Which of the following statements about Henri Fayol is/are correct?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → His 14 principles are referred to as administrative in nature, as they have a top-down approach.
Option (1) He was a mechanical engineer by profession. — Incorrect. Fayol was a mining engineer. He graduated from the Mining Academy at St. Etienne and later ran a mining company. The mechanical engineer was F.W. Taylor.
Option (2) His 14 principles are referred to as administrative in nature, as they have a top-down approach. — Correct. His main contribution is the 14 principles. They are called administrative because they take a top-down approach: they deal with the conduct of top management and other managers.
Option (3) His 14 principles were formed mainly through observations and experimentation. — Incorrect. Fayol built his ideas largely on his own experience as a manager. Observation and experimentation were the basis of Taylor’s principles.
NCERT (2026-27 Edition): “Fayol’s Principles of Management … Based largely on his own experience, he developed his concept of administration. The 14 principles of management propounded by him were discussed in detail in his book published in 1917, ‘Administration industrielle et generale’. It was published in English as ‘General and Industrial Management’ in 1949 and is widely considered a foundational work in classical management theory. For his contribution he is also known as the ‘Father of General Management’”
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