Management is an Art as well as a science

 The concept of management is universal and very

old. That is why different views have been
expressed about its nature by different writers
from time to time.
 The continuous and rapid development of
management principles and practices in
organization has changed the nature of
management.
Management as an Inborn or Acquired Ability

 In the pre-scientific management period, i.e., prior to 1880

there has been a leading concept that management is an
inborn ability. It is a traditional approach.
 The supporters of this concept believe that the hereditary
characteristics, inborn talents and natural aptitudes of a
man make him an efficient manager.
 However, this concept was used when the ownership and
management were not separated.
 Today management is considered not only as an inborn
ability but also as an acquired ability.
 Today, in large-sized business organizations, ownership
and management are separate identities. The management
lies in the hands of professional managers who are
educated and trained. Thus, now the management can be
considered as an acquired ability.
Management as an Art

 Art refers to the way of doing specific things; it

indicates how an object can be achieved.
 Art is skillful application of knowledge which
entirely depends on the inherent capacity of a
person which comes from within a person and is
learned from practice and experience.
 In this sense, management is certainly an art as a
manager uses his skill, knowledge and experience
in solving various problems, both complicated and
non-complicated that arise in the working of his
enterprise successful.
Management as a Science

 Science may be described as a systematized body of knowledge

based on proper findings and exact principles and is capable of
verification.

 In this sense, management is a science as it has also developed

some systematized knowledge. Like other sciences, management
has also developed certain principles, laws, generalization, which are
universal in nature and are applicable wherever the efforts of the
people are to be coordinated.

 But management is not as exact science as other physical sciences

like physic, chemistry, biology, astronomy etc. The main reason is
that it deals with the people and it is very difficult to predict their
behavior accurately. In this way, management falls in the area of
'social sciences'. Thus, it is a social science.
 Thus, it has now been accepted that
management is an art as well as science. It
has the elements of both arts and science. In
the words of Dean Stanley, "Management is a
mixture of an art and science - the present
ratio is about 80% art and 20% science.“

 Therefore “science (theory) and Art (practice)

are both essential for the success of
management”
Activity

Read the given handout on Management is an Art as

well as a science. Discuss in your groups and present
to the class
Management and society

Social responsibility and ethics

 Social responsibility is an ethical framework which

suggests that an entity, be it an organization or

individual, has an obligation to act for the benefit
of society at large.
 Social responsibility is a duty every individual has

to perform so as to maintain a balance between the

economic growth and the welfare of society and the
environment. If this equilibrium is maintained, then
social responsibility is accomplished..
Ethics in managing
 The theory of social responsibility is built on a

system of ethics, in which decisions and actions

must be ethically validated before proceeding.
 If the action or decision causes harm to society or

the environment then it would be considered to be

socially irresponsible.
 Moral values that are inherent in society create a

distinction between right and wrong. In this way,

social fairness is believed (by most) to be in the
“right”, but more frequently than not this “fairness”
is absent.
 Every individual has a responsibility to act in

manner that is beneficial to society and not solely

to the individual.
 Often, the ethical implications of a decision/action
are overlooked for personal gain and the benefits
are usually material.
 This frequently manifests itself in companies that
attempt to cheat environmental regulations. When
this happens, government interference is
necessary.
Activity
Read the given handout in your groups and discuss
the different types of responsibilities of management
and the role of ethics in managing
What is Reactive Management?

 Reactive management refers to a situation in which

you can't – or don't – plan ahead for problems or
opportunities. Instead, you react to them as they
happen.

 As a result, you're always a step behind. You don't

have time to look ahead to pre-empt problems, so
they seem to happen "out of the blue."

 In contrast, proactive management happens when you

plan ahead to avoid or manage problems.
 Reactive management is stressful and inefficient. It can lead to
high staff turnover in your team, and, in time, will lead to
serious under-performance.

 To move from a reactive approach to a more proactive one:

Take back control of time.

Look at processes.
Understand and manage risk.
Focus on morale.
Build in continuous improvement.

 Keep in mind that reactive management is necessary at times.

However, it can be destructive when it becomes the norm in a
team or organization.
Social Audit
 The process of evaluating a firm's various operating

procedures, code of conduct, and other factors to

determine its effect on a society.
 The goal is to identify what, if any, actions of the firm

have impacted the society in some way. A social audit

may be initiated by a firm that is seeking to improve its
cohesiveness or improve its image within the society.
 If the results are positive, they may be released to the

public. For example, if a factory is believed to have a

negative impact, the company may have a social audit
conducted to identify actions that actually benefit the
society.