Henri Fayol's management theory is a simple model of how management interacts with personnel. Fayol's management theory covers concepts in a broad way, so almost any business can apply his theory of management. Today the business community considers Fayol's classical management theory as a relevant guide to productively managing staff.
The management theory of Henri Fayol includes 14 principles of management. From these principles, Fayol concluded that management should interact with personnel in five basic ways in order to control and plan production.
1. Planning. According to Fayol's theory, management must plan and schedule every part of industrial processes.
2. Organizing. Henri Fayol argued that in addition to planning a manufacturing process, management must also make certain all of the necessary resources (raw materials, personnel, etc.) came together at the appropriate time of production.
3. Commanding. Henri Fayol's management theory states that management must encourage and direct personnel activity.
4. Coordinating. According to the management theory of Henri Fayol, management must make certain that personnel works together in a cooperative fashion.
5. Controlling. The final management activity, according to Henri Fayol, is for the manager to evaluate and ensure that personnel follow management's commands.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Find summaries of Henri Fayol's management theory online
For the easiest way to view information on Fayol's management theory, look up online summaries that delve into Fayol's 14 principles of management.
I recommend: For a quick list of Fayol's 14 principles of management, look through the brief summary on
12 Manage. You can get more information on Fayol's 14 principles through an article published by
Christian Business Daily. Another article in
IngentaConnect discusses Fayol's management theory and what events in his life lead to this theory.
Use consulting services to tailor Henri Fayol's management theory to your business
Management consultants can help you work new ideas and plans into your current work environment. Believe it or not, many management consulting companies specialize in the classical management theory of Henri Fayol.
I recommend: Shepherd Advisors prides itself it taking Fayol's theory and applying it to businesses.
SDI International Management Consultants tackles Fayol's theory from the perspective of project management and planning.
Locate workshops and online courses to help you make the most of Fayol's management theory
Fayol's classical management theory often gets absorbed under the title "Project Management." So if you're looking for courses or workshops to help you better understand his theory and 14 principles of management, try looking for Project Management courses, and ask the instructor for a syllabus before you sign up. This will ensure that you enroll in a class with the right focus.
I recommend: The
University of New England and
Watermark Learning both offer extensive online training in Project Management that covers Fayol's theory as well.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Keep in mind the limitations of Fayol's management theory. Since its publication in the early 1900s, Fayol's theory of management has come under criticism. Fayol never conducted research; instead he based his theory on personal experience.
The official source of Management Theory of Henri Fayol is
the Management Theory of Henri Fayol page at Business.com
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