You already have known about the classical viewpoint, and behavioural viewpoint of management. It is now time to study the quantitative viewpoint. The quantitative viewpoint according to Bartol and Martin (1994) emerged. as a major force during World War II. The magnitude of the war effort caused the British and-then the United States military services to turn to a quantitative method, for help in determining the most effective use of resources.
The quantitative viewpoint according to Howard Aldrich and Diane Herker (1977) focuses on the use of mathematics, statistic s, and information aids to support managerial decision making and organisational effectiveness. What are the various schools under the quantitative viewpoint? The
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three known schools are: management science, operations management, and management information systems.
Management Science (or Operations Research)
According to Larry M. Austin and James R. Burns (1985), Britain at the beginning of World War 1.1 needed to solve a number of new complex problems in warfare. Struggling to survive, the British
formed the first operations research (OR) teams. By pooling the expertise of mathematicians, physicists, and other scientists in OR, Britain was able to achieve major technological and tactical
breakthrough. When Americans entered the war they also formed OR to solve the same problems.
At the end of the war, the need to apply OR to problems in industry became obvious. New industrial technologies were being put to use after the war, for instance, transportation and
communication became more complicated. These developments brought with them some problems that could not be solved by conventional means. Consequently, OR specialists were called to help managers come up with answers to these problems. Note that operations research and management science are synonymous.
Operations Management
This is a management approach that uses quantitative methods to improve the productivity and increase the efficiency of goods/services production. The technique is being used as inventory management and network modelling to improve decision making about distribution and operational methods. The viewpoint arose in order to help organisations maintain quality control and scheduling techniques that help managers to plan and track production.
Management Information Systems
Xpu will easily recollect that this is the third stand of the quantitative managemnt school. The viewpoint arose because many organisations now find it difficult to handle large amounts of information in the new and better ways, hence the computer — based information system, for use by managers.
3.5 Evolution of Contemporary Management School
The last of the management theory is referred to as the contemporary school of thought.
This school of thought was developed largely in the 1950s. The viewpoint can be understood from three perspectives: systems theory, contingency theory, and emerging views.
Do not have the impression that the classical, behavioural, and quantitative schools are
irrelevant today. They all still apply in one form or another up till date. However, theorists and practitioners recently found that the environment ban also influence organizational
management. Consequently, new management approaches have emerged that integrate aspects of each of the three major schools of thought within the context of the organisational environment.
The Systems Theory
The theory rather than dealing separately with the various segments of an organisation, views the
organisation as a unified, purposeful system composed of interrelated parts. The systems theory
arose to develop the influence of both internal and external environments on organisations.
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The theory is also known as situational approach. The need toward a more open systems approach to thinking about organisations led to the emergence of the contingency theory. The theory holds-that different forms of organizational designs and management styles are appropriate under differing
circumstances.
Emerging Views
Emerging views represent the promising approaches that may develop into major view points if research supports their relevance. One major emerging view is the Japanese management,
represented by Theory Z. Theory Z involves a man-iage of the positive aspects of American and Japanese management into a modified approach. The focus of Theory Z is to involve workers in
decision making, instituting more informal controls, and encouraging group members to accept responsibility for work in their unit.
Students Assessment Exercise
1. Distinguish between the historical development of the classical management school of thought and the behavioural school.
2. Describe the quantitative management theory briefly.
3. Why did the emerging management develop?
4.0 Conclusion
Early management theory consisted of different methods of getting to know the problems associated
with industrial life in the late 1900s and early 2000s. The best known of such management theories
the scientific management, the classical theory, the behavioural school, the management science as well as the quantitative school have been discussed in this unit.
5.0 Summary
You have learned in this unit the historial development of the management schools of thought.
You
will recollect that in this unit management theory was discussed under four major perspectives:
I. The classical theory, consisting of three streams — Bureaucracy, Administrative theory, and Scientific management.
/. Behavioural theory — consisting of three viewpoints: the early behaviourists, the Hawthorne studies, the Human relations schools, and the behavioural science approach.
3. The quantitative perspective made up of three schools: Management Science, Operations Management and Management Information Systems.
4. The contemporary theory, consisting of three viewpoints: Systems theory, Contingency theory and Emerging views.
6.0 References and Further Reading
Stoner, J.A.F., Freeman, R.E. and D.R. Gilbert (2000), Management (6th Edition) Prentice-Hall of India Private Limited, New Delhi.
Lussier, R.N. (2000), Management fundamentals,. Concepts, Applications and Skill Development.
South-Western College Publishing, Canada.
7.0 Tutor-Marked Assignment
Question
What is a theory? Briefly describe the historical evolution of the classical management school of thought.
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