:HDC213-0140/2023
HCM2105:THEORIES OF MANAGEMENT
QUESTION:IN AN ESSAY OF NOT LESS THAN 2000 WORDS,REFLECT ON THE KEY
PRINCIPLES OF DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OF MANAGEMENT CLEARLY DEFINING THEIR
CONTRIBUTION TO THE MODERN MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.

TITLE PAGE
A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF KEY PRINCIPLES OF DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OF MANAGEMENT
AND THEIR IMPACT ON MODERN MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.
 INTRODUCTION
Management theories have evolved overtime,with various schools of management though
emerging to address the complexities of organizational behavior and decision making.This
paper aims to explore the key principless of different schools of management including
scientific management,classical management,human relations management and modern
management theories.By understanding the contribution of each school of management we
can gain insight into how modern management practices have been shaped and continue to
evolve.

LITERATURE REVIEW
w.w.w.businessnewsdaily.com article posted by Tejas Vempala,Business operations insider and
senior writer,updated on Nov 10 2023,highlights different management theories that business
owners should understand.The article highlights that leaders can determine which theories best
fits their organization and select component from each philosophy.
You can create a toolkit of effective management strategies and work management systems for
you and for your staff be it scientific,classical,administrative,beaurocratic,or human relation
management theory.

METHODOLOGY
I did research online to access various scholarly journals and articles to gather detailed
information on the key principles of different management schools and their impact on modern
management practices.whereby I used key words like;modern management,key principlesof
management,principles of management,main schools of management pdfs from various
websites ,for instance en.m.wikipedia.org.Also included personal knowledge attained from
academic lessons on various principles of management pioneered by philosophers including
Elton Mayo,Fredrick Winslow Taylor,Max weber,Ludwig von bertalanffy,Douglas McGregor and
Abraham maslow.

RESULTS
Scientific management,pioneered by Fredrick Taylor in the early 20 th century focused on
increasing efficiency and productivity through systematic analysis and optimization of work
processes.Taylor believed that workers should be trained to perform tasks in the most efficient
manner possible,with a strong emphasis on standardization and specialization.key principles of
scientific management include time and motion studies,division of labour and performances
based on incentives.
The contribution of scientific management to modern management practices lies on it
emphasis on efficiency,standardization,and the use of data-driven decision making.Many
organizations today continue to adopt principles of scientific management,particularly in
manufacturing and production environments to streamline operations and maximize
productivity.

CLASSICAL MANAGEMENT
Classical management theories, developed by theorisis such as Henri Fayol and Max
Weber,focused on principles of organizational structure,hierarchy,and authority.Fayol’s
principles of management,including unity of command ,division of work,scalar
chain,emphasized the importance of clear roles and responsibilities within an
organization.Webers bureaucratic theory highlighted the importance of formal
rules,procedures,and impersonal relationships in organizational functioning.
The contribution of classical management to modern management practices can be seen in the
continued emphasis on organizational structure,hierarchy,and formalized processes in many
large corporations.while some aspects of classical management have been criticized for being
rigid bureaucratic,the principles of clear roles and responsibilities remain relevant in todays
organizations.

HUMAN RELATIONS MANAGEMENT

Human relations management,developed in response to the shortcomings of scientific and
classical management theories ,emphasized the importance of employee
motivation,satisfaction,and social relationships in the workplace.The hawthorne
studies,conducted by Elton Mayo and others in the 1920s and 1930s,highlighted the impact of
social factors on productivity and employee morale.key principles of human relation
management include employee empowerment,participative decisionmaking, and the
importance of informal communication channels.
The contribution of human relations management to modern management practices can be
seen in the shift towards a more employee centric approach in organizations.Many companies
today prioritize employee engagement,wellbeing,the work-life balance as key elements of their
management strategies,recognizing the importance of fostering a positive work environment
for productivity and retention.
CONTINGENCY MANAGEMENT
Developed in 1960s and 1970s by theorists like Joan Woodward and Paul Lawrence.
Emphasizes on the need for managers to adapt their strategies and practices to the specific
circumstances of each situation.
Contributed to modern management practices by highlighting of flexibility and context in
decision making.

BEHAVIORAL MANAGEMENT
Developed in the mid 20th century by theorists like Douglas McGregor and Abraham
Maslow.Emphasizes the psychological and social aspects of management including motivation,
leadership and communication.
Contributed to modern management practices by promoting a more holistic and human
centred approach to organizational behavior

SYSTEMS THEORY (Ludwig von Bertalanffy)

Viewing organizations as a complex systems of interconnected parts
Understanding the interdependence of subsystems and the environment
Emphasis on feedback loops and adaptation to changes in the external environment.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the key principles of different schools of management have each made significant
contribution to modern management practices.scientific management emphasized efficiency
and data driven decision making, classical management focused on organizational structure and
hierarchy,a human relations management highlighted the importance of employee motivation
and social relationships and modern management theories stress flexibility, adaptability and
innovation.By understanding the principles and contribution of each school of management,
organizations can draw upon a diverse set of tools and approaches to navigate the complexities
of the modern business environment.As management theories continue to evolve,
incorporating elements of different schools of thought can help leaders develop holistic and
effective strategies for organizational success.

REFERENCES.
1.Aitken,Hugh George Jeffrey (1922-1994)(1960), scientific Management in action: Taylorism at
Watertown Arsenal,1908-1915, Harvard university press -via internet archive (Trent
University)OCLC 1468387 (all editions).
2.Hannaway,J.(1989). Managers Managing: The working of an administrative system.Newyork:
Oxford University press,p.39
3.Eccles,R.G.&Nohria,N.(1992). Beyond the Hypt: Rediscovering the essence of
management.Boston: The Harvard Business school press,p.47
4.Mintzberg,H.(1973).The Nature of Managerial Work.Newyork: Harper and Row.p.37
5.Kottter,J.P(1999)."what effective General Managers Really Do,"Harvard Business
Review,march-april 1999,pp.145-159.