Enumerate four contributions of the Classical Theory to the study of management

Whereas scientific management focused on the productivity of individuals, the classical
administrative approach concentrates on the total organization. The emphasis is on the
development of managerial principles rather than work methods.
Contributors to this school of thought include Max Weber, Henri Fayol, Mary Parker Follett, and
Chester I. Barnard. These theorists studied the flow of information within an organization and
emphasized the importance of understanding how an organization operated.
In the late 1800s, Max Weber disliked that many European organizations were managed on a
"personal" family-like basis and that employees were loyal to individual supervisors rather than
to the organization. He believed that organizations should be managed impersonally and that a
formal organizational structure, where specific rules were followed, was important. In other
words, he didn't think that authority should be based on a person's personality. He thought
authority should be something that was part of a person's job and passed from individual to
individual as one person left and another took over. This non-personal, objective form of
organization was called a bureaucracy.

Weber believed that all bureaucracies have the following characteristics:
i. A well-defined hierarchy
All positions within a bureaucracy are structured in a way that permits the higher positions to
supervise and control the lower positions. This clear chain of command facilitates control and
order throughout the organization.
Division of labour and specialization
All responsibilities in an organization are specialized so that each employee has the necessary
expertise to do a particular task.
iii. Rules and regulations
Standard operating procedures govern all organizational activities to provide certainty and
facilitate coordination.
iv. Impersonal relationships between managers and employees
Managers should maintain an impersonal relationship with employees so that favoritism and
personal prejudice do not influence decisions.
v. Competence
Competence, not "who you know," should be the basis for all decisions made in hiring, job
assignments, and promotions in order to foster ability and merit as the primary characteristics of
a bureaucratic organization
vi. Records
A bureaucracy needs to maintain complete files regarding all its activities.
Henri Fayol, a French mining engineer, developed 14 principles of management based on his
management experiences. These principles provide modem-day managers with general
guidelines on how a supervisor should organize her department and manage her staff. Although
later research has created controversy over many of the following principles, they are still widely
used in management theories.
- Division of work
Division of work and specialization produces more and better work with the same effort.
- Authority and responsibility
Authority is the right to give orders and the power to exact obedience. A manager has
official authority because of her position, as well as personal authority based on individual
personality, intelligence, and experience. Authority creates responsibility.
- Discipline
Obedience and respect within an organization are absolutely essential. Good discipline
requires managers to apply sanctions whenever violations become apparent.
- Unity of command
An employee should receive orders from only one superior.
- Unity of direction
Organizational activities must have one central authority and one plan of action.
- Subordination of individual interest to general interest
The interests of one employee or group of employees are subordinate to the interests and
goals of the organization.
- Remuneration of personnel
Salaries -the Price of services rendered by employees -should be fair and provide
satisfaction both to the employee and employer.
- Centralization
The objective of centralization is the best utilization of personnel. The degree of
centralization varies according to the dynastic of each organization.
- Scalar chain
A chain of authority. exists from the highest organizational authority to the lowest ranks.
- Order
Organizational order for materials and personnel is essential. The right materials and the
right employees are necessary for each organizational function and activity.
- Equity
In organizations, equity is a combination of kindliness and justice. Both equity and equality
of treatment should be considered when dealing with employees.
- Stability of tenure of personnel
To attain the maximum productivity of personnel, a stable work force is needed.
- Initiative
Thinking out a plan and ensuring its success is an extremely strong motivator. Zeal, energy,
and initiative are desired at all levels of the organizational ladder.
- Esprit de corps
Teamwork is fundamentally important to an organization. Work teams and extensive faceto-
face verbal communication encourages teamwork.

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Kavungya answered the question on May 17, 2019 at 13:58