Learn More: the Founders of Management Thought
Understanding the historical, social, and economic context of early management thinkers can be very helpful in understanding their theories. For example, Max Weber was an admirer of the efficiency of the German Army and that had an important impact on the development of his theory of bureaucracy. It helps to explain why "bureaucracy" was not a negative concept, for Weber. As an introduction to some of the most influential early thinkers in management, see some writings about
Frederick Taylor,
Lillian Gilbreth, and
Henri Fayol.
- For each of these three early management thinkers, explain how the events of their times and/or their life influenced their theories.
- In your opinion, why are the ideas of these thinkers still in use today? What about their theories made them endure over time, while other theories did not?
Check It Out
Busy managers typically cannot afford the luxury of spending hours surfing the Internet for good theoretical and practical information. Fortunately, Web sites have been built for managers who need good information quickly. One is
www.ceoexpress.com. Visit this site and spend some time sampling their links.
- If you are presently a manager, how can this site help you use the Internet more efficiently? (If you are not a manager, imagine yourself in the place of a busy manager who needs to tap the power of the Internet.)
