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44 pages

English

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The Unified General Theory of Administration melds the universal aspects of administration with related knowledge from the allied fields of sociology and psychology into a system of administrative action. It is the natural, rational and unavoidable instrumentality with which economic objectives and functions, in infinite combinations and variety, are implemented through organized human endeavor.

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Gestion et management

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Publié par	First Edition Design Publishing
Date de parution	05 décembre 2011
Nombre de lectures	2
EAN13	9781937520373
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0240€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

ADMINISTRATION—UNRAVELED
Revealing a Unified General Theory
By George H. McCleskey
Copyright © 2011 George H McCleskey

ISBN 9781937520373
Published by First Edition Design eBook Publishing
November 2011
www.firsteditiondesignpublishing.com

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form, except for brief quotes used specifically within critical articles and reviews.

Disclosure – due to the media format of this book, the Appendix has been omitted. For full content of the book, please refer to the PRINT version or charts are available via the URL provided at end of book for viewing.

Copyright © 2005 George H. McCleskey. (PRINT)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2004117813.
ISBN: 9781597130004. (PRINT)
First Printing, 2005.
Printed by Goose River Press
3400 Friendship Road Waldoboro, Maine 04572
e mail: gooseriverpress@roadrunner.com
www.gooseriverpress.com
CONTENTS

THE GENESIS OF THE UNIFIED GENERAL THEORY
A brief commentary and overview with annotated references.

WHY IS A GENERAL THEORY OF ADMINISTRATION NEEDED
The case and context for a general theory of administration focused on an argument for it made by Dr. Edward H. Litchfield.

URWICK ASSEMBLES THE ELEMENTS OF ADMINISTRATION
A summary of Lyndall Urwicks synthesis of his work with work that he selected from other scholars primarily Henri Fayol, Mooney and Reiley and F. W. Taylor. Urwick presents 27 principles of administration arranged in a logical scheme.

THE UNIFIED PATTERN OF ADMINISTRATION
This is the core of the Unified General Theory. It is comprised of Lyndall Urwicks logical scheme of 27 administration principles and 5 additional governing principles organized into a functional logical flow chart.

WEBERS BUREAUCRACY
Max Webers ideal, legal, monocratic type of Bureaucracy is a supplementary component of the Unified General Theory . It emerges naturally, rationally and unavoidably in the application of The Unified Pattern of Administration to develop an enterprise.

MASLOWS HIERARCHY OF HUMAN NEEDS
Abraham Maslows theory of motivation is a supplementary component of The Unified General Theory. It emerges naturally, rationally and unavoidably in the application of The Unified Pattern of Administration to develop an enterprise.

PRESTHUS ACCOMMODATION OF INDIVIDUALS IN BUREAUCRACY
Robert Presthus’ interdisciplinary analysis of the influence of big organizations upon individuals is the complementary component that emerges naturally, rationally and unavoidably from the interaction of the 2 supplementary components. It evokes 3 modal type categories of accommodation, Upward Mobile, Ambivalent and Indifferent.

THE UNIFIED GENERAL THEORY OF ADMINISTRATION
The Unified General Theory is summarized. It is novel, natural, rational and unavoidable.

-Appendix—IMPLICATIONS
A list of some of the more apparent implications that can be deduced from the propositions of the Unified General Theory of Administration.

-Appendix—DISPLAYS
Figure 1—The Principles of Administration Logical Square
Figure 2—The Principles of Organization and Coordination Logical Square
Figure 3—The Principles of Command and Control Logical Square
Figure 4—Urwick’s Pattern of Administration
Figure 5—Urwick’s Elements of Administration
Figure 6—The Unified Pattern of Administration
Chapter One - THE GENESIS OF THE UNIFIED GENERAL THEORY

For the last hundred or so years thousands of books, technical papers and periodicals about administration have accumulated. This is knowledge that could be useful to those concerned with administration if they just knew what was there, where it is and they had the motivation, time and opportunity to look for it. Very few that need it ever have the opportunity to access more than the tiniest bit of it. There was a time in my career when I needed some of this administration knowledge but didn’t know if it existed or where to find it if it did exist.
My need for administration knowledge developed early in a 31-year management career with a large industrial enterprise. Early in those years events occurred that were confusing or puzzling or frustrating or sometimes even seemed irrational. Policies believed to be rational and necessary would accomplish their intended purpose but would also cause collateral damage that was detrimental to the organization. Here are a few very brief illustrative examples.
There was a standard cost system in which actual costs were compared to standard budgets and the variances evaluated as a measure of performance. It was obvious that the standards were too generous because good performances were being routinely achieved with little or no special effort. It was apparent that production costs could be significantly reduced and profits increased by tightening these standard budgets. A program to accomplish this offered cash awards to management for developing and installing improved practices that reduced costs accompanied by progressively tightened standard budgets. The awards were generous and management entered into the program with zeal. Eventually appropriate standards were achieved but they were not recognized as such. The standards continued to be tightened but the accompanying changes that were supposed to reduce costs frequently did not do so. The end result was standard costs that became as much too tight as they were once too loose creating an apparent decline in performance. The organization was actually performing effectively but was perceived as ineffective.
Organizations can internalize counterproductively in their own worst interest. They can become so attached to internal procedures and controls that they lose sight of the harmful effects that can result when dedication to procedure supercedes dedication to the objectives for which the procedure was developed. Management and non-management personnel were observed who day after day and year after year performed their work competently and dependably but with benign apathy. Sometimes even arising out of this apathy to intense activity to perpetuate an undesirable status quo apparently unaware of its adverse effect upon the operation and its personnel.
Internalization can also reach beyond internal counterproductively and become an external threat. Manufacturing units had monthly shipping directives of specific orders to be shipped that month. Occasionally it would become apparent that some of the orders would not ship on time. To meet the shipping directive, orders that were promised for the following month but could be shipped in the current month would be pulled into the current month to replace those that were promised but would not be ready for shipment. Customers who expected delivery of their orders as promised had based their business plans and operations upon that promise but received instead a disappointing broken delivery notice. Other customers were asked to accept unplanned for early deliveries that they didn’t want or need. Eventually, customers turned to more reliable suppliers resulting in a progressive decay in market participation.
Sales representatives make promises to customers to get orders that the producing unit subsequently rejects because it can’t fulfill the promises made. This will adversely affect sales performance, so the sales unit persuades the executives that the order is very important and is just too good to lose. The producing unit is directed to accept the order, give it special attention and work it in somehow. Months later, the special order ships on time because of executive mandated special attention, but other orders that were preempted in the process ship late. The producing unit is penalized with a poor shipping performance and other customers are burdened with late shipments.
Over the years, these and other counterproductive events in great variety continued to occur. There had to be some sort of rationale within which these dysfunctional events could at least be understood and possibly be corrected. A personal off-the-job effort searching for these rationales ended with my acceptance of a career advancing invitation to be sponsored for a course of study leading to a Sc.D. in Metallurgical Engineering. Ironically, this event initiated a long and very different path that has led, serendipitously, to the result that the personal research effort it interrupted had been seeking. The Sc.D. program was entered with much enthusiasm but out of economic necessity working in the steel mill also continued. By the end of the first semester it was apparent that this arrangement wasn’t going to succeed despite the attraction for the subject. The disconcerting events in the workplace continued to be a distraction and a source of frustration. They couldn’t be ignored because they often added burdensome complications to work responsibilities. With more regret than realized at the time, my participation in the Sc.D. Program was terminated and my personal efforts were redirected back to the search for rationales but this time with a more formal and intense procedure.
Since the troubling events were occurring in business situations and the way that the people conducted their business affairs, it seemed reasonable that Business Administration should be a resource for answers. An MBA evening program was entered and eventually abandoned. By the end of the first year it had become apparent that it would not be the source of answers for the concerns of this pursuit. Just as Metallurgical Engineering basically taught the ‘mechanics’ of Metallurgy, Business Administration basically taught the ‘mechanics’ of Business.
Since these troubling events dealt with people, perhaps psychology could be the source where the answers could be found. This time, instead of engaging in a course of psychological study, time and effort were devoted to reviewing the psychological course content and the publications available in the Ps