The Art of Administration

Abstract

On wall of administration building of almost any college or university there may be seen hanging framed blue print, with its rectangles and connecting lines which schematically present the channels of authority, responsibility and contact which are, in their totality, organization of institution. It is a small school whose organization chart is so clear and simple that its meaning, and relationship of parts, can be grasped with brief study. In general, rather, first glance gives impression of a forbidding maze; there is an involved network of relationships. Much attention has been paid by administrators to development of efficient systems of organization. Even as in world of business, chief executive of an educational institution knows that his ultimate purposes can be achieved only if he has a well-organized staff of subordinates. It is desirable to consider carefully question of organization, but in doing so it should not be overlooked that charts and diagrams alone do not mean success. For every square on blue print there is a human individual or group of individuals. There may be a science of administration, but there is also, paralleling it, art of administration. The central problem in art of administration is that of maintaining flexibility of organization. Two pertinent and preliminary truisms must be mentioned: as any social grouping grows in numbers (both of individuals and functions), need for organization develops, and organization becomes more intricate. The other truism is that organization patterns tend to become fixed, and rigidity of pattern develops. It is this inflexibility that precludes necessary change or makes it difficult.