Management Theory

Based on the idea of Organizational structure and design taught on last week, management theory is to solve the management challenges, like span of control or chain of command will affect the running of its business.  There are different management approaches that have evolved over 100 years covered in this week’s lecture.

It reminds me news on last year. I was quite shocked at it. A producer in China, Foxconn, it provided electronic manufacturing services, mainly for phone. In 2010, there were startling 18 staff commits suicide within 12 month due to heavy pressures, the media dubbed the tragedy as “suicide express.”, they treat their staff as robot, every staff just follow the order or superiors, they don’t have chance to express their feeling, so they chose to commit suicide to raise the society aware. 

Workers report:

“working to the point of tears” 

“we are more like machines than the machinery” 

“the air conditioners are only here for the sake of the machinery”

This management approach was scientific management by Frederick Winslow Taylor, they streamlined the factory production process, the workers are required to repeat the same routine movements on the production line. They are not able to think, make changes. Just.like they have become part of the machinery, so they became lack of human dignity, social ability, even feel lost.

It also applied to bureaucracy by Max Weber, it brings lots of pressure to staff. Workers have to stick with rules or procedures, if they made mistakes or displease their managers are sometimes punished to spend hours writing out copies of CEO Terry Gou’s personal sayings. They manages their labor based on the principles of obedience. 

A right approach can well develop strategies for operating a business, it could brings better planning, organizing, controlling and leading, and those can definitely increase work efficiency and motivated staff. 

Take for example, if Microsoft operate under Max Weber’s theory, then the staff cannot express their thought, it leads to less idea come out, and they would not be so enthusiastic on work, it may affect the work effectiveness. So this theory is not suitable for IT or creative company.

However, there is no best way for management approach because organization are different in size, culture and value. 

There are some theories that I am quite appreciate and prefer to used in modern company, which are human relation described by Elton Mayo, scientific management by Frederick Winslow Taylor, and theory Y by McGregor. Since I am the person who don’t want to be strict controlled by others, if I were the worker, I will feel stressful if just doing what others asked me to do, and too many rules restricted, it causes me staff discretion, so I am sure I cannot fit in Max Weber’s theory, what he said is to stick with and obey rules, just followed manager’s order. It may suitable for government organization but not in business organization.

Although it can maintain the consistency of the work, I have to say I am not agree with that, we should think what we want, to me, life would be meaningless if treated me like machines, I think personal growth and development is more important, it could bring better work if allow everyone to say their opinions, as they may have brilliant ideas. And being innovative is good for planning business.

Elton mayo-human relation

I hope to work in a company that treats me as a human being but not just workers. So I prefer human relation approach by Elton mayo, it focuses on job satisfaction and group behavior. For example, a nice working environment can motivate staff to perform better. If I working in that environment,

I will be more satisfied on my job, and likely to spend more time to work. Because I will enjoy working here, good mood is always performing better than bad mood. It may bring up more ideas which benefit productivity and efficient.  Job satisfaction could always motivate staff to work harder.

Example:
IKEA believe that employees were more productive and committed when the company took care of them and their needs.  Its’ culture is to give family-like feelings that makes relationships between employees strong and open. 

And I think teamwork is very important in a company, it always works better than individual. More idea or thought can create through discussing with colleges, same as doing projects in school, the work can be more efficiency and improving quality. In addition, it facilitates the exchange of ideas and opinions. For instance, I did a creative activity with four of my classmates in the first week, it has to combine three elements to create a product, and we come up more creative and innovative ideas during the discussion, members are motivating each others in a team, if I only work in individual, I am sure the work quality must low down.

Combining different thought and knowledge of people could bring up a brilliant idea.




















Example:
In IKEA,  their culture is based on the positive spirit of team, enthusiasm and fun. They strive for people who share positive attitude and values. And they stated working with them is like working with friends. In the video, they talked about the culture of IKEA is 
moving, to find a better way and how the staff think the company.

Frederick Winslow Taylor-scientific management

On the other hand, although people dubbed it as emotionless, but I think part of the approaches should keep. Select staff to train and teach to develop their skills is important to a company, train and develop not only do improve staff’s skills but benefit to company as well. It takes advantages on both sides. 

Example:
In IKEA,  they will select high potential leaders and specialists to be Backpacker, which they can go on two six-month assignments in two countries. One of the assignments will be in another area than the one they are working in now. For the fellow staffs, they offers a variety of internal training programmes for those who want to learn something new and grow.

Dougals McGregor-theory Y
Another theory that I appreciate was theory Y mentioned by Dougals McGregor, he concerned about self-motivated and self-control, he emphasized to trust employee’s abilities. To me, being trust is a large motivation for work. For example: IKEA believe every individual has something valuable to offer which means they trust their staff.

Example:
I quite appreciate IKEA will review what’s done today and ask what can be done better tomorrow, so as to find new ideas and inspiration. This is kind of self-reflect and self-motivated, to keep improving themselves in reviewing the work on each day.
And self-motivated and self-control is needed for everyone, especially in work place, it can do better work if you always motivated and well control by yourself, if not, you may slow down the work efficiency.

An organization even can mix several approaches. Actually I think combine few approach is more effective, it is perfect to have several good approaches together. IKEA is the company which use several approaches. 

Other than that, Google also combine few approaches, it combined theory of human relation, scientific management and Hawthorne effect. Because Google emphasis on “Don’t be evil”, and they are quite concerned about team work and nice working environment which is defined as human relation, and they provide free training to staff. Moreover, they offer lots of good service such as free foods, free health care, they regard staff’s feeling, not only for staff, they even benefit to their family, which covered travel insurance and emergency assistance. And they state “We Are Family”, it gave better feeling to employees.