Question

‘Management is centuries old’. Justify the statement.

Answer 1

Answer:

Management is a universal phenomenon in the sense that it is a common and essential element in all enterprises. Every group effort requires setting objectives, making plans, handling people, co-coordinating and controlling activities, achieving goals and evaluating performance directed towards organizational goals.

Answer 2

Answer:

The practice of management is as old as human civilization. In fact, much of the progress of mankind over the centuries may be attributed to the effective management of resources. The irrigation systems, the public utilities, the construction of various monuments like Taj Mahal, and the Egyptian Pyramids of the bygone era amply demonstrate the practice of management in the olden days. Similarly, the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome and Indus-valley displayed the finest practices of management of those periods. However, the study of management in a systematic way as a distinct body of knowledge is only of recent origin. That is why, management is often described as “oldest of the arts and youngest of the sciences”. Thus, the practice of management is not new. It has been practiced for thousands of years. But the science part of it ‘the systematic body of knowledge’ is, no doubt, a phenomenon of the present century. The traditional management practices remained quite stable through the centuries until the birth of industrial revolution in the mid 18th century. The industrial revolution brought about the substitution of machine power for man power through several scientific inventions. As a result, within a few decades, the landscape of industrial activity had undergone a metamorphic change. Man’s quest for new ways of doing things, coupled with his ingenuity in adopting the scientific and technological inventions in the production of goods and services resulted in:

1. Mass production in anticipation of demand;
2. Advent of corporate form of organization which facilitated large scale production;
3. Spectacular improvements in the transport and communication facilities;
4. Increased competition for markets;
5. The establishment of new employer – employee relationship; and
6. A radical change in the aspirations and expectations of the various stakeholders of business. Industrial revolution had thus sown the seeds of modern management. The early scientific enquiries into the practice of management began. Despite the growing importance of management.