Henri Fayol Essay

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Henri Fayol: Father of Business Management Management has a rich past. Moses was consulted by Jethro, his father-in-law, about the merits of organizing people. Confucius of China advocated leadership should be conferred upon those possessing proven abilities. Aristotle of Greece exhibited tremendous wisdom regarding the development of leadership, centralization, specialization and departmentalization. A glance back in time will provide a basis for understanding management’s progress up to this point in its evolution. Through an appreciation of where management came from and where it is headed, leaders can increase their effectiveness. Among modern scholars and students there is an increasing distance between the fundamental thoughts of early management writers and contemporary, often secondary, accounts of how these pioneers developed their ideas. This shortcoming can be remedied by seeking original sources from when a pioneer’s ideas were being formulated and from the context within which this occurred. We examine examples of how others have furthered our understanding of management history by the discovery and translation of pioneering writings and if successful adapt these theories to present day situations and circumstances. Presentations to his colleagues in the mineral industry reveal Henri Fayol’s early reflections as they would later evolve into his classical book, Administration Industrielle et Générale (General And Industrial Management (1916). Attending University as the youngest in his class (age 17) Fayol completed a two year degree program in 1860 from the “School of Mines” in St. Etienne France. Henri was hired immediately into the collieries (coal mines) at Commentary which at the time were famous for their underground fires. Combustion at the time was well advanced and continuous surveillance was necessary to prevent further spreading. His work,
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