WORKING OF BUREAUCRACY by McGregor Douglas McGregor (1906-1964)

OBJECTIVES

Douglas McGregor’s contribution has been in the field of art & science of management. McGregor emerged as a management Psychiatrist during the behaviouralist movement of post war era. McGregor attacked on the unrealistic & limiting assumptions of traditional theories of management, having concern for human nature & human behavior. Control over human behavior in organizations leads to resistance, restriction of output & indifference in the accomplishment, of organizational objectives. McGregor divided his views into - a) ‘X’ Theory & b) ‘Y’ Theory. The traditional assumptions, he regarded, fall under ‘X’ theory. He suggested ‘Y’ theory which is based upon integration & Self control, by the employees in an organization, to accomplish organizational goals. McGregor hoped that his Y theory as a new & superior ethic - is a set of moral values that ought to replace the values managers usually accept.

INTRODUCTION

In the field of study of Management, name of McGregor, is highly recognized. He was a Psychiatrist, who studied human Psychology & group sociology. Being a Management researcher, his main research was to make empirical science of Management. He wanted to guide manager as a professional manager. McGregor had a great concern for employees also.

McGregor had developed ‘X’ Theory, as a traditional view of management, McGregor did not support ‘X’ theory. Hence he developed ‘Y’ theory, which would suit the contemporary industrial society. In his ‘Y’ theory, McGregor had suggested positive approach to be adopted by managers as well as employees.

In this chapter, an attempt is made, to understand McGregor’s ‘X’ theory; ‘Y’ theory & the relevance of ‘Y’ theory in today’s world.

A BRIEF LIFE SKETCH OF MCGRAGOR

McGregor was born in U.S.A. He earned his B.E. in Mechanical from Rangoon Institution of Technology. He completed his M.A. & Ph.D. in Psychology from Harvard University in 1933 & 1935 respectively. He worked as a Management Professor at MIT, Sloan School of Management. He was president of Antioch College, from 1948 to 1954. He also taught at Indian Institute of Management, at Calcutta.

McGregor wrote two classics - 1) The Human side of the Enterprise & 2) The professional Manager. He also wrote numerous articles on professional managerial skills. His, ‘The Professional Manager’, focuses on linking the human side of the enterprise with appropriate managerial intervention & understanding.