INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION–MGT111 VU

LESSON 03

CLASSICAL SCHOOL OF THOUGHTS- I

At the end of the lecture the students will be able to understand:-

ˆ The work of Classical school
ˆ Scientific management concepts like efficiency
ˆ The concept of Weber’s bureaucracy
ˆ Henri Fayol’s General Principles of Management
ˆ The concepts in Human Relation Approach
As mentioned early the main contributors to the classical thought are:-
• Woodrow Wilson
• Leonard D. White
• W. F. Willoughby
• Fredrick Winslow Taylor
• Henry L. Gantt
• Frank and Lillian Gilbreth
• Max Weber
• Henri Fayol

The work of Max Weber, Henry L. Gantt, Frank and Lillian Gilbreth and Henry Fayol will be
discussed.

In the last lecture we made effort to understand Taylor's scientific management and the underlying
assumptions. We also tried to see the Results of his experiment.

Henry L GANTT
Gantt also belongs to the classical school, because he was also trying to focus on efficiency and
maximization of output. He emphasized the need for developing mutuality of interests between
management and labour, which mean a “harmonious cooperation,” between both. He asserted:

ˆ That in all problems of management the human element is the most important.”
ˆ The importance of time, as well as cost, in planning and controlling work
ˆ This led eventually to the famous Gantt chart, (Figure below) which is basis of such modern
techniques as the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT).

This chart enables managers to break work in task and then determine to how much time and
resources will be required to complete each task.

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Gantt chart

GANTT CHART - 3 MONTH TIME LINE

January Fe bruary March
Tas ks
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 W e e k 1 Week 2 We ek 3 Week 4 Week Week 2 Wee k 3 Week 4
1
Form BPM team

Identify problem

Map process

Identify causes

Analyze causes

Develop improvement plan

Set budget

Get approval

Collect data

Analyze data

Develop improved process

Get approval

Implement process

Document improved process

Train staff
Key Dates
KE Y 1/7 Form team 2/14 All data collected
1/9 Identify problem 2/21 All data analyzed
Milestone marker - start 1/14 Map process 3/7 Mapped improved process
1/20 Identify causes 3/12 New process map approved
Milestone marker - end 1/27 Develop improvement plant 3/21 New process implemented
1/29 Set budget 3/28 Staff trained
Gantt bar
1/30 Budget and plan approved

Frank and Lillian Gilbreth

Frank and Lillian Gilbreth strongly supported the ideas of Taylor. (Frank and Lillian were husband
and wife). Gilbreth became interested in wasted motions in work. He observed the work of bricklayers and
said that it can be reduced from 18 to 5 movements. He met Taylor in 1907 and combined his ideas with
Taylor to improve productivity of workers. Frank and Lillian Gilberth emphasized the following:-

• Application of scientific-management principles (time and motion study)

• The need to understand workers personalities and needs

Theory of Bureaucracy

Max Weber (1864-1920)

Max Weber was a lawyer who got interested in the social aspects of organizations. During his time
markets were booming and his life long work on the study of organizations led to believe that specific kind
of organizations called “bureau” (desk), will help in the growth of markets. He gave following main
characteristics of the bureaucracy.

General Characteristics
• Hierarchy of authority
• Impersonality
• Written rules and documents
• Promotion based on achievement Middle
• Specialized division of labor
• Efficiency Bottom

Figure
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Hierarchy of Authority
• Hierarchy is the various levels in the Organization.

Authority
Authority is the ability to exercise influence over a group of people. As shown in the figure a
hierarchical organization looks like Pyramid.

Weber distinguished three main types of authority:

1. Traditional Authority: The authority that one inherits, e.g. the son of king will be the future king. In
traditional societies the authority is transmitted.
2. Charismatic: It is the authority that one possesses because of one’s personal traits and abilities. E.g.
TV artist, sports stars.
3. Rational-legal Authority: It is the authority that is acquired as a result of a position. E.g. Policeman
has authority because of the position.
One may posses a mix of these above authorities.

Impersonality
The official is provided all equipment to carry out his duties; he does not own the "means of
administration." Activities are completed impersonally, which means that the ‘self’ of individual is not
involved in the work.

Written Rules and Documents

Bureaucracy demands that the written rules of the organization be strictly followed and that the
officials remain loyal. All the work in organization is written. Compliance is to the written instructions.

Promotion Based on Achievement

Bureaucracy requires the tasks assigned to an official performed and completed in an efficient and
effective manner, and promotion is based on the level of skill and ability of the official.

Specialization/ Division of Labour

Each person should perform a given and assigned task
Example:
1. A person assigned the task of typing should only perform that task. He should not be asked to do
other task. If he/she continues to perform the task he/she will develop competence in that area.
2. Pin making: Another example is of pin making given by Adam Smith. If the pin is made by one
person he will take longer. But if the wire is straightened by one person, the other person cuts the
wire and the third person rounds the head of the pin, then the output can be increased due to
specialization.

Henri Fayol
Henri Fayol is called the father of modern management theory. He was a French Industrialist. His
book on ‘General Administration’ appeared in 1916. It was written in French. Fayol found that activities of
industrial undertaking could be grouped in 6 parts
1. Production
2. Commercial
3. Financial
4. Security (protection of property)
5. Accounting
6. Managerial

General Principles of Management

He gave following 14 general principles of management:
1. Division of work
2. Authority & Responsibility
3. Discipline: respect for agreement

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4. Unity of command: receive order from one superior only
The figure below shows senior manager supervising the work of 3 Assistants. All 3 receive order
from one superior.

Senior Manager

Assistant Assistant Assistant

Unity of direction: each group of activities with same objectives must have one head and one plan.
5. Subordination of individual interests to the general interest: The mangers should work in the
interests of organization.
6. Remuneration: methods of payment should be fair and give maximum satisfaction to employee and
employer
7. Centralization: The extent to which the authority is concentrated in one person or dispersed in the
organization
8. Scalar chain (line of authority) or chain of command
9. Order: a place for everything and every thing in its place
10. Equity: justice and fairness on the part of managers
11. Stability of tenure of personnel
12. Initiative: keenness to work
13. Esprit de corps: union is strength (teamwork)

Main Feature of Classical School

The main focus of the classical school was as follows:-
1. The task of administration is not political but technical, i.e. only carry out the will of the political
authority.
2. Its emphasizes is on material and methods instead of human element in the organization
3. It treated people as ‘cogs in the machines’ people in the organization were like other machines and
tools.
4. Focus was to increase productivity.

It improves organizational efficiency and ensures high productivity due to economic incentives to
workers.

Human Relation Approach

ˆ This approach started as a reaction to the classical approach.
ˆ It was initiated in 1930’s with the “Human Relation Movement”.
ˆ Research and Theory development in the 1950s and 1960s provided further conceptual grounding
to this school of thought.
ˆ Research and Theory development in the 1950s and 1960s provided further conceptual grounding
to this school of thought.

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Concepts

ˆ Productivity: increasing output per worker

ˆ Division of work/specialization: assign work clearly to one person so that he improves the skills
ˆ Authority: ability to influence others
ˆ Impersonality: “self” on individual is not involved in the work.
ˆ Hierarchy: various levels or tiers in the organization
ˆ Time & motion study: to study the movements of workers and eliminate unnecessary
and inefficient movements

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