Classification of Management

Argument sometimes arises as to whether management can be classified as an art or science. To address this issue, we need to know the features of science so that we can eventually ask ourselves whether management has these features. There after, we also need to consider what is an art and then find out whether management has any bearing in being `art'.

Characteristics of Science

The essential characteristic of science is that knowledge is based not on emotions or sentiments but on systematic measurement and objectivity. This has arisen through the application of scientific method to such an extent that whoever follows the same method will ultimately arrive at the same conclusion. The scientific method itself concerns the determination of facts, which is carried out through the observation of events or things. It is not just enough to observe things, the events or what is being observed must be verified. The verification becomes necessary so as to establish the accuracy of the facts. Consequently, continuous observation of the events is necessary for a period of time. After a period of continuous observation, the next stage is to classify the facts so as to be able to analyze them objectively.

When the facts have been classified and analyzed, scientists then look at them so as to find some cause and effects which they believe to be true. That is, for something to happen, there must be a cause, for there is no smoke without fire. It is the fire which is the cause that produces the smoke. This is true. This is generalization which scientist called hypothesis. The hypothesis must be tested further for accuracy. When this is done and the hypothesis is found to be true, that is, it is capable of explaining a reality and therefore possesses value of predicting what will happen in similar circumstances, it is no longer hypothesis but a principle. And a group of principles explaining some realities is what is called a theory. And a theory which has not been rejected or refuted over a long period of time becomes a law, such as the law of gravity.

The above scientific procedure of making principles and theories is applicable to management. In other words, management principles and theories are also derived -through similar manner. To this extent, it is safe to say that management belongs to the realm of science. But with a qualification. And the qualification is that it is not an exact science like mathematics or physics. It is a social science and managers, that is, those who practice management are known together with management scholars as social scientists.

What is an art?

The application of principles is what is referred to as art. And is common to many profession. The doctor has been trained scientifically for many years in the university and in so many areas. A sick patient before him has to receive treatment. But in treating him the doctor needs to ask him some relevant questions. Further probing may necessitates asking the patient to go for laboratory tests. The answers for all these will make the doctor to fall back on his training. He has learnt the causes and treatments of ailments and from the responses from the patient and outcome of the laboratory tests will make the doctor to isolate the cause of the ailment and on that basis makes his prescription. While prescribing, he is carrying out the art nature of his profession.

For further example, the civil engineer constructing a bridge has to fall back on the body of scientific knowledge he has learnt. He knows through the source the expansion of objects when heated. He knows that the concrete he is pouring or the slabs he is making will expand when heated by the sun. He has to create space if he is to avoid people calling him a quack engineer. The spaces he creates are the expansion gaps. You might have seen them in bridges. They are necessary so that when the concrete is heated, instead of the bridge cracking and collapsing, the expansion gaps accommodates the lengthening. In creating the expansion the engineer is merely relying on his scientific knowledge he has acquired.

In the same manner as above, the manager also draws from the body of knowledge which has been accumulated scientifically when solving management problems. As a result, a person who is managing without the body of knowledge is trusting on luck or intuition or is simply practicing witchcraft. He is shallow. But with the scientific knowledge behind him in addition to his intelligence, imagination and foresight, he could be an excellent manager.

From what we have been discussing, we can safely conclude that management is both art and science. It is in the realm of science because there exists a body of knowledge which has been scientifically determined. And the application of the knowledge in giving viable solution to management problems in organizations bring out the art nature of management.

SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

There are many professions that have the twin nature of art and science. List five of such professions which are commonly found in Nigeria.

CONCLUSION

We have taken a step further in our analyses of management. We have seen that management is important because it makes us to be responsive to the environment so that we can avoid making costly mistakes.

Management is also important in the sense that it enables us to know how to combine optimally the factors of production or the organization's resources so that we can have greater output. And yet again, we have seen the importance of management in enabling the manager to know the techniques to employ to get the best from human beings whose behaviours ordinarily can not be predicted.

We did look again into the nature of management so as to determine whether to situate management in the abode of science or in the domain of art. Our conclusion is that management is in both.

SUMMARY

We have discussed the importance and values of management. We have also seen that management is both science and art. Our knowledge on management has further increased through the contents of this unit. We are still going to increase our knowledge further in the next and subsequent units. However, in our next unit we will be discussing management and administration as well as the environment of the manager.