| The understanding of human nature is the foundation of the theories and models of management. Western theorists have completed extensive investigations concerning human nature, which influenced the practice of management. The thesis discusses western management patterns by way of analyzing theories of human nature, and tries to explore the effectiveness of the practice of management in our country.From classical management to the psychology of management, there exist four hypotheses of human nature,i.e.,economic man,social man,self-actualization man, and complex man. Each hypothesis implies a unique practice of management."Economic man" was the earliest hypothesis. It regarded the pursuit of economic benefits as the main striving force of human behavior. Psychologist McGregor summarizes it as theory-X. The practice that corresponds this hypothesis is "task management", which emphasizes the task and efficiency and neglects affectionate factors. In this practice, management is plan, organization, direction, and supervisior that will complete the task. It is the business for the few managers,not the business for the majority of the employees .The concept of "Social man" was contrived by Havvard Professor Mayo based on his Horthorne experimentations.It discloses that the main motivation for human job behavior is the satisfaction of human relations rather than economic benefits. The practice that corresponds this hypothesis is participating management, the main features of which are consideration and satisfaction of employees' social needs and feeling of belongingness. The role for managers is the connection between employees and supervisors.The concept of "Self-actualization man" was provided by Maslow. In Maslow'view, besides social needs, human being cherishes a desire to actualize his potentials. McGregor Summarizes this hypothesis as theory-Y. The practice that corresponds this hypothesis is "democratic management", which emphasizes the creation of beneficial environment for employees' self-actualization. The motivation changes from the outside to the inside.The hypothesis of "complex man" regards each of the above as provincial. In this hypothesis, human being cannot be simply classified as any one category of economic man, social man, or self-actualization man. Human being' behavior is contingent,depending on the time,the place,and other environmental factors. The practice that corresponds this hypothesis is called "contingent management". In this model, the practice of management should be different for different people, different tasks, and different environments. "contingency" doesnot exclude the above three types of practice, what it emphasizes is the consideration of concrete situations. The thesis points out that the four hypotheses reflects the developmental process of managerial psychological viewpoints of human nature and the thought of management. To summarize, the development displays three tendencies. The first is the development from task-centered management to employee-centered management. The second is from catering employees' low-level, material needs to satisfying employees'higher-level, social land self-actualizing needs. The third is concerned with the motivation of human job behavior, which moves from single factor determination to multiple factors determination. These tendencies crystalize the achievement of western managerial psychological investigation, which deserves our attention and reference.Concerning reference, the thesis provides three points of consideration.The first is to establish the managerial idea of "human-centeredness". In our socialist system, good socialist human relationships should be freated as more important than economic, material motivation. We should guide our analysis of the social relations in our organizations Marxist thought of human as social beings. The second is the emphasis of the inner motivation of "self-actualization". First of all, socialist management should admit that self-a... |
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