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Briefly explain the history of management.

      

Briefly explain the history of management.

  

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Kavungya
The practice of management is as old as human civilization. In fact, much of the progress of mankind over the centuries may be attributed to the effective management of resources. The irrigation systems, existence of public utilities, the construction of various monuments like Taj Mahal in India, and the Egyptian Pyramids of the bygone era amply demonstrate the practice of management in the olden days also. The ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome and Indus-Valley displayed the marvelous results of good management practices. However, the study of management in a systematic way as a distinct body of knowledge is only of recent origin. That is why, management is often described as 'oldest of the arts and youngest of the sciences". Thus, the practice of management is not new. It has been practiced for thousands of years. But the science part of it 'the systematic body of knowledge' is, no doubt, a phenomenon of the present century.
The traditional management practices remained quite stable through the centuries until the birth of Industrial revolution in the mid 18th century. The industrial revolution brought about the substitution of machine, for manpower through several scientific inventions. As a result, within a few decades, the picture of industrial activity had undergone a metamorphic change. Man's quest for new ways of doing things, coupled with his ingenuity in adopting the scientific and technological inventions in the production of various goods and services resulted in the following:
- Mass production in anticipation of demand;
- Advent of corporate form of organization which facilitated such large scale
production;
- Spectacular improvements in the transport and communication facilities;
- Increase in competition for markets;
- The establishment of the new employer - employee relationship and so on.
Industrial revolution had, thus, sown the seeds of modern management. The early scientific
inquiries into the practice of management began.
Despite the growing importance of management as an academic discipline and one that is contributing immensely to the quality of human life, it is disheartening to note that the concept is still clouded by certain misconceptions. No doubt, management as an academic body of knowledge has come a long way in the last few years. It has grown in stature and gained acceptance all over the world. Yet, it is a paradox that the term 'management' continues to be the most misunderstood and misused. Certain questions like whether management is a science or art or profession are yet to be answered in a satisfactory way.
Kavungya answered the question on March 26, 2019 at 11:12

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