A managerial principle is a broad and general guideline for decision-making and behavior. For example, while deciding about promotion of an employee one manager may consider seniority, whereas the other may follow the principle of merit. The principles of management derive their significance from their utility. They provide useful insights to managerial behavior and influence managerial practices. Managers may apply these principles to fulfil their tasks and responsibilities. Principles guide managers in taking and implementing decisions. It may be appreciated that everything worthwhile is governed by an underlying principle. The quest of the management theorists has been and should be to unearth the underlying principles with a view to using these under repetitive circumstances as a matter of management habit. These principles enable refinement of management practices as well by facilitating the development of new management techniques. Thus, we see that techniques like Operations Research (OR), cost accounting, ‘Just in Time’, ‘Kanban’ and ‘Kaizen’ have developed due to further research on these principles. Thus, it can be said that understanding the meaning, nature and significance of principles of management will help us to appreciate their applicability in real life situations.

Optimum utilization of resources and effective administration is one of the significances of "Principles of management". In the stated line what do you understand by the term "Optimum use"?

Maximum benefit with minimum cost

Resources both human and material available with the company are limited. They have to be put to optimum use. By "Optimum use" we mean that the resources should be put to use in such a manner that they should give maximum benefit with minimum cost.