Southern Mindanao College

EDUC 239
Administrative Theory and Behavior

Reporter 5: Roxieth C. Bokingkito

Professor: Rosana A. Wooton Ed.D
 DEFINITION
Administrative- relating to the running of a
business, organization, etc."administrative
problems“

Theory- A theory can be defined as a set of

propositions about the interrelationships
among concepts that allows us to explain and
predict phenomena (Kerlinger, 1986).
The theory of administrative behaviour
is a generic term used to describe the
process by which people within
organizations work. 
● Herbert A. Simon (1916–2001). It
asserts that "decision-making is the
heart of administration, and that the
vocabulary of administrative theory
must be derived from the logic and
psychology of human choice",
 Administrative Behavior

● For example, Simon (1976) clarified the processes

by which goal specificity and formalization contribute
to rational behavior in organizations.

Participants in high positions make decisions with a

higher value component, people in lower positions
make decisions with a higher factual component. The
top makes "what" decisions, the bottom "how"
decisions. Choice of ends can only be validated by fiat
or consensus, choice of means empirically.
● He criticizes Fayol's platitudes and Taylor's
"economic man" assumptions, proposing
the "administrative man" who pursues his
self-interests but often doesn't know what
they are, is aware of only some of the
possible decision alternatives, and is willing
to settle for an adequate solution than
continue looking for an optimal one.
● If the administrative organization of a
school system may be viewed as a
structure of roles, the faculty of the
system may be regarded as a legitimate
alter group which (1) defines, through sets
of role expectations, the behavior of
superintendent and principals and (2)
perceives and evaluates the actual
behavior of these administrators.
● Two key concepts, both attributed to Simon,
are related to the theory of administrative
behavior. The first is the concept of
bounded rationality. Bounded rationality
notes the cognitive limitations of decision
makers. Simon points out in his book,
Models of My Life, that most people are
only partly rational, and are in fact
emotional/irrational in the remaining part of
their actions.
 First Concept

● These include:
• limiting what sorts of utility functions
there might be.
• recognizing the costs of gathering
and processing information.
• the possibility of having a "vector" or
"multi-valued" utility function.
 Second Concept

Satisficing is a behaviour which

attempts to achieve at least some
minimum level of a particular
variable, but which does not strive
to achieve its maximum possible
value.
THANK
YOU!