Read the passage and answer the following questions:
Shilpa Rai is a 37-year old entrepreneur who grew up in a rural district of South Kannada. She was very good at art and craft, particularly wax molds. She loved to make candles. Often she makes toys and small pieces of art with wax and uses them as a gift for her friends and relatives. She is always involved in helping poor women of the area by providing them with jobs after imparting necessary skills. She believes that she is getting her work done as well as helping the needy section of society. Since it is a small business, she performs all the functions of business management herself. But she knows that the workers are not from a sound background, and they need motivation to perform efficiently and effectively. Slowly, the business is growing noticeably as the number of orders is increasing. As the orders are increasing, the production cost is declining. Based on the knowledge and experience that Shilpa acquired in her business, she smartly handles all the critical situations.
"Based on the knowledge and experience that Shilpa acquired in her business, she smartly handles all the critical situations". This statement suggests that management is based on:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Practice and Creativity
Option (1) Flexibility — Incorrect. Flexibility is a feature of the principles of management. The statement is about using experience in a smart way.
Option (2) Practice and Creativity — Correct. Shilpa handles critical situations smartly, using the knowledge and experience she gained in her business. Art is learnt through study, observation and experience, and is based on practice and creativity. Shilpa learnt by doing (practice) and uses her knowledge smartly in new situations (creativity). This is management as an art.
Option (3) Systematised body of knowledge — Incorrect. This is a feature of management as a science. The statement speaks of Shilpa’s own experience, not of set theories.
Option (4) Relativity — Incorrect. This is not a feature of management as an art. It does not explain learning from experience.
NCERT (2026-27 Edition): “Management as an Art What is art? Art is the skillful and personal application of existing knowledge to achieve desired results. It can be acquired through study, observation and experience. Since art is concerned with personal application of knowledge some kind of ingenuity and creativity is required to practice the basic principles learnt. …” “Based on practice and creativity: All art is practical. Art involves the creative practice of existing theoretical knowledge. …” “(i) A successful manager practices the art of management in the day-to-day job of managing an enterprise based on study, observation and experience. …” |