Introduction to management
Barak Remalli DATE \@ "d MMMM y" 9 April 2015

“Are idea’s such as mutualism and industrial democracy of relevance to the 21st Century business management?”

The world as we know it today is in constant advancement of technology and knowledge. In result, economists have developed a myriad of theories that have shaped and changed the way we manage people, time and resources. Organisation theorists such Russell Ackoff, Warren Bennis & Chris Argyris have been advocating the need for a more ‘free-form, humanistic, and democratic organisation’ (Nodoushani & Nodoushani para. 23), whereas theorists with the names of Henry Ford and Frederick W. Taylor oppose such notions. Some theories stand true and thrive in today’s economy, while others have faded as time has progressed. However, are ideas such as mutualism and industrial democracy of relevance to the twenty first Century business management? Is there still social and economic inequality? Or do citizens have natural rights to liberty, justice and property? Perhaps these ideas may have been diminished with time? This paper argues that the business management has had a major shift in its structure due to the concepts and influences of mutualism and industrial democracy. Although these ideas may not be prevalent in its purest form, there have been major refinements in the structuring of management in twenty first century, including the focus on de-layering and a more co-operative environment. Not all economies and establishments embrace the values of mutualism and democracy; however, it is still applicable in the modern era of management.

Mutualism can be misconstrued as an idealistic and socialistic model. However in an age of easily accessible information and transparency, mutualism actually serves the better interests of every organisation (with the exception of business