Classical School of Management

The history of the development of management science includes several main schools: scientific management, classical (or administrative), quantitative management methods, also the school of behavioral sciences and human relations.

The classical school of management basically continues the first independent school in the science of leadership, the scientific one, whose main idea is to develop scientific principles and methods that are best able to organize work and maximize labor productivity. In other words, the school of scientific management in management considered its primary task to be the improvement of the work process.

The classical (administrative) school of management that we studied, which in general developed the ideas of the previous trend, was more oriented toward the development of the principles of direct leadership, therefore, it is not the managers of production, but managers, who are its brightest representatives. The founder of the school Henri Fayol was the head of a major French company, the work of his main followers also had to do with the highest level of administrative management. Their ideas were based largely not on scientific methodology, but on personal experience.

Basic principles of the classical school of management

The classical school of management has created a system of universal principles related to two aspects. One of them is a rational system of management, combining different functions of business: production, finance and marketing. The second aspect relates to the construction of the structure of organization and management.

Henri Faile formulated 14 management principles applicable to the management of all types of organizations and to ensure an effective work process:

• The principle of the division of labor implies that by reducing the number of goals, it is possible to do more work while improving its quality, provided that the forces aimed at doing this work will remain the same. A large number of goals, according to Fayol, prevents the employee from concentrating on the main task, dispelling his attention and wasting his efforts.

• Powers and responsibility: the first gives the right to give the order, the second - to execute it.

• Discipline involves the observance of an agreement between employees and the organization on both sides equally.

• One-mindedness: a specific employee is subject to strictly one direct supervisor.

• Unity of direction: each group is united by one goal, it must have a common plan and one leader.

• The principle of subordination of personal interests to the general implies that the interests of any one employee are subject to the interests of the group.

• Ensuring fair remuneration of staff supports responsible workers.

• Centralization: the right balance between decentralization and centralization must meet certain conditions.

• The classical school of management ambiguously defined its relation to the scalar chain of the hierarchical system of leading positions (from the highest to the lowest level). On the one hand, the scalar chain in most cases justifies itself, on the other hand, one must be able to abandon it if it damages the enterprise.

• Order.

• The principle of justice combines kindness and justice.

• The stability of the workplace for workers always benefits the organization.

• The initiative involves the development of a plan and its implementation.

• The corporate spirit enhances the effectiveness of the work.

The classical school of management has made a great contribution to the theoretical development of management.

But such aspects as psychology, behavioral and other factors were not taken into account when constructing the concept, which makes it difficult to consider the management system created by the school as absolutely effective.