Short Summary of the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Classical, Behavioral and Political Business Approaches
Increased productivity through division of labour Set of rational rules & regulations due to clear lines of authority & accountability Formal rules & regulations aid the assurance of fairness and consistency regarding business operation
The theories do not promote organizational flexibility Leadership is autocratic – less commitment from workers Boredom due to division of labor increased absenteeism Traditional narrow spans of control are expensive The levels of management hierarchy slows down decision- making.
Emphasis on HR importance in success of a business Democratic management & empowerment of employees workers have more control over jobs, leads to job satisfaction Identifies advantages of working in teams Up to 40% productivity increase Cost savings More consumer-focused attitudes Delayering can increase efficiency
Early theories were not supported by research evidence No evidence to support that flatter organizations are either cheaper or more effective to run Difficult to cater for all individual needs. Teams are not the answer to all problems
Identifies that businesses are made up of different groups of people try to have control over decision-making processes to achiever personal goals Identifies not all decisions appear rational compromises have to be made Analysis of behaviour in political framework predict actions of others Use this to formulate strategies to gain advantages Inclusion of stakeholder interests in business decisions
Power and authority are not always related. This makes the sources of power and influence difficult to identify Power is difficult to understand and almost impossible to measure.