Our purpose is to identify the contribution of Chester I. Barnard to the development of the management discipline and, in particular, the definition of the role and characteristics of an effective and efficient manager. More precisely, our aim is to analyze the thought of the author on the creation and maintenance of a cooperative system, on the management process and on leadership, with the objective of discovering its original and topical elements and to report any divergences from modern studies in economics and business administration. Initially, an effective management model is outlined, based on an analysis of modern doctrine on the subject to be used as a benchmark for the evaluation of Barnard's contributions in terms of originality and relevance. Subsequently, the author's thinking in relation to his main works is analyzed. More precisely: a) we outline the economic, social and cultural environment in which the conceptions of Barnard matured: the reference is to the 1930s; in particular, the contribution of the business model proposed by the author to make the capitalist system sustainable is assessed; b) we discuss the author's contributions regarding: - conception of the executive's role; - organizational goals and individual objectives and their integration; - communications system and the role of organizational structure in relation to the coordination and regulation of the company system; - source of authority in the organization and its role in relation to the behavior of participants in the company system; - creation and maintenance of a cooperative system by finding a balance between incentives supplied by companies and contributions of organization participants; - effectiveness and efficiency, indicators of the quality and sustainability of the cooperative system; - role of leadership in the management process and characteristics of an effective and efficient manager; In relation to individual topics, the main contributions are explained which, in our opinion, are provided by the author in the development of management theory and in the quest for a high quality management model. In particular, we will attempt to draw a series of teachings from the lessons given by the author (who was among the first to lay the foundations of the theory of management), to provide scholars and current managers with both a systematic framework of technical and economic principles for the effective performance of the executive role and a moral foundation on which to base the management profession. We will be also make some personal remarks about certain elements of organizational structure and operation able to unify and animate the cooperative company system, which, in our opinion, have been neglected or little emphasized by Barnard; this will be done in the light of the most recent doctrine on the quality of leadership. The research questions posed are the following: - what is the theoretical construction of Barnard in terms of the management process and, in particular, of leadership? - what are the key elements that affect the quality of an executive? - what are the main, original and still current teachings that the author has provided to scholars and managers in the field of management and leadership process? - which elements have been overlooked or little emphasized by Barnard in the development of his theory? This work has, in our view, elements of originality and distinction compared with other literature on the thought of Barnard. First, the positive elements and those critical of the work of the author are identified by comparing his model of management and leadership with a benchmark obtained by developing the modern doctrine. Second, with regard to the more obscure points of the thought of the author, an interpretation of his thought has been made, inspired by the system approach. This was carried out mainly on the definition of the elements on which the function of leadership rests and by defining the influence that it has on the quality of management and on company results. Third, a number of critical considerations are presented - more than those found in the literature - on the theory of leadership and, above all, the elements that make it effective in terms of the quality of an organization's operation, the motivation of the personnel and business results. We believe, finally, that the wide range of scientific contributions of Barnard presented here, their systemic connection and also the critical comments made in the light of the most recent studies/doctrine may offer important information/indications for scholars of management and executives.
A methodological contribution to the representation of the function of leadership and its impact on organizational cooperation and company results / Zanda, Stefania. - In: CORPORATE OWNERSHIP & CONTROL. - ISSN 1727-9232. - STAMPA. - 13:Issue 4, Summer 2016, continued -4(2016), pp. 658-666. [10.22495/cocv13i4c4p15]
A methodological contribution to the representation of the function of leadership and its impact on organizational cooperation and company results
ZANDA, Stefania
2016
Abstract
Our purpose is to identify the contribution of Chester I. Barnard to the development of the management discipline and, in particular, the definition of the role and characteristics of an effective and efficient manager. More precisely, our aim is to analyze the thought of the author on the creation and maintenance of a cooperative system, on the management process and on leadership, with the objective of discovering its original and topical elements and to report any divergences from modern studies in economics and business administration. Initially, an effective management model is outlined, based on an analysis of modern doctrine on the subject to be used as a benchmark for the evaluation of Barnard's contributions in terms of originality and relevance. Subsequently, the author's thinking in relation to his main works is analyzed. More precisely: a) we outline the economic, social and cultural environment in which the conceptions of Barnard matured: the reference is to the 1930s; in particular, the contribution of the business model proposed by the author to make the capitalist system sustainable is assessed; b) we discuss the author's contributions regarding: - conception of the executive's role; - organizational goals and individual objectives and their integration; - communications system and the role of organizational structure in relation to the coordination and regulation of the company system; - source of authority in the organization and its role in relation to the behavior of participants in the company system; - creation and maintenance of a cooperative system by finding a balance between incentives supplied by companies and contributions of organization participants; - effectiveness and efficiency, indicators of the quality and sustainability of the cooperative system; - role of leadership in the management process and characteristics of an effective and efficient manager; In relation to individual topics, the main contributions are explained which, in our opinion, are provided by the author in the development of management theory and in the quest for a high quality management model. In particular, we will attempt to draw a series of teachings from the lessons given by the author (who was among the first to lay the foundations of the theory of management), to provide scholars and current managers with both a systematic framework of technical and economic principles for the effective performance of the executive role and a moral foundation on which to base the management profession. We will be also make some personal remarks about certain elements of organizational structure and operation able to unify and animate the cooperative company system, which, in our opinion, have been neglected or little emphasized by Barnard; this will be done in the light of the most recent doctrine on the quality of leadership. The research questions posed are the following: - what is the theoretical construction of Barnard in terms of the management process and, in particular, of leadership? - what are the key elements that affect the quality of an executive? - what are the main, original and still current teachings that the author has provided to scholars and managers in the field of management and leadership process? - which elements have been overlooked or little emphasized by Barnard in the development of his theory? This work has, in our view, elements of originality and distinction compared with other literature on the thought of Barnard. First, the positive elements and those critical of the work of the author are identified by comparing his model of management and leadership with a benchmark obtained by developing the modern doctrine. Second, with regard to the more obscure points of the thought of the author, an interpretation of his thought has been made, inspired by the system approach. This was carried out mainly on the definition of the elements on which the function of leadership rests and by defining the influence that it has on the quality of management and on company results. Third, a number of critical considerations are presented - more than those found in the literature - on the theory of leadership and, above all, the elements that make it effective in terms of the quality of an organization's operation, the motivation of the personnel and business results. We believe, finally, that the wide range of scientific contributions of Barnard presented here, their systemic connection and also the critical comments made in the light of the most recent studies/doctrine may offer important information/indications for scholars of management and executives.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.