   
|
INTRODUCTION
Functions of Theories.
What is theory? How do theories function in
educational administration? The text begins by exploring the nature of theory
in administration and discusses six functions of theory in educational
administration. Basically, educational administrators are professionals who
have a code of ethics and are licensed by state boards of education. Thus,
their behavior is guided by acceptable standards of practice. One of the best
criteria of a profession, however, is that it has matured as a science; that
is, it has developed a solid theoretical base - a body of organized and tested
knowledge. Such is the case with educational administration.
Historically, scientific management focused on the
management of work and workers. Taylor pursued the idea that through careful
scientific analysis the efficiency of work could be improved. Taylor's
scientific management can be summarized as consisting of four principles.
Administrative management addressed issues concerning how the overall
organization should be structured. Administrative management concentrated on
the management of an entire organization. (By 1881 Taylor had published a
paper that turned the cutting of metal into a science. Later he turned his
attention to shoveling coal. By experimenting with different designs of shovel
for use with different material (from 'rice' coal to ore) he was able to design
shovels that would permit the worker to shovel for the whole day. In so doing,
he reduced the number of people shoveling at the Bethlehem Steel Works from 500
to 140. This work, and his studies on the handling of pig iron, greatly
contributed to the analysis of work design and gave rise to method study. To
follow, in 1895, were papers on incentive schemes. A piece rate system on
production management in shop management, and later, in 1909, he published the
book for which he is best known, Principles of Scientific Management. A feature
of Taylor's work was stop-watch timing as the basis of observations. However,
unlike the early activities of Perronet and others, he started to break the
timings down into elements and it was he who coined the term 'time study'. Read
more at http://www.accel-team.com/scientific/scientific_02.html
Human Relations Approach
The human relations approach is
considered to have started with a series of studies conducted at the Hawthorne
Plant of Western Electric near Chicago by Elton Mayo and his associates between
1927 and 1933. These studies, widely known as the Hawthorne studies, have
strongly influenced administrative theory
|