Management: Ideas and Actions

Much of what is known in modern management theory today is not new. In fact most successful contemporary management ideas stem from the history of administrative thought. For this reason, it is essential for students to place modern management in proper perspective and to explore the origin and evolution of management theory. Management: Ideas and Actions is an integrative text covering essential concepts of management theory. The text has two primary goals: the first goal is to illustrate that there are recurring themes in the field which transcend both time and fashion; the second goal is to demonstrate the continuing usefulness of concepts and prescriptions resulting from these themes by presenting case examples from modern organizations and experiences of individual managers. The text shows that although management can appear faddish, it is not about fads, and that although it is a practical art fundamentally about human relationships, it is also systematic and conceptual. Ideal for undergraduate, MBA, and graduate-level management courses, Management: Ideas and Actions demonstrates that management is cumulative and has scientific foundations, illustrates evolving currents and themes, and confirms occasional revolutionary progress. The author believes that we shortchange management and its history if we limit ourselves only to contemporary interpretations, and that we seriously hinder future managers by not sharing the wisdom that has emerged over more than a century.