THE 12 ADMINISTRATIVE THEORIES AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS - DUDAS - 2025

The administrative or management theories are concepts that surround recommended management strategies, which may include tools such as frameworks and guidelines that can be implemented in modern organizations.

In general, professionals will not rely solely on a single management theory, but instead present various concepts from different management theories that are best suited to their workforce and company culture.

Source: pixabay.com

Throughout history, companies have put different administrative theories into practice. They have not only helped increase productivity, but have also improved the quality of services.

Although these management theories were developed years ago, they help create interconnected work environments in which employees and employers work hand in hand.

Some of the most popular management theories in use today are systems theory, contingency theory, X / Y theory, and scientific theory.

For a long time, theorists have been investigating the most suitable forms of management for different work environments. This is where the different administrative theories come into play.

Main theories of administration

Scientific theory

Frederick W. Taylor was the main precursor to the scientific theory of management. Source: wikipedia.org

Frederick Taylor (1856-1915) conducted controlled experiments to optimize worker productivity. The results of these experiments helped him to believe that the scientific method was the best determinant of efficiency in the workplace.

Scientific management promotes standardization, specialization, training, and capacity-based assignment. Only through these practices can a company achieve efficiency and productivity.

This theory emphasized the fact that forcing people to work hard was not the best way to optimize results. Instead, Taylor recommended simplifying tasks to increase productivity.

The strategy was different from how companies previously conducted themselves. One executive had minimal contact with employees. There was absolutely no way to standardize workplace rules and the only motivation for employees was job security.

According to Taylor, money was the key incentive to work. Therefore, he developed the concept of "fair wages for fair work." Since then, scientific theory has been practiced around the world.

The resulting collaboration between employees and employers became the teamwork that people now enjoy.

Classical theory

The classical theory is based on the idea that employees only have physical needs. Because employees can satisfy these physical needs with money, this theory focuses solely on the economics of workers.

Due to this limited view of the workforce, classical theory ignores the personal and social needs that influence the job satisfaction of employees. As a result, this theory advocates seven key principles:

- Maximization of profits.

- Labor specialization.

- Centralized leadership.

- Optimized operations.

- Emphasis on productivity.

- Individual or selective decision making.

When these principles are put into practice, they create an "ideal" workplace based on hierarchical structure, employee expertise, and financial rewards.

The control of the business is in charge of a few who exercise exclusive control over the decisions and direction of the company. Below these elect, middle managers govern the daily activities of employees at the bottom of the hierarchical order.

All of this revolves around the idea that employees will work harder and be more productive if they are rewarded with increasing increases, through wages.

Humanistic theory

Portrait taken in 1935 of Elton Mayo. Unknown author / Public domain

At the beginning of the 20th century, the psychologist Elton Mayo (1880-1949) took it upon himself to improve productivity among dissatisfied employees.

Mayo tried to improve worker satisfaction by changing environmental conditions, such as lighting, temperature, and break time. All of those changes had a positive effect.

Mayo tried to change the variables that he perceived would have a negative effect on satisfaction, such as the length of the working day and quotas. What he observed was that regardless of the change, good or bad, worker satisfaction always increased.

This led Mayo to conclude that performance was the result of the researchers' attention to workers. That is, the attention made the workers feel valuable.

These findings gave rise to the Humanist Theory, where it is stated that employees are more motivated by social factors, such as personal attention or belonging to a group, than by environmental factors, such as money and working conditions.

Theory of behavior

Increasingly complex organizations gave rise to more human interests in the workplace. Administrative theories began to include more people-oriented methods.

Human behavior and meeting the interpersonal needs of employees became more important to management.

A manager who practices behavior theory could motivate teamwork through fostering a collaborative environment. There are two main theories that make up the theory of behavior:

Theory of human relations

Consider the organization as a social entity. This theory recognizes that money alone is not enough to satisfy employees. Motivation is considered an integral part of employee performance.

The main weakness of this theory is that it makes various assumptions about behavior.

Theory of behavioral science

It combines elements of psychology, sociology, and anthropology to provide a scientific foundation.

Examine why employees are motivated by specific factors, such as social needs, conflict, and self-actualization. This theory recognizes individuality and the need for managers to be sociable.

X / Y theory

Douglas McGregor is credited with developing these two contrasting concepts. More specifically, these theories refer to two styles of management: the authoritarian (theory X) and the participatory (theory Y).

In an organization where team members show little passion for their work, leaders are likely to use the authoritarian style of management.

However, if employees show a willingness to learn and are enthusiastic about what they do, their leader is likely to use participatory management.

The management style that a manager adopts will influence how well he can keep his team members motivated.

Theory X has a pessimistic view of employees in the sense that they cannot work without incentives.

On the other hand, theory Y has an optimistic view of employees. This theory proposes that employees and managers can achieve a collaborative and trust-based relationship.

However, there are cases where Theory X can be applied. For example, large corporations that hire thousands of employees for routine work may find the adoption of this form of management ideal.

Neoclassical theory

It was developed in response to classical theory. Today, companies have to go through rapid change and complexities that grow exponentially. Technology is both the cause and the solution to this dilemma.

Companies that incorporate this theory in their operations seek to merge technology and mathematical analysis with the human and traditional elements of the organization.

This combination of scientific and social variables creates a dual approach to management and decision making. This theory emphasizes on:

- Use of mathematical techniques to analyze and understand the relationship between managers and employees.

- That employees do not work just for money, in contrast to the classical theory. Instead, they work for happiness, fulfillment, and a desired lifestyle.

It includes the idea that people are complex. Their needs vary over time and they possess a number of talents and skills that the company can develop through on-the-job training and other programs.

At the same time, management can use mathematical techniques such as statistical, cost, and ROI analysis to make decisions that are not affected by emotion.

Structuralist theory

The structuralist theory is quite new compared to many of the other theories. This theory was developed as a postmodern response to many of the older management theories that are still in use today.

It begins with the idea that the company is a structure that is based on a set of substructures.

For the business to run smoothly and efficiently, each substructure must also function smoothly and efficiently within itself, but also with the other substructures around it.

In this theory, managers are responsible for coordinating the necessary cooperation to ensure that the larger agency continues to function successfully.

Learning and change are main components of this theory. Learning is encouraged and made available to everyone, not just middle and senior management.

The emphasis in this theory is teamwork, participation, information sharing, and individual empowerment.

Bureaucratic theory

Max weber

Max Weber (1864-1920) took a more sociological approach when creating his bureaucratic theory. Weber's ideas revolve around the importance of structuring the business in a hierarchical way, with clear rules and roles.

According to Weber, the ideal business structure, or bureaucratic system, is based on the following:

- Clear division of labor.

- Separation of the owner's personal assets and those of the organization.

- Hierarchical chain of command.

- Accurate record keeping.

- Hiring and promotion based on qualifications and performance, not personal relationships.

- Consistent rules.

Bureaucratic management today is seen by many as an impersonal style that can be overwhelmed by rules and formalities. However, it can be very useful for startups that need rules, procedures, and structure.

Systems theory

Systems theory offers an alternative approach to planning and managing organizations.

Systems management theory proposes that businesses, like the human body, are made up of multiple components that work in harmony so that the larger system can function optimally.

According to this theory, the success of an organization depends on several key elements: synergy, interdependence and interrelationships between various subsystems.

Employees are one of the most important components of a company. Other crucial elements for the success of a business are departments, work groups and business units.

In practice, managers must evaluate patterns and events in their companies to determine the best management approach. In this way, they can collaborate on different programs so that they can work as a collective whole rather than as isolated units.

Because it is a way of looking at the business rather than a concrete management process, systems theory can be used in conjunction with the other management theories.

Mathematical theory

Mathematical theory is a branch of neoclassical theory, developed during the Second World War in response to management efficiency.

The mathematical theory brought together experts from scientific disciplines to address personnel, materials, logistics, and systems issues for the United States military.

The clear, numbers-driven management approach, which also applies to businesses, helped decision-makers calculate the risks, benefits, and drawbacks of specific actions.

This shift toward pure logic, science, and mathematics is tempered by the belief that these mathematical results should be used to support, not replace, experienced managerial judgment.

Contingency theory

The main concept behind the theory of contingency management is that no management approach fits all organizations. There are several external and internal factors that will ultimately affect the chosen administrative approach.

The contingency theory identifies three variables that are likely to influence the structure of an organization: the size of the organization, the technology employed, and also the leadership style.

Fred Fiedler is the theorist behind contingency theory. Fiedler proposed that a leader's traits were directly related to the effectiveness with which he led.

According to Fiedler's theory, there is a set of useful leadership traits for each type of situation. This means that a leader must be flexible enough to adapt to a changing environment. The contingency theory can be summarized as follows:

- There is no specific technique for managing an organization.

- A leader must be quick to identify the particular management style suitable for a particular situation.

The main component of contingency theory is the coworker's least preferred scale. This is used to assess how well oriented a manager is.

References

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