Rohan, a sales executive, asks his manager to let him leave two hours early every day. This concession is not given to any other employee. The manager refuses and says that the targets of the company must come first. Which principle of management does the manager follow?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Subordination of individual interest to general interest
Option (1) Discipline — Incorrect. Discipline is obedience to rules and the employment agreement. Rohan breaks no rule by asking; the manager is weighing his wish against the company’s goals.
Option (2) Subordination of individual interest to general interest — Correct. Rohan wants a concession not given to any other employee: working fewer hours. In such a case the interest of the company comes before that of one person, so the manager puts the targets first.
Option (3) Esprit de corps — Incorrect. It means building team spirit, unity and harmony among employees. The manager is not working on team spirit here.
Option (4) Centralisation and decentralisation — Incorrect. It is about how far decision-making authority is kept at the top or spread out.
NCERT (2026-27 Edition): “(vi) Subordination of Individual Interest to General Interest: The interests of an organisation should take priority over the interests of any one individual employee according to Fayol. Every worker has some individual interest for working in a company. The company has got its own objectives. For example, the company would want to get maximum output from its employees at a competitive cost (salary). On the other hand, an employee may want to get maximum salary while working the least. In another situation an individual employee may demand some concession, which is not admissible to any other employee like working for less time. In all the situations the interests of the group/company will supersede the interest of any one individual. This is so because larger interests of the workers and stakeholders are more important than the interest of any one person. …” |