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Discuss the main principle of classical management, behavioral and modern management
theories.
This theory combines mathematical analysis with an understanding of human emotions and
motivation in order to create a working environment that is maximally productive. A manager
using the Modern Management Theory will use statistics to measure employee performance and
productivity and also try to understand what makes their employees satisfied at their jobs.
Systems Theory
This theory treats companies like a living organism, with all parts necessary for the company to
survive. Developed by Ludwig von Bertalanffy, this theory states that all parts of a company,
from the CEO to the entry-level employee, must work in harmony for the company to survive.
Companies using this theory think that departments and employees must work as a collective
group and not an isolated unit. Synergy and interconnectedness between departments are key
with this theory.
While striving for harmony between departments is important in a company, most companies
don’t need to rely on synergy so much for their day-to-day functions. For example, the
accounting department of a small company doesn’t need to be totally in sync with the HR
department. This management theory is more of a way you can view the company, not an exact
management style.
Contingency Theory
The Contingency Management Theory holds that every situation requires a different leadership
style, and therefore no one theory can work for an entire office. Created by Fred Fiedler in the
1960s, this theory states that it is up to the leaders of a company to assess a situation and use the
best leadership strategy. Fiedler believed there are three main variables for determining what
leadership strategy to employ — organization size, technology being used, and the overall style
of leadership in the company.
This theory puts a lot of responsibility on the leaders of a company. Fiedler believed that a
leader’s traits directly affected how they managed people. This theory is also a more useable
theory for modern workplaces, as it understands that as technology and companies change, so
must the leadership styles.
This two-pronged approach to management allows for the straight facts of hard data, and the
more introspective and personal approach to leadership. This theory treats employees as complex
individuals who are concerned with more than just their salary, while also allowing for some
company decisions to be made by rational and statistical analysis.