The correct answer is Option (1) → Mainly Behavioural.
Mainly behavioural: Management principles aim at influencing behaviour of human beings. Therefore, principles of management are mainly behavioural in nature. It is not that these principles do not pertain to things and phenomenon at all, it is just a matter of emphasis. Moreover, principles enable a better understanding of the relationship between human and material resources in accomplishing organisational purposes. For example, while planning the layout of a factory, orderliness would require that workflows are matched by flow of materials and movement of men.
OTHER OPTIONS
- Universal applicability- The principles of management are intended to apply to all types of organisations, business as well as non-business, small as well large, public sector as well as private sector, manufacturing as well as the services sectors. However, the extent of their applicability would vary with the nature of the organisation, business activity, scale of operations and the like.
- General guidelines: The principles are guidelines to action but do not provide readymade, straitjacket solutions to all managerial problems. This is so because real business situations are very complex and dynamic and are a result of many factors. However, the importance of principles cannot be underestimated because even a small guideline helps to solve a given problem.
- Cause and effect relationships: The principles of management are intended to establish relationship between cause and effect so that they can be used in similar situations in a large number of cases. As such, they tell us if a particular principle was applied in a particular situation, what would be its likely effect. The principles of management are less than perfect since they mainly apply to human behaviour. In real life, situations are not identical. So, accurate cause and effect relationships may be difficult to establish. However,principles of management assist managers in establishing these relationships to some extent and are therefore useful. In situations of emergencies, it is desirable that someone takes charge and others just follow. But in situations requiring cross-functional expertise, such as setting up of a new factory, more participative approach to decision-making would be advisable.
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