Classical management school

Question 1

Who are the classical theorists

Answer 1

Taylor
Weber
Fayol

Question 2

Who are the neo classical theorists

Answer 2

Mayo
McGregor

Question 3

Who are the contemporary theorists

Answer 3

Contingency

Question 4

What are the advantages of classical management (5)

Answer 4

• finance is seen as a primary motivator… commissions and bonuses are often used as a reward to motivate staff.
• hierarchical structures provide clear promotional pathways which motivates staff to work hard. This helps retain competent workers

-decision making can be quick due to autocratic management style. This creates less confusion in the workplace as managers make all the key decisions

• employees get training and specialisation. This can increase the quality of work as employees become experts
• division of labour increases productivity with cost efficient uses of resources. This time and motion studies help to eliminate waste in the processes

Question 5

What are some disadvantages of classical management (5)

Answer 5

• workers were treated like machines which was demotivating, this could result in a high staff turnover and absenteeism
• division of labour created work which was repetitive and boring, this makes workers inflexible as they are not multi skilled
• workers no longer control the best way to do their job, this can be discouraging with initiative and ideas. This means that conflicts can arise and an increased resistance from employees

-employees are not only interested in financial incentives, the failure to acknowledge this can lead to high staff turnover

• power is within the management, this can be intimidating and stressful for workers. This could result in staff who dont feel valued by the firm can put minimal effort in

Question 6

What’s the relevance of classical management school on Morden businesses (8)

Answer 6

-it works well in manufacturing industries which have routine processes and have standardised outputs. More production meaning higher chances of more sales and profits

-less relevant in creative industries such as marketing, where initiative is encouraged and individual ideas are encourage in order to give the best service

-lean production, eg just in time is based on classical management management as it attempts to eliminate waste and time at each stage

-recents recessions and the UK governments austerity measures means that money is currently a key motivator for staff

• scientific management aimed to achieve standardisation by dividing jobs into smaller tasks which is still used in many companies to ensure customers receive a consistent experience

split production into many small tasks which helps workers concentrate and become specialists at their individual tasks

-new management techniques such as delayering and empowerment make the classical business approach obsolete in some modern businesses, meaning it is not as frequently used