Path Finders of Administrative Thought

Peter F. Drucker: If there is a father of 20th century management, it is Peter Drucker, born in 1909. While Drucker prefers to be known as a writer, both practicing managers and business
journalists throughout the world regard him as the management guru. He remains the doyen of modern management theory, not so much because he can lay claim to being the founder of any particular concept but because he has demonstrated the rare ability to apply common sense to the analysis of management challenges.

Elton Mayo: The Australian researcher (1880-1949) is best known for his contribution to the Hawthorne experiments in motivation. The studies offered important insights-for example, changes in working conditions led to increased output, even if the changes weren’t obviously for the betterment of working conditions. Mayo’s work redressed the bias in management thinking, offering an alternative to the scientific management thinking of Frederick Taylor.

Chester Barnard: The Human Relations Approach had another of its advocate in Chester Irving Barnard(1886–1961). He was a telecommunications executive and author of Functions of
the Executive. According to Barnard, efficiency of an organization as the degree to which that organization is able to satisfy the motives of the individuals. If an organization satisfies the motives of its participants, and attains its explicit goals, cooperation among them will last. To improve efficiency, he regards it is important to:

• establish and maintain the system of communication
• secure the essential services from individuals
• formulate the organizational purpose and objectives

He gives great importance to persuasion, much more than to economic incentives.

Max Weber : Bureaucracy Theory developed by Max Weber (1864-1920), the school considers bureaucracy as the most logical and rational structure and suits large organizations with routine and predictable tasks. Bureaucracies are founded on legal or rational authority which is based on law, procedures, rules, and so on. Positional authority of a superior over a subordinate stems from legal authority.
Fredric W. Taylor: Fredric W. Taylor who is known as Father of Scientific Management and who coined the phrase “time is money”,

Henri Fayol : Administrative Theory a highly task-oriented rather than people-oriented, the Classical School supposes that “there is one best way to manage”. Advocated by Henri Fayol,the Classical School is dictated by a set of universal bureaucratic and scientific management principles to be applied in all situations.

Source: American Management Association

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