U1 Behavioural Management Theories

Question 1

5 key behavioural mgmt theories

Answer 1

1. Organizations as communities
2. Hawthrone studies
3. Maslow
4. X & Y theory
5. Adult personality

Question 2

About the Behavioural Management Theories

Answer 2

• The behavioral management approach assumes people are social and are trying to achieve their full potential
• People work are thought to seek out social relationships, respond to group pressures and to search for personal fulfillment.

Question 3

Mary Parker Follet

Answer 3

• developed the behavioural mgmt theory, Organizations as Communities
• Follet believed businesses were communities
• Managers and Workers should work together without one dominating the other
• Diverse individuals could combine their talents to become very successful
• Managers were to help people to cooperate
• Follet believed workers were most productive when they share in the company, i.e. profit sharing.

Question 4

Hawthorne Studies

Answer 4

• In 1924, Western Electric commissioned a study at their Hawthorne works plant in Chicago
• The study hoped to find how financial incentives (money) and working conditions affected productivity.
• The researcher thought that better lighting would improve productivity. It did not.
• It was found that changes to the social setting motivated workers (choice in who you worked with = better results). Allowing for the input of ideas into decisions resulting in increased productivity.

Question 5

Theories of Management

Answer 5

• Traced back to 5000 B.C.
• Important to construction of Egyptian Pyramids
• rise of Roman empire and the commercial success of the 14th century

Question 6

behavioural mgmt theory Approaches

Answer 6

• 1920s, management theorists began to take into account the human side of the workplace
• Theories evolved out of this school of thought were:
  McGregor’s Theory X/Y
  Hawthorne Studies
  Maslow’s theory of human needs
  Argyris’ theory of adult personality

Question 7

McGregor’s Theory X: Workers expected to…

Answer 7

dislike work
Lack ambition
Irresponsible
Resist change
Prefer to be led

Question 8

McGregor’s Theory Y: Workers expected to…

Answer 8

Willing to work
Self-regulate
Accepts responsibility
imaginative/creative
Capable of self-direction

Question 9

Implications of Theory X/Y

Answer 9

• Managers create self-fulfilling prophecies
• Theory X creates dependent and reluctant responses from workers with situations
• Theory Y creates initiative and high-performance response from workers with situations
• Central to notions of empowerment and self-management

Question 10

Maslow’s theory of human needs

Answer 10

1. Physiological: biological maintenance - food, water, physical well-being
2. Safety: security - protection, stability in day-to-day events
3. Social: social creatures - love, affection, belongingness
4. Esteem: esteem in other eyes - respect, prestige, recognition, self-esteem
5. Self-actualization: need of fulfillment - to grow and use abilities to fullest and most creative extent

Question 11

Argyris’ Theory of Adult Personality

Answer 11

• Classical management principles and practices inhibit worker maturation and are inconsistent with the mature adult personality
• Management practices should accommodate the mature personality by:
• Increasing task responsibility
• Increasing task variety
• Using participative decision making