1. Discuss the main features of the key models of management theory since 1900. How have they contributed to today’s people management practices?

This assignment will discuss the main features of the key models of management theory since 1900, it will also outline how they have contributed to today’s people management practices.
There are 4 models that will be covered in this assignment, each model contains different theories by various authors although only a few will be addressed, this assignment will start by looking at the Classical Model, the Human Relations Model, the Systems Model and then concluding with the Contingency Model.
Firstly addressed, the Classical Model is, according to Mullins (2010), the notion that the focal points of an organisation are purpose and formality in terms of structure in order to increase efficiency where there is emphasis on the planning of work, principles of management, the technical requirements and the assumption that employees behave logically and rationally. The Classical Model appears proposed by writers such as Fayol, Taylor and Weber in the early stages of the 20th Century.
The main sub-divisions of the Classical Model are scientific management and bureaucracy. Scientific Management, suggested by Mullins (2010), aims at improving management through the improvement of productivity and profit which is achieved by selecting the best person for the job, training and developing workers for this specific job and using reward based motivators in form of money bonuses in order to obtain a higher level of output from the employees.
Taylor was a big contributor to the idea of scientific management, Taylor published in 1911 the ‘Principles of Management ‘where he proposes that productivity would increase by optimising and simplifying jobs and suggests that there is ‘one best way’ of performing a job. This criticised upon on