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Classical Management Theories

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Introduction Classical theorists strived to develop one all encompassing theory that would improve management’s effectiveness within an organization and methods for dealing with the challenges they faced (Hartman, n.d.). There are three primary “classical” theories: Scientific Management, Bureaucratic Management / Autocratic management, and Administrative Management. This paper will discuss the three primary management theories as well as discuss several other theories relating to some of the primaries, and some that were slight precursors to the classical movement such as Change Management and Autocratic Management (Sridhar, n.d.).
Classical Perspective The oldest of the "formal" viewpoints of management emerged during the late nineteenth and came to be known as the classical perspective. The classical perspective roots in management occurred rapidly through expanding manufacturing organizations that typified U.S and European industrialization. Early contributions were made by management practitioners and theorist from several corners of the world (Eastern, n.d.).
The classical perspective consists of three main subfields:
1. Scientific Management (by Frederick Taylor)
2. Bureaucracy Management (by Max Weber)
3. Administrative Management (by Henry Fayol)
Scientific Management Theory
In the 19th century machinery was changing the means of production, and managers needed to find more efficient ways of production. Traditional methods of production, where a worker did all the steps to manufacture a good, were being challenged. Adam Smith found that the factory method was more productive, where each worker became very skilled at one specific task. "Breaking down the job allowed for the division of labor" (Unknown, n.d.). Fredrick Taylor further defined Scientific Management by seeking to reduce the time a worker spent on each task by optimizing the

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