Henri Fayol, a French mining engineer and director of mines, is considered to be one of the founding fathers of modern management theory. He developed a theory of management which he called the administrative function. This theory included five elements which he believed to be essential for successful management. In this article, we will discuss Fayol’s five elements of administrative function and the elements which he excluded from his theory.
Fayol’s Five Elements of Administrative Function
Henri Fayol proposed five elements of the administrative function which he believed to be essential for successful management. These elements are:
- Planning: This involves setting objectives and deciding the best way to achieve them.
- Organizing: This involves allocating resources, assigning tasks, and creating structures to achieve the objectives set in the planning stage.
- Commanding: This involves directing, motivating and communicating with employees in order to achieve the objectives set in the planning stage.
- Coordinating: This involves harmonizing the activities of different departments and individuals in order to ensure that the objectives set in the planning stage are achieved.
- Controlling: This involves monitoring and evaluating the performance of individuals and departments to ensure that the objectives set in the planning stage are achieved.
Excluded Elements of Fayol’s Administrative Function
Fayol excluded the following elements from his theory of the administrative function:
- Leadership: Fayol believed that leadership was not an essential part of the administrative function, as it was more concerned with motivating and inspiring employees in order to achieve objectives.
- Human Resources Management: Fayol believed that human resources management was not an essential part of the administrative function, as it was more concerned with hiring and training employees.
- Strategic Management: Fayol believed that strategic management was not an essential part of the administrative function, as it was more concerned with long-term planning and decision-making.
- Innovation: Fayol believed that innovation was not an essential part of the administrative function, as it was more concerned with developing new ideas and processes.
- Technology: Fayol believed that technology was not an essential part of the administrative function, as it was more concerned with using technology to improve efficiency and productivity.
Fayol’s five elements of the administrative function provide a useful framework for understanding the essential elements of successful management. By understanding the elements which Fayol excluded from his administrative function, we can gain a better understanding of the different aspects of management which
