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Classical School of Management

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NAME: ADEBIYI OLUWATOSIN MARY
MATRIC NO: 100203010
DEPARTMENT: BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
LEVEL: 400
COURSE TITLE: MANAGEMENT THEORY
COURSE CODE: BUS 413
ASSIGNMENT: Write about the Classical school of thought in Management in 2 pages. DATE: 26th of March 2014.

CLASSICAL SCHOOL OF THOUGHT IN MANAGEMENT The classical school is the oldest formal school of management thought. Its roots predate the twentieth century. The classical school of thought generally concerns ways to manage work and organisations efficiently. Three areas of study that can be grouped under the classical school are scientific management, administrative management and bureaucratic management. The classical school (of management) has sought to define the essence of management in the form of universal fundamental functions. These, it was hoped, would form the cognitive basis for a set of relevant skills to be acquired, by all would-be managers through formal education. The classical school’s management thought was based on the belief that employees have only economical and physical needs, and that social needs and need for job satisfaction either don’t exist or are unimportant. Accordingly, this school advocates high specialization of labour, centralized decision-making and profit maximization.
Weaknesses of the Classical Management Theories. Classical theories and the principles derived from them continue to be popular today with some modifications. Many criticisms have been directed at the classicists. Several major ones are discussed here;
Reliance on experience Many of the writers in the classical

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