Management Principles Flashcards

Which management theorist introduced the concept of 'Theory X and Theory Y' to describe manager assumptions about employee motivation?

Answer: Douglas McGregor

Douglas McGregor proposed Theory X (workers dislike work) and Theory Y (workers are self-motivated) in his 1960 book 'The Human Side of Enterprise.'

A manager who adjusts her leadership style based on the maturity level of each subordinate is practicing which leadership model?

Answer: Situational leadership

Situational leadership (Hersey and Blanchard) prescribes adjusting directive and supportive behavior based on follower development level.

In the PDCA cycle used for continuous improvement, what does the 'C' stand for?

Answer: Check

PDCA stands for Plan, Do, Check, Act — the 'Check' phase involves evaluating results against expected outcomes.

Which principle of management states that an employee should receive orders from only one supervisor?

Answer: Unity of command

Fayol's unity of command principle holds that having multiple bosses creates confusion and conflicting priorities.

A company decentralizes decision-making to regional managers. What is the PRIMARY advantage of this approach?

Answer: Speeds up local decision-making

Decentralization pushes authority closer to where information exists, enabling faster and more context-sensitive decisions.

Which term describes the number of subordinates a manager can effectively supervise?

Answer: Span of control

Span of control refers to the optimal number of direct reports a manager can effectively oversee, influencing organizational structure.

When a manager sets objectives collaboratively with each employee and then measures performance against those objectives, the manager is using:

Answer: Management by Objectives (MBO)

MBO, popularized by Peter Drucker, aligns organizational goals with individual performance through jointly set, measurable objectives.