History of management, its main schools and stages of development

Management as the art of management arose in the extreme antiquity. His description as a kind of human activity is found in the writings of Socrates. Ancient Greek philosopher, who lived in the first millennium BC, describes the process of managing people as an attempt to put a certain person in a certain place and achieve from him the desired result of activity. Judging by the many sources that have survived to this day, the history of management originated several millennia ago, and the science of managing people passed in its formation in several definite stages.

Prehistoric people, who lived in isolation, did not need to manage their activities from the outside. The main purpose of their existence was to survive in the harsh conditions of nature. Our ancient ancestors, united for living together in tribes, already needed a wise man beside them, accepting solutions optimal for the whole tribe, resolving conflicts within the tribe, passing sentences for punishment in anything of the guilty. The leader became such a man. As the social groups of people grew, the need for a division of labor arose, however, all this work also had to be controlled by someone from the outside. This is how the first rudiments of management of individual groups of people appear, separated by their professional characteristics.

The history of management in the modern sense of this word begins with an industrial revolution that occurred in the 17-19 centuries. It was during this period in Europe that the first production enterprises appeared that needed really talented managers. The science of management is formed by the end of the 19th century. In this period of time, the first works of scientists on this kind of human activity appear.

Stages and schools in the history of management

Management as a professional activity is first considered by the American G. Taun in his report prepared for a speech at a meeting of the Society of Mechanical Engineers. At this meeting, he for the first time expresses his opinion that the society needs training of managerial specialists.

In total for the history of economic doctrines of the 20th century, five schools of management were formed:

- School of scientific management (founder F. Taylor, author of many books devoted to this topic);

- administrative school (the ancestor - the French engineer A. Fayol);

- a quantitative school (representatives - D. Thompson, G. Ackoff, D. March);

- behaviourist school (its formation is associated with the development of sociology and psychology, known representatives are C. Bernard, F. Herzberg, K. Arjiris);

- School of human relations (founder - American E. Mayo).

The history of management includes five main stages of management development, the first of which begins at the dawn of the 20th century and coincides with the time of the birth of the school of scientific management. The emergence of the administrative school of Fayol in the first decade of the 20th century marked the onset of the second stage of development of management activities.

At the same time, the history of financial management begins in the United States. The Second World War has a significant influence on the formation of management thought, the first twenty years after its end coincide with the third stage of optimization of management.

The next stage in the development of managerial activity is connected with science - psychology, which is only gaining momentum. For the fifth stage of management development (80-ies.) Is characterized by the discovery of such a powerful mechanism as the organizational structure. Modern management is associated with the development of computer technology and automation of production. Today the history of management does not end, the management science continues to actively develop and improve.