The Nature of Management
The Evolution of Management Thought
Modern management approaches respect the classical, human resource, and quantitative approaches to management. However, successful managers recognize that although each theoretical school has limitations in its applications, each approach also offers valuable insights that can broaden a manager's options in solving problems and achieving organizational goals. Successful managers work to extend these approaches to meet the demands of a dynamic environment.
Modern management approaches recognize that people are complex and variable. Employee needs change over time; people possess a range of talents and capabilities that can be developed. Organizations and managers, therefore, should respond to individuals with a wide variety of managerial strategies and job opportunities.
Key themes to be considered, as the twenty-first century progresses, include the following:
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The commitment to meet customer needs 100 percent of the time guides organizations toward quality management and continuous improvement of operations.
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Today's global economy is a dramatic influence on organizations, and opportunities abound to learn new ways of managing from practices in other countries.
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Organizations must reinvest in their most important asset, their people. If organizations cannot make the commitment to lifelong employment, they must commit to using attrition to reduce head count. They will not receive cooperation unless they make it clear that their people will not be working themselves out of a job.
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Managers must excel in their leadership responsibilities to perform numerous different roles.
