From Scientific Management Theory To Human Relations Theory

Based on the historic background from the end of 19th century to 1940s, this paper mainly studies the development and influence of Scientific Management Theory and Human Relations Theory, the evolution and characteristics of personnel management theories of American enterprise, and their influence on modern management theories.The paper consists of four parts: introduction, body, conclusion and references. In the first part, it introduces the basis of study on personnel management theories of American enterprise and the practical issues, the national and international trends of researches, research methods and values of study. The main body of the paper is composed of three sections. The first section introduces the Scientific Management Theory and Taylorism from the end of 19th century to early 20th century, including the historical background of the development of Scientific Management Theory and its contents. The second section introduces the historical context and contents of Human Relations Theory, including Mayo's Hawthorn Experiments, works and theory. The third section evaluates and studies the influences of Scientific Management Theory and Human Relations Theory on personnel management of the American enterprises.In conclusion, the development of personnel management of American enterprises from the end of 19th century to 1940 is closely related to America's political, economic, social, workforce, and technical changes at that time. The management theories and its practical development had great impact on the productivity. The epochal advance in management is that managerial emphasis shifting from"Economic Man"to"Social Man", from managing resources to human. As a new branch of management science, human resource management emerged as the times required. And it has been developed and enriched with years of managerial practices.