Management Principles Questions and Answers [With PDF]
Good managers do not make every decision from scratch. They use principles: guidelines that years of practice have shown to work. This chapter covers Henri Fayol’s 14 principles, F. W. Taylor’s scientific management, and the skills and qualities of a good manager. Here are 25 important questions with clear answers and tables you can use in exams, vivas and interviews.
This is Chapter 2 of our Management course. It follows Introduction to Management and comes before Planning and Decision-making.
Meaning and Importance
Q1. What is a principle?
A principle is a general guideline or fundamental truth that has been tested through practice and that guides decisions and actions.
Q2. What are management principles?
Management principles are broad guidelines for how managers should plan, organize, direct and control. They have been developed from long experience and observation, and they are widely accepted as useful. They are guides, not rigid laws, so managers adjust them to each situation.
Q3. What are the features of management principles?
- They are universal, which means they apply in all kinds of organizations.
- They are flexible, because managers can adapt them.
- They are based on observation and experience.
- They aim at the human behaviour of people at work.
- They are guidelines for action, not exact rules.
Q4. What is the importance of management principles?
- They help managers achieve the objectives of the organization.
- They improve efficiency and reduce waste.
- They help create discipline and a good working environment.
- They provide a clear structure for management.
- They increase employees’ interest and morale.
- They reduce the manager’s workload by giving ready guidance for common problems.
Fayol and Taylor
Q5. What are Fayol’s 14 principles of management?
| No. | Principle | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Division of work | Split work so people specialize |
| 2 | Authority and responsibility | The right to give orders goes with accountability |
| 3 | Discipline | Obedience, respect and following agreed rules |
| 4 | Unity of command | One employee takes orders from one superior only |
| 5 | Unity of direction | One head and one plan for a group with the same objective |
| 6 | Subordination of individual interest to general interest | Organization’s interest comes before personal interest |
| 7 | Remuneration | Fair pay for both employee and employer |
| 8 | Centralization (and decentralization) | The right balance of authority at the top and below |
| 9 | Scalar chain | The line of authority from top to bottom |
| 10 | Order | The right person and the right thing in the right place |
| 11 | Equity | Kindness and justice toward employees |
| 12 | Stability of tenure of personnel | Avoid unnecessary job turnover |
| 13 | Initiative | Let employees think out and carry out plans |
| 14 | Esprit de corps (union is strength) | Team spirit and harmony |
Q6. Why is Henri Fayol called the father of modern (administrative) management?
Henri Fayol (1841-1925) was a French mining engineer and manager who was born in Constantinople (now Istanbul). In his 1916 book Administration Industrielle et Generale, he identified five functions of management (planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating and controlling), set out 14 principles, and argued that management is a separate subject that can be taught and applies to every kind of organization. For presenting management as a complete body of knowledge, he is called the father of modern management.
Q7. Why is F. W. Taylor called the father of scientific management?
Frederick Winslow Taylor (1856-1915) was an American mechanical engineer. In works such as The Principles of Scientific Management (1911), he showed that work can be studied scientifically, by observing, measuring and testing, instead of relying on rules of thumb. He is therefore called the father of scientific management.
Q8. What is scientific management?
Scientific management is the use of scientific methods, such as observation, experiments and measurement, to find the best way to do each job and to select and train workers, in order to increase efficiency and output. It focuses mainly on work at the shop-floor level.
Q9. What are the principles of scientific management?
- Science, not rule of thumb.
- Harmony, not discord, between management and workers.
- Cooperation, not individualism.
- Maximum output in place of restricted output.
- Development of each worker to his or her greatest efficiency and prosperity.
Q10. What are the main techniques of scientific management?
- Time study, motion study and fatigue study
- Standardization of tools, methods and working conditions
- Scientific selection and training of workers
- Differential piece-rate system (higher pay for higher output)
- Functional foremanship (specialist supervisors)
- A mental revolution in management and workers
Key Principles Explained
Q11. What is the principle of division of work?
Work is divided into parts according to the needs of the organization, and each person is given a clearly defined task. People become specialists, so skill and efficiency improve. Example: in a garment factory, one team cuts, another stitches and another packs.
Q12. What is the principle of authority and responsibility?
Authority is the right to give orders. Responsibility is the obligation to answer for the work. The two should be equal: a manager given a task must also be given enough authority to do it, and anyone with authority must be accountable for how it is used.
Q13. What is the principle of discipline?
Discipline means obedience, respect for rules and agreements, and good conduct at work. It needs good leaders at all levels, clear and fair agreements, and sensible penalties. (Placing the right person and thing in the right place is the principle of order, not discipline.)
Q14. What is the principle of unity of command?
Each employee should receive orders from, and be answerable to, only one superior. This avoids confusion, conflicts and delays.
Q15. What is dual subordination?
When an employee reports to more than one superior at the same time. It breaks the principle of unity of command, and it leads to conflicting orders and divided loyalty.
Q16. What is the principle of unity of direction?
A group of activities with the same objective should have one head and one plan. Unity of command is about one boss for each person. Unity of direction is about one plan for each group.
Q17. What is the scalar chain principle?
The scalar chain is the line of authority that runs from the top of the organization to the bottom, linking every level. Orders and reports should normally pass along this chain. In an emergency, Fayol allowed a direct link between people at the same level (a “gang plank”), as long as their superiors know.
Q18. What is the principle of order?
The right person and the right material should be in the right place at the right time, so that work flows smoothly and nothing is wasted.
Q19. What is the principle of equity?
Managers should treat employees with kindness and justice, so that they are loyal and committed. Equity means fairness, not identical treatment of every person.
Q20. What is the principle of initiative?
Employees should be allowed to think out a plan and carry it through, even if mistakes sometimes happen. It gives them satisfaction and strengthens the organization.
Q21. What is the difference between Fayol’s and Taylor’s approaches?
| Point | Henri Fayol | F. W. Taylor |
|---|---|---|
| Background | French mining engineer and executive | American mechanical engineer |
| Level of focus | The whole organization, top management | The shop floor and workers |
| Main contribution | 14 principles and five functions | Scientific management techniques |
| Known as | Father of modern (administrative) management | Father of scientific management |
| Approach | Based on practical experience as a manager | Based on experiments and measurement |
Skills and Qualities of a Manager
Q22. What skills does a manager need?
| Skill | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Technical skill | Ability to use the methods, tools and techniques of a specific job |
| Human (interpersonal) skill | Ability to work with, understand, communicate with and motivate people |
| Conceptual skill | Ability to see the organization as a whole and think about future conditions |
| Diagnostic skill | Ability to find the cause of a problem and decide the right solution |
Managerial efficiency means doing the management work correctly, on time and at low cost, using these skills.
Q23. What are the qualities of an ideal manager?
- General education and knowledge
- Work experience
- Good physical and mental health
- Sincerity and perseverance
- Good communication skills
- Ability to motivate others
- Foresight
- Problem-solving ability: understanding a problem quickly makes it much easier to find solutions and to lead people
Q24. What is the difference between administration and management, and why is administration compared to the brain?
Administration is top-level work: setting the objectives and policies of the organization. Management is the work of carrying out those policies and getting things done through people. Administration is compared to the brain because, like the brain, it decides what the body should do. Management is like the body that acts on those decisions.
Q25. What are the problems of management in developing countries?
- Management is not yet fully recognized as a profession.
- Shortage of efficient, trained managers.
- Weak training systems.
- Limitations of management education.
- Resistance to new attitudes and methods.
- Brain drain: skilled managers move abroad.
- Lack of government support.
Quick Revision Points
- Fayol (French) gave 14 principles. Taylor (American) is the father of scientific management.
- Unity of command: one boss. Unity of direction: one plan for a group.
- Discipline is about obedience and rules. Order is the right person and thing in the right place. Equity is kindness and justice.
- Scalar chain is the line of authority from top to bottom.
- Manager’s skills: technical, human, conceptual and diagnostic.
Test yourself with the chapter quiz below, then continue to Planning and Decision-making.
