Ancient Management Thought 1

8/13/2019 Ancient Management Thought 1

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Management Thoughts

Ancient Management Thoughts-1


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Ancient/ Early Management Era

5000BC to 28 BC

We know very little about pre-historic age of

the World.

We past the last Glacial age that was held

during 10,000 to 9000 BC.

But we guess some kind of Mesolithic Culture

was developed to maintain primitive society.

However

The first evidence of managerial tool is found

in the Sumerian civilization around 5000BC.


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Sumerian Civilization

5000BC

Sumerian priests recorded accounts of

transactions of tax collections, dues thereof,

payments made and to be made, and

inventories of materials in the stock.

It was done for managerial control over the

vast holdings of the religious corporation.


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Egyptian Civilization

5000 to 525BC

A. Managerial Planning, Organizing,

Leadership and Control exhibited in the

construction of great Pyramid and new city.

-The great pyramid of Cheops was built with

1,00,000 men over 20 years.

-It used 23,00,000 blocks of stone of two and

one-half tons weight, each taken from quarries

of two to three days journey.


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5000 to 525BC

-The stone blocks were marked, cut to size,transported in, numbered and placed withthousands of men and animals. It shows a well

articulated material and multimodaltransportation management.

-Transportation was done during annual floodseason to minimize land transportation. Itshows the well designed low costtransportation strategy.


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5000 to 525BC

The quarrying was done during winter and

spring seasons. It reflects the existence of a

long-term plan.

The monument of God at Hammamat was

constructed with 8.368 officers, common

soldiers, civil officers, painters, stone masons,

barbarians and bond slaves under theleadership of high priest Amon.


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5000 to 525BC

This structure shows an architectural design,

plan for men and materials, span of

supervision, effective leadership, efficient

coordination, and effective control of the

performances to make this monumental work

done successfully.


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5000 to 525BC

B. Government management also exhibited

managerial functions and practices.

- Old Kingdom and New Empire (1530-1050 B.C.) practicedloose decentralized administration with sub states with remote

control by the Pharaoh.

- Middle Kingdom re-centralized authority and started

centralised organisation.

- A strong military organisation under Pharaoh maintained the

unity of the state.

- The prime minister inspects the territories to exercise

coordination, monitoring and controlling.


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5000 to 525BC.

It maintained detailed record of the all governmental

activities, directives, rules, for reference and support.

The government emphasized on specialization. It

restricts tradesmen to participate in political affairs asit will distract them from trade efficiently.

It made forecasting, work panning, division of work,

job description, departments to make efficient

administration.

It established full time professional administrator to

coordinate and control the state enterprises.


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5000 to 525BC

C. Managerial Writings

-The book of instruction of Ptah-hotep to hisson about 2700 B.C. contained:

-Commanders should ensure every beneficialdeed for himself.

Effectiveness of good order is long lasting, and

wrongdoing can never bring the task home. Listen the petitioners attentively, do not stop

them at the middle, let them complete theirstatement.


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5000 to 525BC

The manuscript of instructions contain:

-Proclaim thy business without concealment. That isbe honest in managerial dealings.

-The leader ought to have in mind the days that areyet to come i.e. need for planning.

-Great is a great one whose counselors are great i.e.competent staff.

-Write with thine hand, read with thy mouth, and askcounsel of them that have more knowledge that thou.Persevere in asking counsel, neglect it not. That is usestaff effectively.


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5000 to 525BC

Managers are given the following directives:

1. It is an abomination of the god to showpartiality. Be same to all- known and

unknown, near and far. Managers practicingthis will flourish in the place.

2. Be not enraged toward a man unjustly.

3. All who are going out of kings house orcoming in kings house shall report to him.

4. The overseers shall report to the king theiraffairs.


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5000 to 525BC 5. It is he who brings in the officials of the district, or

who sends them out, shall report their affairs to theking.

6. Every petition must be made in writing, not in oral.

7. All viziers/supervisors shall report their affaire onthe first day of every four month season along withwritten documents and local council.

8. Every office, from the first to the last, proceed to

the hall of the king to take counsel with him. 9. Inspection shall be made to cause every man to

know his duty according to the stipulation of everyaffairs.


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Babylonian Civilization

Hammurabi, the King of Babylonia during

2000-1700 B.C. formed the first state and

forces the people to keep peace with laws of

various kinds.

In 2250 B.C. , Hammurabi issued a code of

282 laws, which governed business dealings,

personal behaviour, interpersonal relations,wages, punishments and a host of ot her

societal matters.


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The Codes of Hammurabi contained:

1) A hired labour shall be paid 8 gus of grain

per year i.e. set the minimum wages of labour.

2) Any deposit of silver, gold etc with another,

he shall show those to a witness, make contract

and then deposit. It is an accounting control

mechanism.


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3. All merchants shall have a sealed written money

receipt from his agent before having any trade with

him. Otherwise, he will not claim the money from the

agent. It is too a control tool. 4. About fixing responsibility,the instruction

contains:

i) The mason who builds a house which falls down

and kills the inmate shall be put to death.

ii) If a wine merchants allows riotous men to

assemble in his house and do not expel them, he shall

be killed.


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iii) If a doctor operates on a wound with a

copper lancet, and the patient dies, his hands

shall be cut off. Same will happen if any body

losses his eye due to operation of a doctor.

iv) If a child dies under the care of a nurse who

substituted another nurse without the consent

of parents, the breasts of that nurse shall be cutoff.


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The managerial technique of

Nebuchadnezzar (604 B.C.)

-Every stock of materials entering into textile

mill each week bears a distinct colour tag.

-The stored grain containers also bear a

coloured reed to know the period of store.

- Wages are paid on individual production i.e.

incentive scheme for motivation.


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Hebrews : The Managerial Talent of

Moses(A) The great exodus of Hebrews/Jews, the follower of

Moses(A), the Bani Israel, from the bondage ofEgyptians was a tremendous managerial undertakingin the history of human civilisation.

Moses(A) uses 1. Short and long-term plan.

2. Organisation of tasks and sets the span. He divideshis people into 12 groups and appoints a leader for

each group. 3. He delegates and decentralizes the authority too

based on the job. He said, Every small matter theyshall judge, but every great matter they shall bring tothee. He centralizes a few authority.


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Hebrews : The Managerial Talent of

Moses(A)

3. Management by exception. Only mistakes or

deviations of earlier plan or course of action is

handled.

4. He selects right person for the group, train

them with goals and techniques, codes of

conduct, and develop organisation.

5. He exercises charismatic leadership besides

transformational and transactional leadership.


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Management Thoughts of Chinese

Civilisation (3000B.C.- 87 B.C.)

Chinese writers, government, and scholars

have provided us excellent managerial tasks

and tools that have strong resembles to the

modern management.

1. The ancient record of Chow , 1100B.C.

contains the directory of civil servants along

with theior jobs and duties. It tells aboutplanning, organising, directing and controlling

of employees.


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2. Chow mentions the powers of primeminister to maintain eight things:

1. Rank/position and status.

2. Emolument /salary 3. Favour

4. Appointment

5. Attention 6. Confiscation

7. Removal

8. Death


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3. Chow mentions Eight Methods to governthe country that includes:

1. Ritual and worship.

2. Statutes and regulations. 3. Removal and appointment

4. Emolument and rank.

5. Taxes and tributes 6. Ceremonies and customs.

7. Punishment and reward

8. Farming and other employments.


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4. Chow mentions Eight regulations to governdifferent departments of government. They arerelated to organization, functions,

relationships, procedures, formalities, control,punishments and reckoning for auditing.

5. Emperor Yao (2350 to 2256 B.C.) uses staff,meet with them, seek advice aboutcommunication between court and empire.

6. Tang (1766-1754B.C.) initiates autonomyof staff.


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7. Mencius (500B.C.) emphasised on system,

methodology and models in effective

management. He says-

Every business must have a system.

All, both skilled and unskilled should use the

system.

Artisans and craftsmen must be committed to

their industry lifetime for specialisation.


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8. Sun Tzu (500B.C.) in his Art of War mentioned

that

Planning is the genesis of success

Command must be clear and distinct.

Generals must have authority

9. Government appointments are made with a system

of written examination, jobs are classified intodifferent grades, but these are done with highest

impartiality.

It indicated system planning, quality screening, job

grading, merit selection and control of performance.


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Greek Civilisation

Greece develops a democratic governmentwith participatory management.

It introduces scientific method to rum the

government with consultative supervision torun the country.

Plato advocates for specialization and says that

one should confine in one business. Socrates(469-399 B.C.) says that a good

manager of a family would also a good generalas both of them are to do the same job. It

recognizes that management is universal.


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Greek Civilisation

Socrates says both a manager and a general

have duty

to make their subordinates willing and obedient;

to put the right man in the right place;

to punish the bad and reward the good;

to do well to win the goodwill of subornidates;

to attract allies and helpers.

to keep their resources

to be strenuous and industrious.


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Greek Civilisation

Socrates observes that the managerial skills aretransferable.

Xenophon clearly indicates that management

is a separate and distinct art. Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) provides numerous

insights into management and organization in

his book Politics. He prescribes 1. Every work is better done which gets sole

attention of the worker i.e. specialization oflabour.


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Greek Civilisation

2. Every office should have a special function,

divided according to subject.

3. The ruler shall use centralization,

decentralization and delegation of authority

with care so that right persons can get it.

4. The whole is naturally superior to the part

i.e. the importance of synergy.

5. He who has never learned to obey cannot be

a good commander. It tells about leadership.


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Indian Civilization- Management

practices of Kautilya. 321 B.C.

Kautilys, also known as Bishnugupta or chanakka.

His principal work is Arthasastra.

He works and contributes to the areas of organisation

and management of trade, commerce, law, law courts,municipal government, social customs, marriage and

divorce, rights of women, census operation, taxation

and revenue, agriculture, mines and factories,

markets, corporations, slaughterhouses, and other

matters.


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practices of Kautilya. 321 B.C. Kautilya gives a job specification of a state officer. He says a

state officer should be

Influential

Well trained in arts

Possesses foresight Wise

Strong memory

Bold

Eloquent ( Persuasive communicator).

Skilful

Intelligent

Possesses enthusiasm

Dignity

Endurance


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practices of Kautilya. 321 B.C. Pure in character,

Affable (Pleasant and Friendly).

Firm in loyal devotion,

Endowed with excellent conduct,

Strength,

Health and bravery,

Free from procrastination (delay or postpone action)

and ficklemindedness ( often changing). Affectionate,

Free from such qualities as excite hatred and enmity.


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Ancient Management Thought 1

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