Is Management a Science or Profession

To conclude whether management is science, art or profession, we must understand the features and meanings of science or profession and compare them with management meaning and features.

Management as a Science:

Science can be defined as a systematic and organized body of knowledge based on logically observed findings, facts and events.

Science comprises of exact principles which can be verified and it can establish cause and effect relations.

Main characteristics/features of science are:

1. Systematic body of knowledge:

In science organized and systematic study material is available which is used to acquire the knowledge of science. Like science in management also there is availability of systematic and organized study material. So first feature of science is present in management.

2. Scientific principles are derived on the basis of logical and scientific observations:

The scientists perform logical observation before deriving any principle or theory. They are very objective while doing the observations. But when managers are observing they have to observe human beings and observation of human being cannot be purely logical and objective.

Some kind of subjectivity enters in the observations so this feature of science is not present in management. All the scientific principles have same effect, wherever we try them whereas effect of management principles varies from one situation to other.

3. Principles are based on repeated experiments:

Before developing scientific principles scientists test these principles under different conditions and places. Similarly, managers also test and experiment managerial principles under different conditions in different organizations. So this feature of science is present in management.

4. Universal Validity:

Scientific principles have universal