Question

The classical theory of administration reached its zenith with the publication of papers by which two key thinkers in 1937?

• A. Taylor and Fayol
• B. Fayol and Reiley
• C. Gulick and Urwick
• D. Mooney and Simon

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Gulick and Urwick

The Classical Theory of Administration: Gulick and Urwick

• The year 1937 marked a significant milestone in the development of the Classical Theory of Administration, primarily due to the influential publications of two key figures: Luther Gulick and Lyndall Urwick.
• Their work synthesized and formalized many of the principles that had been emerging in the field of management and public administration.
• Luther Gulick is renowned for his essay "Notes on the Theory of Organization" published in the collection "Papers on the Science of Administration" (1937), co-edited with Urwick.
• In this essay, Gulick introduced the concept of POSDCORB, an acronym representing the core functions of administration:
• Planning
• Organizing
• Staffing
• Directing
• Coordinating
• Reporting
• Budgeting
• Gulick also emphasized the importance of span of control, departmentalization, and coordination as crucial elements for effective organizational structure.
• Lyndall Urwick, another prominent proponent of the Classical Theory, contributed extensively to the "Papers on the Science of Administration."
• Urwick consolidated and popularized many of Frederick Winslow Taylor's and Henri Fayol's ideas, advocating for a single, universally applicable science of administration.
• He stressed principles such as unity of command, hierarchy, and the scalar chain, believing they were essential for achieving efficiency and order in organizations.
• His work aimed to provide a rational and scientific framework for managing complex organizations, especially in the context of growing industrialization and public services.
• The collective contributions of Gulick and Urwick are considered foundational to the Classical or Traditional School of Management thought, which dominated administrative theory for several decades.
• This theory views organizations as rational, goal-oriented entities with a clear hierarchy and a focus on efficiency, specialization, and formal structure.