Classical Theories
- Scientific Management (Frederick Taylor): Emphasizes efficiency, standardization, and rationalization to improve organizational performance.
- Administrative Management (Henri Fayol): Proposes principles of management such as centralization, specialization, and unity of command.
- Bureaucracy (Max Weber): Characterized by hierarchy, specialization, formal rules, and impersonal relationships.
Human Relations Theories
- Hawthorne Studies (Elton Mayo): Demonstrates the importance of informal relationships, motivation, and job satisfaction for organizational effectiveness.
- Human Relations Movement: Focuses on employee needs, communication, and teamwork to improve morale and productivity.
- Participatory Management: Involves employees in decision-making and management processes.
Behavioral Theories
- Behavioral Science: Herbert Simon: Studies human behavior in organizational contexts, emphasizing psychological and sociological factors.
- Organizational Behavior: Examines group dynamics, motivation, and leadership within organizations.
- Cognitive Theories: Explore how individuals process and use information in decision-making and problem-solving.
Structuralist Theories
- Contingency Theory (Fred Fiedler): Argues that the most effective organizational structure depends on factors such as task, environment, and leadership style.
- Matrix Structures: Combine hierarchical and functional elements to create flexible and responsive organizations.
- Environmental Theory (Lawrence and Lorsch): Emphasizes the fit between organizational structure and the external environment.
Systems Theories
- General Systems Theory (von Bertalanffy): Views organizations as interconnected systems with distinct inputs, processes, outputs, and feedback mechanisms.
- Open Systems Theory: Recognizes that organizations interact with and are influenced by their environments.
- Sociotechnical Systems Theory: Integrates social and technical systems to enhance organizational performance.
Institutional Theories
- New Institutionalism: Explores the role of institutional factors, such as norms, values, and expectations, in shaping organizational behavior.
- Legitimate and Rational Theories: Focus on how organizations seek legitimacy and rationality to gain acceptance and support.
- Resource Dependence Theory: Examines how organizations depend on external resources and adjust their strategies to secure access to them.
Critical Theories
- Marxist Theory: Critiques the exploitative nature of capitalism and the hierarchical power dynamics in organizations.
- Feminist Theory: Highlights gender-based inequalities and power relations in organizational structures and processes.
- Postmodern Theory: Rejects traditional notions of rationality and objective truth, emphasizing the fragmented and subjective nature of organizational reality.