Why Management is a Science and an Art?

Management is considered as art and science. The art of managing

begins where Science of managing stops to make management complete.

Like any other practice-whether engineering, accountancy, law or medicine;

Management is an art. The artistic application of management know-how is

evident.

It is understood that managing is doing things artistically in light of the

realities of a situation.

But a modern manager can do better by using the knowledge, methods,

concepts, theories, etc. of managing at his/her workplace.

This knowledge, methods, concepts, theories related to managing can be

treated as a science. It raises the question is management is an art or science

or both.
 How Management is an Art
To manage effectively, one must have not only the necessary abilities to lead

but also a set of critical skills acquired through time, experience, and practice.

The art of managing is a personal creative attribute of the manager, which is

more often than not, enriched by education, training, experience.

The art of managing involves the conception of a vision of an orderly whole

created from chaotic parts and the communication and achievement of this

vision.

Managing is the “art of arts” because it organizes and uses human talent.

Elements of art in management

 Practical Knowledge,

 Personal Skill,

 Creativity,

 Perfection through practice,

 Goal-Oriented.

Practical Knowledge
Art requires practical knowledge, learning of theory is not sufficient. Art

applies theory to the field. Art teaches the practical application of theoretical

principles.

For example-Learning how sing does not make you a musician; one must

know all composition and be able to use them.

Similarly, A person may have a degree that says he knows what a manager

does but it doesn’t know how to apply management knowledge in real-life

situations he will not be regarded as manager.

Personal Skill

A manager will not depend on his theoretical knowledge or solution alone. he

or she must have some qualities that make him or her unique.

Creativity

An Artist’s work is not limited to his practical knowledge. He thinks outside the

box and creates things extraordinary.

Management is also creative like any other art. Management is all about

finding a new way to be well different from others.

Perfection through practice

Every artist becomes better through item and practice. they learn from their

mistakes. Similarly, managers become more expert as he spends more time in

management thought.

Goal-Oriented

Art is result-oriented. Management works are also a goal or result-oriented.

Management takes steps for the attainment of the goal.

How Management is a Science

Science is obtaining information about a particular object by a systematic

pattern of observation, study, practice, experiments, and investigation.

The management process also follows the same pattern. Gathering data and

facts, analyzing them and making a decision based on analysis, are the basic

functions of the management.

Management follows a systematic method to find a possible solution for a

problem. The science underlying managing is indeed inexact or a soft science

at best.
It is not as “Science” as physical sciences such as chemistry or biology which

deal with non-human entities.

The inclusion of the human element in managing makes this discipline not

only complex but also debatable as pure science.

Human behavior is unpredictable; people think, act or react differently under

identical circumstances.

And so, management can never become as pure science. However, the study

of the scientific foundations of management practice can improve one’s

management skills.

Managers who attempt to manage without management science have to trust

their intuition or luck at their peril rather than their expertise or skill.

Thus, they have to turn for meaningful guidance to the accumulated

knowledge of managing.

Elements of Science in Managing

 Concepts
  Methods and principles

 Theories

 Organized knowledge

 Practice

Science presupposes the existence of organized knowledge.

The essence of science is the application of the scientific method to the

development of knowledge that proceeds through the stages discussed

below:

Concepts

The scientific approach requires a clear “concepts” of mental images of

anything formed by generalization from particulars. Managing has concepts to

deal with situations.

Methods and principles

“Scientific method” involves the determination of facts through observation.

This leads to the development of “principles” which have value in predicting

what will happen in similar circumstances. Similarly, management requires

observation and sets standards or principles according to it.

Theories

Any branch of science has theories. A ‘theory” is a systematic grouping of

interdependent concepts and principles that give a framework to, or ties

together, a significant area of knowledge.

Management studies over the years developed many proved theories for

making management more realistic or scientific.

Organized knowledge

Science is organized knowledge. If we compare, management at the present

day is a distinct field of organized knowledge.

Concepts, methods, principles, theories, etc. are now the core of management.

Practice

The theories of managing are the results of practice, and the role of such

theories is to provide a systematic grouping of interdependent concepts and

principles that furnish a framework to, or ties together significant pertinent

management knowledge.

The theories of motivation, leadership, and so on may be cited/mentioned as

examples.

But it is to be borne in mind that concepts, methods, principles of

management are not as rigid as those of the physical sciences. They may

undergo revision and change under new sociopolitical and economic

circumstances.

Management is a Science as well as Art

Science teaches us to know while art teaches us to do.

To be successful, managers have to know and do things effectively and

efficiently. This requires a unique combination of both science and art of

managing in them.

It may, however, be said that the art of managing begins where the science of

managing stops.
Since the science of managing is imperfect, the manager must turn to the

artistic managerial ability to perform a job satisfactorily.

Thus, it may be said that managing in practice is an art but the body of

knowledge, methods, principles, etc. underlying the practice is science.

Even some people might have a different opinion regarding this matter. But as

a matter of fact, the art and science of managing are not so much conflicting

as complementary.

Nature of Management
Everything you need to know about the nature of management. It is
hard to define the nature of management.

Different people look at management differently. While a

mathematician defines management as a logical process, a
psychologist considers it as an art of understanding human
behaviour.

However, such approaches are narrow as they look at a particular

aspect of management, thereby, missing to see the subject as a whole.

Learn about the nature of management as:- 1. A Science 2. An Art 3. A

Profession 4. An Art and a Science.

Learn about the Nature of Management

Nature of Management – As a Science, An Art, A
Profession
I. Management as a Science:
Science is a systematically organised body of knowledge based on
proper findings and exact principles and is capable of verification. Any
subject which is scientifically developed and consists of universally
accepted principles is a science.

In this respect, management can be considered a science. It satisfies

the basic characteristics of a science.

The following are the important features:

1. Science is an organised body of knowledge comprising general

principles. Management is also an organised body of knowledge
comprising general principles.

2. Science uses scientific and systematic methods for observations.

Management also uses scientific methods for observations and
calculations.

3. The principles of Science are derived from practice and are verified
by competent people. The management principles are also derived
from practice and are proved to be true.

4. The scientific principles are exact and are universally applicable.

The principles of management are also exact and are universally
applicable.

5. Science has a predictive power. A manager also can predict from

practice that sales will increase if advertisement expenses are
increased.

Thus, management can rightly be called a ‘science’. But, management

is not a perfect science like Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry or Biology.
Management falls in the area of “Social Sciences.” Ernest Dale has
called management a ‘soft’ science.

II. Management as an Art:

‘Art’ refers to the way of doing specific things. It indicates how an
objective is to be achieved. It is the know-how to accomplish a desired
concrete result.

Management possesses many of the important qualities of an art.

It can rightly be called an art due to the following

similarities:

1. Just like an art, the process of management requires the use of

know-how and skills.

2. Management is also practical like an art because it aims at the

achievement of concrete results.

3. There is always a risk regarding the success of an art. There is an

uncertainty regarding the success of a manager also.

4. The work of an art is highly personalised. The management is also

personalised because every manager has his own approach to the
solving of problems.

5. Finally, like an art the management is undoubtedly an art, and that

too a fine art.

III. Management as a Profession:

Management is regarded as a profession by many, although it does not
possess all the features of a profession. A profession is an occupation
for which specialised knowledge, skills and training are required.

The use of these skills is not meant for self-satisfaction, but for larger
interests of the society. The success of the use of these skills is
measured not in terms of money alone.

Management as a profession should possess the following

attributes:
1. A profession involves the application of expert knowledge for solving
problems. Management also requires expert knowledge for solving
problems.

2. A person must compulsorily acquire the expert knowledge to

practice a profession. Those who want to practice management as a
profession must acquire expert knowledge.

3. Honesty and integrity are essential for a profession. They are

equally essential for management also.

4. The principal motive of any profession is service. Modern

management aims at giving priority to service to the customers.

5. Every profession has certain social responsibilities. The

management has responsibilities to the various sections of the society
like, owners, creditors, customers, employees, the government and the
public at large.

Thus, we can conclude that management is a profession, although it is

not a full-fledged profession. It is this aspect that has raised the status
of the manager.

To sum up, management is a trinity of science, art and profession.

Nature of Management – Art or Science

Management- Art or Science?

Much has been said and written about the subject of management as
an art or a science. If we consider science a discipline in the sense of
our natural sciences, it cannot be said that management is a science.
In natural science one is able to experiment by keeping all factors
constant and varying one at a time.
In the natural sciences it is not only possible to define, analyze, and
measure phenomena, but it is also possible to repeat the same
conditions over and over again, which enables the scientist to
experiment and to obtain a proof. This kind of experimentation cannot
be accomplished in the area of management since we are dealing with
the human element. As long as the human element is involved we
cannot speak of scientific experiments in the strict sense of the word.

Taylor, in his Principles of Scientific Management, was thinking of

knowledge of two different kinds.

When he discussed the best method of making a cut of specified

dimensions in a piece of metal of particular size and hardness, he
realized it is possible to repeat the same operation over and over
again; in this connection he was thinking of scientific management as
knowledge found in the physical sciences, where the same conditions
can be repeated over and over again and experiments of this nature
can be carried on.

But when Taylor turned to the human element, he realized that

experiment and proof and less possible, and he thought of scientific
management in a second way. Human beings are not standardized and
experiments cannot be repeated under standardized conditions.

Taylor used the adjective “scientific” in its second sense in his studies
of planning, organization, routing and costing. He used the word
“scientific” there in its meaning of an organized body of knowledge
about a subject “as opposed to mere traditional rules or empirical
dexterity.”

In this case, the word “science” is used in the same sense in which we
speak of political science or military science. Undoubtedly, political
science and military science are greatly concerned with human beings.
Principles of these sciences cannot be subjected to the same kind of
experimentation as is customary in the exact sciences.
“Yet no one has ever objected to the use of the words science and
scientific as applied to these activities, while there is constant
disputation and confusion about the application to the activity of
management.”

The question arises as to whether or not management is an art. Art

means the knowing-how, the application, whereas under science one
normally understands the knowing-why. Chester I. Barnard, an
eminent contributor in the area of management, pointed out that it is
the function of the sciences to explain the phenomena, the events, the
situations of the past, and that their aim is not to produce specific
events, effects, or situations, but explanations which we call
knowledge.

However, “it is the function of the arts to accomplish concrete ends,

effect results, produce situations that would not come about without
the deliberate effort to secure them. These arts must be mastered and
applied by those who deal in the concrete”. This know-how is
indispensable to the manager, and it can only be learned in practice
and through experience.

Management contains both elements, those of a science and those of

an art. This is not a contradiction in terms, for art and science
complement each other and are not mutually exclusive. Consider the
example of the physician. There is no doubt that he depends on the
sciences for his training and his basic knowledge, but he could not do
without the art, the application, the know-how, of practicing medicine
which he gains from his experience.

The same holds true for the manager. He depends on the managerial
principles and concepts. In his practical experience in the business life
itself, he will learn the art of being a manager. The theory and practice,
or the art and the science, are mutually helpful.

Recently, considerable attention has been given to analytical

approaches to management, resulting in the emergence of
mathematical formulae, business games, operations research,
scientific decision-making, and so forth.

Nature of Management – As per the Opinion of Chester

I. Barnard, Luther Gulivict, Robert N. Hilket, Mc.
Farland, Kennith Andrews and Others
1. Management as an Art:
Art is the systematic application of skill or knowledge in effecting
accomplishment of results. As per opinion of Chester I. Barnard, “It is
the function of art to accomplish concrete and results, produce
situations that would come about without the deliberate effort to
secure them. The art must be mastered and applied by those who deal
in the handling resources”.

Management is one of the most creative arts as it required a vast

knowledge and certain innovating, indicating and integrating skills in
relation to production and marketing functions. It is the art of
management that the factors of production can be blends to secure
maximum profit at a minimum cost. A manager practices the art of
managing business.

The essential feature of an art are as follows:

(a) It requires theory of learning.

(b) It involves use of personal skill and knowledge.

(c) It is a way to achieve desired results.

(d) It in one of the most creative art because it is concerned with

getting work done through and with others.

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(e) It calls for abilities, intuition, and judgment which are personal
attributes.

Management as an art as would be clear from the followings:

(i) Manager gets perfection in the art of managing through continuous

practice. The perfect practice makes a person perfect.

(ii) Managing involves application of management concepts and

principles under different conditions.

(iii) The modification of attitude and behaviour of group towards

achievement of goals is an art.

(iv) The responsibility of manager is to modify the behaviour and

attitude of his team member as per requirement of situations.

(v) The integration of skills with implementation process is an art.

Art is very important in management because in many cases high

degree of creativity is necessary in applying the managerial knowledge
and skills. The applying behaviour modification models at work place
is an art of a manager.

2. Management as a Science:
Science in the systematised body of knowledge related to a particular
field of study which is based on proper findings and exact principles
can be applied under similar circumstances of business environment.

As per views of Luther Gulivict, “Management is already a field of

knowledge and is becoming a science, because the inter relationships
being involved are being explained systematically and the emerging
theories are being tested and improved by logic and facts of life”.

However management science is not accurate as physics or chemistry

because it deals with human beings whose behaviour are highly
unpredictable and complex.
The essential features of science are as follows:

(a) It is a systematised body of knowledge.

(b) It is developed through scientific experiments.

(c) The principles of science establish a cause and effect relationship

between various factors.

(d) The validity of scientific principles can be tested at any time.

(e) The scientific principles have universal applicability without any

limitation.

Thus management is a science because it contains a systematic body of

knowledge in the form of general principles. Management principles
are universal in nature but they cannot be expected to give same
results in every situation. There-fore, management is a social science.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers has stated that,

“Management is the art and science of preparing, organising, and
directing human effort applied to control the forces and utilize the
materials of nature for the benefit of man”. Robert N. Hilket describes
that, “In the area of management, science which combines art are two
sides of the same coin”.

Management is a process which combines art as well as science in

getting the desired results in the best possible manner. Science
provides the knowledge about the certain things and art deals with the
application of knowledge and skills. Thus management is both a
science and an art.

3. Management as a Profession:
Due to the globalisation and specialization of economy, the modern
management has emerge as distinct profession. The dictionary
meaning of profession is, “Calling in which one profession to have
acquired a specialised knowledge which is used either in instructing,
guiding or advising others”.

Mc. Farland has pointed out the following characteristic of

management as a profession:

(i) Existence of an organised and systematic knowledge.

(ii) Formalised methods of acquiring training and experience.

(iii) Existence of an association with profesionalisation as its goals.

(iv) Existence of an ethical code to regulate the behaviour of the

members of the profession.

(v) Charging of fees based on service rendered, but with due regard for
the priority of service over the desire for monetary reward.

Kennith Andrews identified the following characteristics of

management as a profession:

(i) Knowledge.

(ii) Competent application.

(iii) Self Control

(iv) Social responsibility, and

(v) Community sanction.

The American Management Association has contended that

management as a profession meets the following basic but
specific characteristics:

(i) It has a body of knowledge that is transferable. This body of

knowledge is being constantly enlarged and enriched from the
experiences of successful managers as well as from the research
findings of sociologists and scientists in related areas.

(ii) It follows a scientific approach. There are prescribed patterns for

managerial operations.

(iii) It requires specific skills and tools that are used in the profession
of management duties and responsibilities.

(iv) It adheres to a code of ethics. A professional manager is

conscientiously in his role and is honest in his attitude and
philosophy.

(v) It has a required discipline. As in the case of other professional

carriers, managing requires a discipline for effective performance.

Management is proceeding towards professionlisation

because of the following reasons:

(i) Management has a distinct field of knowledge.

(ii) Education in management can be imparted in business schools,

colleges, institutions and universities.

(iii) The practice of management requires a lot of training and

experience.

(iv) Management associations have been attempting to evolve a

common code of conduct for the practising managers.

(v) Managers give due weightage to their social obligations towards

customers, workers, government and society.

From the above views, it is cleared that management fulfils several

essentials of profession. No minimum qualifications have been
prescribed for managerial personnel. The management associations
have no legal right to enforce their code of conduct. The managers are
responsible to the owners as well as to other social groups.
According to Peter F. Drucker, “Management is a practice rather that a
science or profession through containing elements of both. No greater
damage could be done to economy and society than to attempt to
professionals management by licensing managers or by limiting access
to management to people with special academic degree.”

Management is an art, profession and science is not merely an

academic question but raises certain issues which are concerned with
future development of management. It still remains a developing field;
changes are taking place continuously in its nature, significance and
scope. In recent past society has been challenging ethical and moral
basis of management decisions and demanding professionalisation of
management.

Nature of Management – As Science, Art and

Profession
Managing, like most other practices such as – medicine, engineering
and accountancy is an art or is essentially a know-how. It is doing
things in the light of the real commercial world. Yet managers can do
better or improve their performance by using their organised
knowledge about management. Such knowledge has a scientific
character and, in this sense, management is a science. In short, while
managing as practice is an art, the organised knowledge underlying
the practice is no doubt a science. In this context, science and art
reinforce each other and are interlinked.

As science progresses over time, so should improve. In truth, science

underlying managing is fairly crude and largely inexact because the
diverse variables that managers deal with are fairly complex and
largely unpredictable. In spite of this, such management knowledge
can certainly improve managerial practice. Executives who attempt to
manage by ignoring the scientific aspects of management must depend
on luck, hunch, intuition or their past experience.
In managing, as in any other field, unless practitioners are to learn by
trial and error and it is believed that manager’s errors are their
subordinate’s trials, there is no other way of gaining meaningful and
effective guidance other than the accumulated knowledge underlying
their practice.

1. Management as a Science:
Management is a systematised body of knowledge relating to a
particular area of study. It is a study of the physical and natural world
using theoretical models and data from experiments or observations.
It includes certain fundamental principles, theories (theorems),
concepts and hypotheses which seek to explain causation (i.e., cause-
and- effect relationship) between (among) two (or more) variables.
The principles of science are universally applicable and these can be
tested by carrying out controlled experiments. In other words, in any
scientific experimentation the conditions arc controlled (as in a
laboratory test).

To be treated as a science management should have the

following six characteristics:

(i) Systematic collection of knowledge – The base of any scientific

enquiry is a systematic body of knowledge which provides a
framework for analysis.

(ii) Observation based on scientific principles – Test or application of

any scientific method should be based on observation and enquiry.

(iii) Carrying out experiments – Scientific methods and principles are

developed through observations and tested through repeated
experiments. Scientists carry out controlled experiments in order to
verify or falsify a proposition or a hypothesis. Every time an
experiment is carried out the same causation or cause- and-effect
relationship is found.

(iv) Exactness of scientific laws (principles) – Any scientific law is

exact in nature. Every time an experiment is carried out, the same
result is obtained. Let us take, for example, the law of gravitation.
Every time a coin is dropped from the top of a building, it will fall on
the ground within a few seconds.

(v) Verifiability of principles – Once an observation is confirmed

through repeated experimentation and testing it becomes an accepted
and established scientific principle. The reason is that the application
of a scientific principle gives predictable results.

(vi) Universal applicability – Any scientific principle is universally

applicable. The application of the principle will give the same result if
certain prescribed conditions are satisfied.

No doubt, management has a systematised and specialised knowledge

base. Writers and researchers on management use scientific methods
to collect and analyse data about the behaviour of people in
organisations. In addition, various testable propositions have been
developed to find out causation or cause-and-effect relationships
among variables. These principles have also been empirically tested
and verified by many research scholars. Most of these principles have
universal application. These have been applied in different times. For
this reason management is called a science.

However, management is not an exact science such as astronomy,

physics, chemistry or biology.

It is an inexact science for the following reasons:

(i) Most of the principles of the management do not get empirical

support.

(ii) Since management studies human behaviour it is not possible to

establish any cause-and-effect relationship.

(iii) The application of management principles largely depends upon

external (environmental) factors.
(iv) Management deals with actual behaviour of people at the
workplace and not with cogs in a wheel.

Since people’s behaviour varies from organisation to organisation and

time to time, it is largely, if not entirely, unpredictable. And their
behaviour cannot be subjected to laboratory experiments. In addition,
management studies the behaviour of people in groups, and as an
organisation is a part of the broader social system or society, it is
treated as a social science.

Management is a universal discipline but the practical application of

its theoretical principles may show different results depending on
situations. However, it is easier to describe management than to
practice it. The work of management, the complex task of getting
organisations and people to perform well, is not particle physics. But
without a theory it is not possible to ascertain what is happening
within the organisation as also in the external environment. This is
why management is treated as a soft science.

2. Management as an Art:
The application of management principles and management skills is
an art. The objective is to achieve desired goals. Whereas science is
concerned with acquisition of knowledge, art is practical application of
the same knowledge.

An art has the following four features:

(i) A body of knowledge – Art is based on the knowledge of certain

concepts, principles and techniques as they are applied in a particular
area of specialisation such as dancing or painting.

(ii) Application of knowledge and skills – At an individual level art

implies application of the knowledge and skill acquired by an
individual in a particular field, such as – acting or singing. As a
practitioner every artist develops his (her) own skills and style of doing
things.
(iii) Practice – Art is mastered and modified through continuous
practice. Otherwise, there is loss of specialisation.

(iv) Creativity – Art is essentially a creative activity, and an artist uses

his skill, efficiency, ability and own style for giving improved
performance.

Management is considered an art for at least six reasons:

(i) Use of knowledge – The practice of management requires the

knowledge of management theories, principles and techniques.

(ii) Application of personal skills – Every manager has to apply his

personal skills to tackle various diverse problems which he faces. In
some situations managers are required to use their own judgment to
take rational decisions as also to overcome crisis situations.

(iii) Situational nature – Management is situational in nature. This

means that every manager has to apply his own knowledge and skill in
order to deal with a particular situation.

(iv) Learning through practice – The art of management can be learnt

and mastered through repetitive performance and continuous
practice. Only practice can make a manager perfect or less imperfect
than he (she) originally is.

(v) Achieving goals – The process of management is directed toward

achieving organisational goals.

(vi) Creative nature – Like any other art management is creative in

nature. Managers generate new ideas through their own work
experience and these are later applied in practice.

Every manager is supposed to and is often found to apply his

knowledge of management as also his personal skills while interacting
with others for achieving desired results. The real art of management
lies in moulding the attitudes and behaviour of people in an
organisation toward achieving organisational goals. As an art,
management calls for ability to work with others, capacity to take right
decisions and formulate plans. All these require sound knowledge and
personal judgment.

The effectiveness and efficiency of a manager depends on his (her)

personal skills, types of people to be managed and types of situations
faced. Unlike a musician, a manager is not able to apply the same
principles or techniques in different situations and environments.

3. Management as a Profession:
The term ‘profession’ is usually defined as an occupation based on
specialised knowledge and training and to which entry is restricted by
a professional association, A professional is a person with a recognised
set of skills and knowledge which qualify him (her) to practise a
certain occupation. Usually this knowledge is gained from lengthy
training and is certified after passing an association, often by a
professional (or qualifying) examination, as is the case with doctors,
architects and lawyers.

The essential requirements or tests of a profession are the

following:

(i) Application of Specialised Knowledge:

Management is widely taught in the universities and management

institutes as a separate discipline, where we find application of
specialised knowledge.

(ii) Restricted Entry Based on Formal Education and

Training:

Entry to a profession is based on formal education and degree (such as

– MBBS or LLB) and training or internship. But entry to a
management profession is not so restricted. Persons without MBA
degrees can do managerial jobs or a teacher of economics can join a
management institute as a faculty member.
(iii) Professional Body or Association:

For the development and regulation of any profession, the existence of

a representative body is mandatory. For example the Institute of
Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) lays the standard of education
and training for those who want to enter the profession. Only the
persons holding degree and membership of the Institute can work as
company secretaries. But this is not the case with management.

No doubt, the All India Management Association (AIMA) has been set
up for spreading professionalism among managers. But it has no
authority to prescribe the minimum qualification for taking up
managerial jobs or to regulate the functions of managers.
Furthermore, becoming a member of any recognised management
association is not mandatory for becoming a manager.

(iv) Ethical Code:

Every profession must have a code of conduct which prescribes norms

to be followed by its members. It also gives a precise specification of
professional ethics for its members. But there is no universally
accepted code of conduct for practising managers.

(v) Social Recognition:

Since today’s managers recognise and discharge their social

responsibilities towards customer’s, workers and other stakeholders
they enjoy a social status and command social respect, i.e., respect
from other members of a society. So they are not guided just by the
profit motive.

(vi) Charging of Fee for Service:

Management consultants charge professional fees for their services to

their clients much like doctors and lawyers. However, their number is
small.
In other words, this is not a very widely adopted practice. It is more an
exception rather than a rule.

Reasons for Treating Management as a Profession:

Management can be treated as a profession for the following

reasons:

(i) The field of management is based on an organised body of

knowledge which can be taught and learnt.

(ii) Management of modern organisations requires competence of

professional managers who can apply the techniques of raising
productivity or cutting costs or improving the industrial relations
situation. So, there is a need of formal education and training in
management.

(iii) For prescribing standards of education and training for their

members various associations of managers have been formed in
different countries of the world. For example, in the UK. The
Management Charter Initiative has attempted to identify core
‘competencies’ of management as a first step to creating a profession
of management. At the managerial level, core competencies are the
basic skills and knowledge required to perform a job.

(iv) Various associations of managers such as – The All India

Management Association (AIMA) have been set up in different
countries to prescribe codes of conduct for their members.

(v) Managers are aware of their responsibilities towards various

groups of the society such as – customers, suppliers, workers,
governments at different levels and the public at large. Since they are
guided by the service motive, they enjoy high status in the society like
doctors and chartered accountants.

(vi) Management is result oriented in nature.

Counter-Arguments:

Management cannot be fully regarded as a profession because it does

not fulfill all the requirements of a true profession.

Three main arguments against professional status of

management go as follows:

(i) Entry into any management job is not restricted by an entrance

examination. There is no prescribed qualification for becoming a
manager.

(ii) Management does not have an All India Association which can
prescribe professional standards to be followed by practising
managers.

(iii) There is no ethical code of conduct for managers which are

universally applicable as in the case of doctors and lawyers.

An Incomplete Journey:

Thus, professionalisation of management still remains an incomplete

journey. However, it is striving hard to reach its destination.

Management has not yet been viewed as a profession in

India for at least two reasons:

i. There has been little agreement on the skills and knowledge which
are integral to management.

ii. No professional body has been able to enforce minimum standards.

However, numerous associations concerned with particular aspects of

management, for example the National Institute of Personnel
Management or the Institute of Materials Management, have
identified training requirements. They also hold examinations in an
attempt to achieve or gain professional status.
In short, whether management will gain the status of a full-fledged
profession is not yet clear. There are both supporters and opponents
as far as the issue of professionalisation of management is concerned.

Nature of Management (with  Characteristics)

It is hard to define the nature of management. Different people look at
management differently. While a mathematician defines management
as a logical process, a psychologist considers it as an art of
understanding human behaviour. However, such approaches are
narrow as they look at a particular aspect of management, thereby,
missing to see the subject as a whole.

Management as a Science:
If we look at the literary meaning of science, it means a “study of the
physical and natural world using theoretical models and data from
experiments and observations.” Many writers claim that management
qualifies to be called a science. The advancements made in various
areas of management, knowledge derived through research in beha-
vioural sciences, etc. can be claimed as evidence to advance the claim
of management as a science.

Any branch of knowledge, if it claims to be a science, must

fulfil the following criteria:

1. Laws must be constant- Scientifically established laws are constant.

They do not change. Laws of gravitation, Newton’s laws, etc. are some
of the examples because such laws should be capable of being applied
anywhere and anytime.

2. Show a clear cause-effect relationship- Scientific laws clearly show

what happens under certain set of conditions. It clearly shows what
can be the result when certain conditions are changed. It explicitly
mentions what can be obtained by changing the inputs.
3. Capable of withstanding the test of time- A scientific law must be
capable of proving itself any number of times. It must give constant
result each and every time it is put to test.

The various functions and sub-functions of management have been

studied in-depth; models and experiments have led to acceptable
deductions and writers have hailed management as an applied science.
But we have to accept the fact that management cannot claim to be a
science like physics, biology or any other branch of scientific subjects.

Science is subject to physical laws that hold good in all conditions and
are constant. However, management is not subject to any such laws. It
is true that management has a systematised body of knowledge; it
works on concepts and certain principles that may be using scientific
techniques. Although management uses scientific methods in many
areas, like decision-making, it does not amount to being a complete
branch of science.

Management as an Art:
Likewise certain writers are of the opinion that management is an art.
We may see ‘art’ as a skill that can be perfected through practice. This
means that theoretical learning is not enough by itself; it must be
backed up by constant practice that will enable the practitioner to
overcome hurdles and reach goals. Here we see that though theoretical
knowledge is useful, the practical experience is of great importance. It
arms the practitioner with the wherewithal to accomplish what he or
she sets out to do.

Management as an art has the following characteristics:

1. Practical Knowledge:

Mastery over any art requires delving into its theoretical aspect as well
as practicing it. Hence, simply gaining theoretical knowledge is not
sufficient. It is very essential to know the practical use of theoretical
principles. For example, to operate the computer, the user must know
the purpose of the keyboard, CPU, mouse and some main computer
programs. Likewise, a manager can never become an efficient
employee just by graduating from a Business school. To excel, he must
learn the art of applying management principles in real life situations
and gaining first-hand experience to validate his theoretical
knowledge.

2. Personal Skill:

Every manager gains the same theoretical knowledge as others in the

business do. Yet, every manager has his or her own style of managing.
That is why the quality of performance and success of every manager
varies. For example, India is populated with many good playback
singers. But Lata Mangeshkar has a distinct voice which no one has.
Similarly, the art of management is also distinct because every
manager does work on the basis of his nature, knowledge, notions,
experience, etc. This distinctness makes someone a good manager and
others bad.

3. Creativity:

Just like a good artist dreams to produce something authentic and new
by using his creativity, management too aims to come up with a
different product by making judicious use of its human and non-
human resources. For example, Snapdeal(dot)com is the first online
retailer to put luxury yachts on sale for the customers.

4. Perfection through Practice:

As the saying goes, “Practice makes a man perfect.” In the same way,
managers also learn and excel by way of trial and error. By applying
management principles in their workplace, over a period of time they
become well- honed in their roles.

5. Goal-Oriented:

Even when we learn and practice an art, we look ahead to achieve

concrete results. For example, a classical dancer may aim at
performing for international audience. In like manner, management is
also focused on accomplishing, pre-set goals. Managers make use of
men, money, machinery, raw material and management methods to
materialise the goals.

In this way, we can conclude that management is an art of studying

human nature and activities. And the success of the enterprise lies in
proper interpretation of the human nature.

Management as a Profession:
In general sense, profession means occupation. An occupation
requires certain specialised education, training and skills which should
be used in the interest of society as a whole.

Management fulfills the requirements and manages to

qualify as a profession on the basis of the below given
criteria:

1. It is a specialised body of knowledge and capable of being

transferred. In the current age, management as branched out into
specialised areas like Human Resource Management, Financial
Management, Marketing and Sales, etc.

2. Management, like any other profession, requires formal education

and training. For example, a person becomes a qualified manager only
after he has fulfilled the basic educational requirements of the
profession.

3. Management professionals are expected to serve the society like

other professionals.

4. Like all other professionals, management professionals also have a

code of conduct which they adhere to.
Nature of Management: Management is Both an Art
and a Science 
Management is Both an Art and a Science:

According to American Society of Mechanical Engineers,

“Management is an art and science of preparing, organising and
directing human efforts to control the forces and utilise the material of
nature for the benefit of men.” Thus, it has now been accepted that
management is an art as well as science. It has the elements of both art
and science. In the words of Dean Stanley, “Management is a mixture
of an art and science – the present ratio is about 80% art and 20%
science.”

It is regarded as an art because the performance of managerial

functions require certain skills which are personal traits of any
individual. It is recognised as science because it is based on
systematised body of knowledge and its principles have evolved on the
basis of observations over a period of time.

Various aspects which proves the facts that management is

an art and science have been discussed below:

1. It Requires Practical Knowledge – Managers shall possess practical

knowledge of the domain in which they are working and shall also
know how to apply it. They shall be aware of the pros and cons of any
act as they know that only knowledge is not enough.

2. Manager Shall Possess Personal Skills – Peculiar abilities which are

possessed by one individual may not be possessed by other individual.
For example, an architect may design different structures on the same
plot. This art may vary from one individual to other. One may design it
effectively whereas others may not catch attention. Similarly, every
manager has personal skills as well while applying managerial
principles and it may vary on the basis of his experience and therefore
may end up different results.
3. Creativity is Necessary – The act of making something in an
efficient way and a different manner, and using it in such a way to
manage, is creativity. It is based in creativity and intelligence of a
person. Management also involves use of human and non-human
resources in a different manner to achieve desired objectives.

4. Learning through Practice – It is said ‘Practice makes man perfect’.

No one is born a true artist. Similarly, no one learns to manage right
out of the womb. An individual gains skills of management over the
time through practice.

5. Management is Goal-Oriented – As managerial activities are always

goal-oriented and intended to achieve desired results, various
resources – human and non-human resources – are blended so that
the ability of managers of using available resources brings it near to
arts.

Management as Science:
Management is recognised as science because:

1. It is based on Set of Principles:

Management comprises of universally accepted principles which are

followed by managers to a large extent in pursuing their jobs. It is
because of this reason many people believe that it is a science. For
example, there is a general trend of rewarding an employee who
performs well in the organisation for motivating him and enticing
other employees to follow the same.

2. It Involves Experimentation and Observation:

Most of the time, managers observe some new techniques which are
then employed in business. Finally, the results are examined so they
can eventually be adopted or avoided.

3. It Deals with a Study of Cause-and-Effect Relationship:

Just as science is based on cause-and- effect relationship to find
relationships between the variables. Similarly, management also deals
with studying of relationship between actions taken by the managers
and its impact on the performance of subordinates or workers. It has
been noticed that satisfactory performance of employees in any
organisation is a result of a positive working condition. In this case,
the two variables are performance and working conditions.

4. It Can Test Validity and Predictability:

Validity implies the quality of being logically or factually sound. It is

the extent to which a concept, conclusion or measurement is well-
founded and corresponds accurately to the real world. In science,
soundness of the scientific principles can be verified at any given time
and they provide similar results every time and in near future,
probable events can be predicted by using such principles. However, in
management, the validity of principles can be established by using
them in different situations and comparing the outcome with the
original result.

For example, if one intends to measure validity of unity of command,

he can have a situation where an employee has to work under two
bosses and a situation where employee has to perform under one boss,
the performance of the employee can be examined under these two
different situations and accordingly, inferences can be drawn on the
validity of the management principle.

Since the principle of management are not as exact as the principle of

science, their application and use is not universal. Therefore, it cannot
be fully recognised as Science. Ernest Dale has called management a
‘soft’ science. According to some management experts, management is
a behavioural science at its principles and theories may not lead to
same results even if applied under same situations at different point of
times.

Thus, management as an art and a science are not mutually exclusive

but complement each other. One can conclude that the science of
management provides certain general principles which help the
managers in their professional work schedule whereas the art of
management enables them to deal with every situation in an effective
manner.

Management as a Profession:
Profession may be defined as – “a specialised kind of work which is
practiced using classified knowledge, a common vocabulary, and
requiring standards of practice and code of ethics established by a
recognised body.”

Any profession has certain characteristics as listed below:

i. There should be a specialised service based upon advanced

specialised knowledge and skill.

ii. There shall be a confidential relationship between the person

practicing profession and the client.

iii. It shall be charged with a substantial degree of public obligation by

virtue of its profession of specialised knowledge.

iv. It shall enjoy access to a common heritage of knowledge, skill and

status to the cumulative store and the professionals shall also
contribute through their individual and collective efforts.

v. It shall perform its services to a larger interest of the general public.

vi. It shall receive its compensation through limited fees rather instead
of direct profit from the improvement in goods, services or knowledge,
which it accomplishes.

vii. He shall be bound by a distinctive ethical code in its relationships

with clients, colleagues and the public.

In the light of the above requirements for profession, it is not clear

whether management can be called a profession or not. One can arrive
at proper conclusion only if the features of management are compared
with the characteristics of recognised profession like medicine, law,
accountancy, etc., which are discussed below –

1. Availability of Systematic Knowledge:

Every profession has a well-defined area of organised knowledge.

Management also deals with different areas of knowledge drawn from
diverse fields like economics, mathematics, etc., which facilitate
managers to perform their job better. The coordination in decision-
making by managers of different organisations is possible as it is an
application of the same theory followed by all managers in their
decision-making.

2. Formal Methods of Acquiring Managerial Skills:

Nowadays, formal education and training is an important source of

knowledge. If the knowledge is gained through experience from one
living mind to another, then it is not considered appropriate for
practicing managers.

3. Code of Ethics:

In order to protect the integrity of members, professionals must be

governed by a strict code of ethics formulated and enforced by
professional bodies. In case of management, there is no such
association for enforcing code of ethics on the managerial role.

4. Social Responsibility and Commitment:

True professionals are expected to serve with thorough dedication and

commitment. Monetary benefits are not the measure of their success.
In fact, managers are expected to serve keeping in view the long-run
interest of the organisation. At the same time, they should also be
conscious of their social responsibilities. They should realise that they
are entrusted with resources of society and they must ensure their
effective use.
From the above discussion, we may conclude that management cannot
be regarded as a profession in all respects but it has some of the
characteristics of a profession.

Nature of Management: Whether Management is

Regarded as a Science, or An Art of as a Profession?
We will try to understand the nature of management in light
of the two statements:

1. Whether Management is regarded as a Science or an Art?

2. Whether Management is regarded as a Profession?

Management – “A Science or An Art”?

It is widely debated whether management is considered a science or an
art. To arrive at a conclusion, we must try to see the traits and nature
of Science as well as art.

Some principles and theories which have logic, something which is

proved, some relationships, principles, etc. which have been observed,
experimented and analysed and then finally a conclusion is drawn, is
regarded as science.

Similarly, Management principles, techniques and theories are also

drawn from observations, research work, experiments and testing.
However, Management is not a pure science like physics, chemistry,
etc. It is an inexact science, a social science dealing with people and
their behaviours.

Anything that requires personal skill, knowledge, application,

creativity, practice and anticipation is regarded as qualities of an art.
All these attributes are present and required in management.
Managers use their personal skill and knowledge in dealing with
complex situations through application of the principles and
techniques to get the desired goals.
Bringing in uniqueness and novelty for business growth and
diversification holds true for management. The hunch, the
anticipation, the foresightedness is essential for a manager to accept
the challenge, turn it to an opportunity and obtain the desired results.

Thus, we see, Management is a mixture of both art and science, and

combines their features.

Management as a Profession:
Let us first understand the meaning and characteristics of a
profession. Profession is a specialised occupation. A service is offered
to the public by a professional after acquiring specialised education,
training and experience in a particular subject. He/She registers or
becomes a member of the professional association and starts
practising it.

Following are the features/characteristics of a profession:

1. Specialised body of knowledge – Professionals must acquire a deep

knowledge, ability and talent in a particular field.

2. Formal education and training – One must acquire a degree,

diploma, certificate from the professional institute such as CA, LLB,
MBBS, etc. and undergo training that helps in practical exposure.

3. Professional association – After acquiring the professional degree

and undergoing training, a professional needs to take membership of
the concerned association. For e.g., Medical Association of India for
doctors, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India for Chartered
Accountants, Bar Council for lawyers and so on.

4. Code of conduct – The association to which a professional gets

registered, issues a set of guidelines, which the members are bound to
follow, failing which, the membership gets cancelled.

5. Honesty and Integrity – A professional must follow the basic

qualities of honesty, morality integrity and hard work in deliberation
of their jobs. They must not succumb to any means of unfair practices,
whatsoever.

6. Service motive – Professionals are respected in the society for their

dedicated service towards the society. This noble act of service must be
kept in mind while charging fees to their clients or while offering
quality service.

Can management be considered as a profession?

Management though, majorly constitutes all the attributes of a

profession, still it is not considered as a true profession. Receiving
specialised knowledge and education and obtaining certificates and
licences have not been made compulsory in India. Though in many
western countries, it has been recognised as a profession, but in the
Indian context it is marching towards acceptance of Management as a
Profession.

Nature of Management: Notes

Management Science or Arts:

Management is the bone of contention between Arts and Science.

While it has been claimed that management is an art struggling to
become a science by a few, there are a few others who contend that the
formal study of management began as a science but has been
contaminated by too many factors from various disciplines, thus
making it best — a soft science. Actually management is an eclectic
discipline with elements of both arts and science, as any practising
managers will confirm.

Management Science:

There is a body of objective, yet incomplete knowledge that is believed

to be the best thinking on the subject of management. Management
science is a body of systematized knowledge accumulated and
accepted with reference to the understanding of general truths
concerning management.

Management science is expansive, more flexible and vulnerable to

changes or alterations that may vary from time to time, pertaining to
marketing/commercial trends while the case is not so in physical
science. Physical science such as math or chemistry is comprehensive
or accurate. Physical science deals with non-human entity, and it is
this inclusion of the human element that raises questions in some
minds about management qualifying as a pure science.

For instance, in strictly identical circumstances or situations, two

different individuals need not necessarily think, act or react in an
identical way. The response stimuli in each individual could differ
drastically and sometimes even differ to an incomprehensible extent
based on each individual’s psychological, social response or
individuality too.

Therefore management will never become pure a science as the

physical sciences, but great strides have been taken (made) in
systematizing knowledge and generalizing certain truths which will be
evident. Management is indeed a social science, a term that accurately
describes its true nature.

Management Art:

The art of management is a manifestation of personal creative power

plus a projection of individual/ team skills in performance. As far as
each company’s success rate is concerned the entire scheme of
activities is a continuous process. This process involves constant
analysis, research, problem-identification and error-rectification
wherein the contemplation of the problems, events and possibilities
develops personal creative powers on one hand, while, experience,
observation, and study of results contribute to better efficiency and
skilled performance on the other.
 In other words, management art involves envisioning an orderly whole
from chaotic parts, communicating the vision, (and) thereby making
provisions for achieving the goals. It is the “art of arts” because it
organizes and uses the human talents.

Science and Art in Management Practice:

If science teaches one to know, art teaches one to do. Whereas

Managers ought to be a combination of both being able to know and
being able to do things efficiently and effectively to be successful. They
are indeed a unique scientific and artistic combination in practice.
However, quite often, the old say — “knowledge is power” is true only
in its application. Those whom we meet happen to be people who are
very intelligent but lazy and unwilling to apply their knowledge to
solving problems and accomplishing objectives.

In a certain sense, it can be said that the art of management begins

where the science of management stops. Facts are first used, “the
known” is given preference, and data owned tangibles are considered.
These scientific aids are pursued to their limits, but in any given case
they may seem in adequate.

It is then that the manager should be able to rise up to the need and
turn to artistic managerial abilities to perform what is called a skilled
performance.

1. Common Elements of a Management by Objectives Program

1. Goal Specificity. The objectives in MBO should be concise statements of expected
accomplishments. ...
2. Participative Decision Making. In MBO, the objectives are not unilaterally set by the boss and
assigned to employees, as is characteristic of traditional objective setting.
3. An Explicit Time Period. ...
4. Performance Feedback
5.

2.

1.