Question

Fayol belongs to which school of management?

• A. Scientific
• B. Administrative
• C. Human relations
• D. Behavioural

Hint:

A simple way to distinguish the two classical giants: Taylor looked from the bottom-up (shop floor/tasks), while Fayol looked from the top-down (administration/leadership).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept: Management theory is categorized into several historical schools of thought. Henri Fayol is considered the father of Administrative Management, which is a branch of the Classical School.
• Scientific Management: Developed by F.W. Taylor, focusing on task efficiency and productivity at the operational level.
• Administrative Management: Developed by Henri Fayol, focusing on the organization as a whole and the systematic functions of managers.
• Human Relations Behavioural: Developed later (e.g., Elton Mayo), focusing on social factors and human psychology in the workplace.

Step 1: Identifying Fayol's approach.
Henri Fayol viewed management as a universal set of functions that could be applied to any organization. While Scientific Management looked at how workers do their jobs, Fayol's Administrative theory looked at how managers should organize and lead.

Step 2: Understanding the 14 Principles.
Fayol proposed 14 principles of management (such as Division of Work, Unity of Command, and Esprit de Corps) that serve as a guide for effective administration. He also identified the five primary functions of management: Planning, Organizing, Commanding, Coordinating, and Controlling.

Step 3: Conclusion.
Due to his focus on the administrative structure and the managerial role, he is the primary figure of the Administrative School. This corresponds to option (B).