Question

Consider the following statements concerning Urwick's eight principles and synthesis in The Elements of Administration:

1. The principle of span of control limits direct supervision to no more than five or six interlocking subordinates.

2. Urwick's twenty-nine principles integrate Taylor's scientific management, Fayol's fourteen principles, and Mooney-Reiley's ideas on coordination.

3. The principle of objective requires an expressed purpose, while the scalar principle advocates a flat, non-pyramidal structure.

• A. 1 and 3 only
• B. 1 and 2 only
• C. 2 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer 1

Answer:

B. 1 and 2 only

Urwick's Principles of Administration and Synthesis

• Statement 1: Span of Control
  • Luther Gulick, and later Lyndall Urwick, emphasized the principle of span of control.
  • This principle suggests that a manager can effectively supervise a limited number of subordinates.
  • While not a rigid number, Urwick, influenced by others like V.A. Graicunas, often cited a range of five to six interlocking subordinates as an optimal limit for direct supervision in complex organizations.
  • Exceeding this limit can strain a manager's ability to provide adequate attention and direction, potentially leading to decreased efficiency.
• Statement 2: Integration of Management Theories
  • Lyndall Urwick is recognized for attempting to synthesize various management theories into a coherent framework.
  • He identified and elaborated on a set of principles, often cited as twenty-nine, that aimed to integrate ideas from earlier thinkers.
  • These included concepts from:
    • Frederick Winslow Taylor's Scientific Management: Focused on efficiency through task optimization and standardization.
    • Henri Fayol's 14 Principles of Management: Provided a broader framework for organizational management, including principles like unity of command, hierarchy, and division of work.
    • James D. Mooney and Alan C. Reiley's work on Coordination: Emphasized the importance of coordination as a fundamental element of organization.
  • Urwick's contribution was in organizing and presenting these ideas in a more structured manner for the study of public administration.
• Statement 3: Principle of Objective and Scalar Principle
  • Principle of Objective: This principle, as articulated by Urwick, asserts that every organization, or part thereof, should have a clearly defined and expressed purpose or objective. All activities should align with achieving this objective.
  • Scalar Principle: This principle refers to the line of authority from top to bottom in an organization (the hierarchy). It dictates the chain of command. Urwick, like Fayol, advocated for a clear scalar chain. A flat, non-pyramidal structure is generally associated with a wider span of control and less hierarchy, which is somewhat contrary to the strict interpretation of a strong scalar principle leading to a tall, pyramidal structure. Therefore, advocating for a flat structure is not a direct implication of the scalar principle as typically understood in classical management theory.