You may be familiar with Douglas McGregor. He is a prominent figure in the field of management education, referenced in numerous texts on the subject. McGregor posits two distinct models of management: the X model and the Y model.
Theory X:
- The average human being has an inherent dislike of work and will avoid it if he can.
- Because of their dislike for work, most people must be controlled and threatened before they will work hard enough.
- The average human prefers to be directed, dislikes responsibility, is unambiguous, and desires security above everything.
- These assumptions lie behind most organizational principles today, and give rise both to “tough” management with punishments and tight controls, and “soft” management which aims at harmony at work.
- Both these are “wrong” because man needs more than financial rewards at work, he also needs some deeper higher order motivation – the opportunity to fulfill himself.
- Theory X managers do not give their staff this opportunity so that the employees behave in the expected fashion.
Theory Y:
- The expenditure of physical and mental effort in work is as natural as play or rest.
- Control and punishment are not the only ways to make people work, man will direct himself if he is committed to the aims of the organization.
- If a job is satisfying, then the result will be commitment to the organization.
- The average man learns, under proper conditions, not only to accept but to seek responsibility.
- Imagination, creativity, and ingenuity can be used to solve work problems by a large number of employees.
- Under the conditions of modern industrial life, the intellectual potentialities of the average man are only partially utilized.
It is not a method of managing people; rather, it is an analysis of how you manage people based on your perception of them.
McGregor’s views were formed decades ago, during the Taylorism era, and the business landscape has since evolved. The economy is now moving towards the era of knowledge working, and the Y theory is becoming increasingly relevant in this context. Providing people with autonomy and responsibility is recognised as an effective approach for generating added value with knowledge workers.
While some may be reluctant to embrace this approach, given that many individuals still prefer a more controlling and assertive style of leadership (which can be counterproductive), the challenge now is to enhance autonomy, innovation and self-responsibility in modern businesses.
It is not sufficient to simply state that things will be a certain way. We must address the fear of change and those who prioritize their own status over the collective interest in terms of efficiency. Another point to consider is that management is also a question of social behaviours. In a deconcentrated company, those behaviours are supported by communication tools. Therefore, those tools must be designed to “support” management and become a place for exchanges, sharing experience and improving innovation.
Applying Y theory with X theory-based information systems is counterproductive for management practices.
