Management—A Team Activity

Abstract

The paper shows that management really is a team activity. It begins by showing how, despite differences from industry to industry, the same factors of costs, production volume, quality, personnel and sales can be used for control purposes. The key area of costs is examined in some detail through the sub‐division of labour costs, raw‐materials costs and costs of services ‐the so‐called secondary results areas. Brief mention is then made of D. & K. control, work study, materials handling, production planning, planned maintenance, purchasing and laboratory services. The behavioural sciences are then discussed commencing with McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y, followed by a brief description of the average manager. The organisation of a management team starting with an existing situation follows. It is shown that an identification of management style, company structure and objectives can be linked by a participative form of management by objectives to the internal controls, tools, techniques and motivational theory discussed earlier in the paper.