Conclusion
This chapter offered a history of management through the classical theories and the contemporary theories of management. In addition, the Johari Window Exercise offered a chance for learning about personal management styles.
A review of this chapter’s major conclusions, include:
- The classical management theories of bureaucratic, scientific, behavioral, and human relations offer different approaches to management on a spectrum ranging from product to employee.
- Self-awareness is just as much about finding out about what you know and what managers know and what are their blind spots only known by others. Constructive feedback on past experiences is very beneficial for developing self-awareness.
- Classical management theory has evolved in the modern marketplace through technology, diversity, and globalization. Learning organizations are following these trends to keep ahead of the curve in an expanding organizational environment.
Management within a learning organization fits many categories, from bureaucratic to human relations, and from technological to global. Managers in learning organizations subscribe to these managerial theories to further develop their core competencies of communication, teamwork, self-management, leadership, critical thinking, and professionalism. Chapter 3 will shift our focus to leadership styles and the roles of leaders in learning organizations.
