What are the principles of management?
Principles of management are a set of guidelines that assist managers to conduct the management properly and effectively. They are set of guidelines that assist the managers in making management decisions. It's important to note the word guidelines. These are all just the guidelines. The principles of management are just the guidelines and not the rules. There is a difference between guideline and a rule. Rules are compulsory whereas guidelines are optional. However, it is always advisable to follow the guidelines. It doesn't matter whether it pertains to management or something else.
Nature of Principles of Management :
1. Universal applicability - The principles of management have a universal application which means that it can be applied to any form of business organisation or any size of business organisation irrespective of their location. This means that these principles of management can be applied to a business organisation which is in a hotel business or even in the airline business. There are no separate principles for separate kinds of business organisations. The same rules apply to all kinds of business organisations or all sizes of business organisations irrespective of their geographical location.
Also Read - Taylor's Scientific Management
2. Flexible - Management principles are flexible. As I already said earlier, these are principles and not the rules. Management principles are guidelines and as such, they can be modified based on situation and circumstances
3. Cause and effect relationship - The principles of management establish cause and effect relationship of a particular action. They highlight what could be the possible effect of a particular action. For example, one of the principles of management is that the division of work leads to specialisation and an increase in efficiency & productivity. So this principle basically determines the relation between the division of work and increase in productivity/efficiency & specialisation. This principle states that if you implement division of work, its effect would be an increase in productivity & efficiency and it will also lead to specialisation of work.
4. Equally important - All management principles are equally important. All the principles are supposed to be given equal importance and are supposed to be implemented together. It is important for managers to use all these principles simultaneously to achieve the maximum output from the team. The managers cannot afford to leave out any single principle. Yes, they can modify the principles as per their requirement, as per the requirement of their organisations but they cannot afford to ignore anyone or two principles. If a manager ignores or gives less importance to a particular principle, it will be a big mistake on his part which can badly affect the performance of his team. Managers don't have any choice. They have to apply all the principles together.
5. Relative in Nature - Management principles are relative in nature. They are to be applied in relation to the atmosphere in which the organisation operates. It means that the principles are supposed to be applied, depending upon the atmosphere in which the organisation functions. For example, one of the principles of management is 'Fair Remuneration to the Employees'. However, what is fair remuneration is something which is related to the country or the atmosphere in which the business organisation is operating. For example, what is fair remuneration in India may not be the fair remuneration in the United States. So what is a fair remuneration is something which is related to the country/area in which the organisation operates. So the Indian companies should pay remuneration which is supposed to be fair in India whereas companies in the United States should pay a remuneration which is fair as per the US standard.
6. Aimed at influencing behaviour - Management principles aim at influencing human behaviour. Management is all about getting things done. So the job of a manager is to get things done from a group of people and hence Management is a group activity. So, the principles of management aim at influencing the behaviour of people working in a group to achieve a common goal. Principles of Management are applied to influence the behaviour of a group of people working together towards achieving a common goal.
Significance of principles of management or why are the principles of management so important -
There are various reasons why the managers should use the principles of management in day to day business.
1. Improves Understanding - The principles help managers to understand the organisation and people better. Principles of management have been developed over a period of time through observation of human behaviour and research. These principles help managers to understand the organisation and employees better. They can understand the problems of the employees better and can find a better solution to their problems. This is because the principles of management have been developed, tried and tested over a period of time.
2. Increased Efficiency - The principles of management help the managers to increase efficiency. For example, the principle of division of work says that if you divide the work among employees based on their strengths, it results in specialisation and an increase in productivity. Hence it is important for managers to understand and implement the principles of management as it can help managers to increase the efficiency of his team.
3. Assist in Controlling and Coordination - The principles of management help in better coordination between various departments of the organisation. They also help in better control over the activities of the organisation. The principles of unity of command and unity of direction ensure that the employees receive direction from only one person and hence there is no confusion in their minds as to whose instructions are to be followed. When different departments work in sync with each other to achieve the overall objective of the organisation, it results in better coordination of activities.
4. Develops an objective approach in the managers - The principles of management help managers to approach the problems of the organisation in a scientific manner. Managers make use of the techniques of scientific management like time study and motion study to arrive at the best possible solution to every problem. These techniques assist managers in decision making. Principles of management help managers in better understanding of the problems.
5. Increasing the awareness of corporate social responsibility - As a part of society, every organisation has certain responsibilities towards the society. One of the principles of management is giving fair remuneration to employees. No organisation can succeed without the efforts of its employees. Employees play a very important role in the growth of an organisation. These principles make the managers aware of their responsibility towards their human resources. These principles make the managers aware that they need to pay a fair remuneration to employees and also provide good working conditions. Land, Labour, Capital and Enterprise are the four resources that every organisation requires. Business gets all these resources from society. Hence every business has the responsibility of giving something back to society.
6. Promotes Research and Development - The principles of management are not static. They are dynamic in nature. Managers need to modify the principles of management to suit their organisational needs. As the business environment keeps changing and as the business grows, the managers need to keep finding new and better methods of implementing the principles of management to their organisations. Principles of Management thus promote research and development within the organisation.
Also refer - Henri Fayol's 14 Principles of Management
Principles of management are a set of guidelines that assist managers to conduct the management properly and effectively. They are set of guidelines that assist the managers in making management decisions. It's important to note the word guidelines. These are all just the guidelines. The principles of management are just the guidelines and not the rules. There is a difference between guideline and a rule. Rules are compulsory whereas guidelines are optional. However, it is always advisable to follow the guidelines. It doesn't matter whether it pertains to management or something else.
Nature of Principles of Management :
1. Universal applicability - The principles of management have a universal application which means that it can be applied to any form of business organisation or any size of business organisation irrespective of their location. This means that these principles of management can be applied to a business organisation which is in a hotel business or even in the airline business. There are no separate principles for separate kinds of business organisations. The same rules apply to all kinds of business organisations or all sizes of business organisations irrespective of their geographical location.
Also Read - Taylor's Scientific Management
2. Flexible - Management principles are flexible. As I already said earlier, these are principles and not the rules. Management principles are guidelines and as such, they can be modified based on situation and circumstances
3. Cause and effect relationship - The principles of management establish cause and effect relationship of a particular action. They highlight what could be the possible effect of a particular action. For example, one of the principles of management is that the division of work leads to specialisation and an increase in efficiency & productivity. So this principle basically determines the relation between the division of work and increase in productivity/efficiency & specialisation. This principle states that if you implement division of work, its effect would be an increase in productivity & efficiency and it will also lead to specialisation of work.
4. Equally important - All management principles are equally important. All the principles are supposed to be given equal importance and are supposed to be implemented together. It is important for managers to use all these principles simultaneously to achieve the maximum output from the team. The managers cannot afford to leave out any single principle. Yes, they can modify the principles as per their requirement, as per the requirement of their organisations but they cannot afford to ignore anyone or two principles. If a manager ignores or gives less importance to a particular principle, it will be a big mistake on his part which can badly affect the performance of his team. Managers don't have any choice. They have to apply all the principles together.
5. Relative in Nature - Management principles are relative in nature. They are to be applied in relation to the atmosphere in which the organisation operates. It means that the principles are supposed to be applied, depending upon the atmosphere in which the organisation functions. For example, one of the principles of management is 'Fair Remuneration to the Employees'. However, what is fair remuneration is something which is related to the country or the atmosphere in which the business organisation is operating. For example, what is fair remuneration in India may not be the fair remuneration in the United States. So what is a fair remuneration is something which is related to the country/area in which the organisation operates. So the Indian companies should pay remuneration which is supposed to be fair in India whereas companies in the United States should pay a remuneration which is fair as per the US standard.
6. Aimed at influencing behaviour - Management principles aim at influencing human behaviour. Management is all about getting things done. So the job of a manager is to get things done from a group of people and hence Management is a group activity. So, the principles of management aim at influencing the behaviour of people working in a group to achieve a common goal. Principles of Management are applied to influence the behaviour of a group of people working together towards achieving a common goal.
Significance of principles of management or why are the principles of management so important -
There are various reasons why the managers should use the principles of management in day to day business.
1. Improves Understanding - The principles help managers to understand the organisation and people better. Principles of management have been developed over a period of time through observation of human behaviour and research. These principles help managers to understand the organisation and employees better. They can understand the problems of the employees better and can find a better solution to their problems. This is because the principles of management have been developed, tried and tested over a period of time.
2. Increased Efficiency - The principles of management help the managers to increase efficiency. For example, the principle of division of work says that if you divide the work among employees based on their strengths, it results in specialisation and an increase in productivity. Hence it is important for managers to understand and implement the principles of management as it can help managers to increase the efficiency of his team.
3. Assist in Controlling and Coordination - The principles of management help in better coordination between various departments of the organisation. They also help in better control over the activities of the organisation. The principles of unity of command and unity of direction ensure that the employees receive direction from only one person and hence there is no confusion in their minds as to whose instructions are to be followed. When different departments work in sync with each other to achieve the overall objective of the organisation, it results in better coordination of activities.
4. Develops an objective approach in the managers - The principles of management help managers to approach the problems of the organisation in a scientific manner. Managers make use of the techniques of scientific management like time study and motion study to arrive at the best possible solution to every problem. These techniques assist managers in decision making. Principles of management help managers in better understanding of the problems.
5. Increasing the awareness of corporate social responsibility - As a part of society, every organisation has certain responsibilities towards the society. One of the principles of management is giving fair remuneration to employees. No organisation can succeed without the efforts of its employees. Employees play a very important role in the growth of an organisation. These principles make the managers aware of their responsibility towards their human resources. These principles make the managers aware that they need to pay a fair remuneration to employees and also provide good working conditions. Land, Labour, Capital and Enterprise are the four resources that every organisation requires. Business gets all these resources from society. Hence every business has the responsibility of giving something back to society.
6. Promotes Research and Development - The principles of management are not static. They are dynamic in nature. Managers need to modify the principles of management to suit their organisational needs. As the business environment keeps changing and as the business grows, the managers need to keep finding new and better methods of implementing the principles of management to their organisations. Principles of Management thus promote research and development within the organisation.
Also refer - Henri Fayol's 14 Principles of Management
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