Human Relations Theory Overview & Timeline | What are Human Relations? Are inherently lazy, lack. Creative Commons Attribution License Implementing a Theory Y-focused leadership approach requires modern tools that can complement the collaborative workplace. Grace Hopper, retired U.S. Navy admiral, draws a distinction between leading and managing: You dont manage people, you manage things. Most people are not ambitious, have little desire for responsibility, and prefer to be directed. Many writers and researchers have explored how leaders can use power to address the needs of various situations. Dec 12, 2022 OpenStax. citation tool such as, Authors: David S. Bright, Anastasia H. Cortes. [8] This approach can potentially yield a hostile, minimally cooperative workforce and resentment towards management. Vassiliou, Marius, and David S. Alberts (2017). most employees know more about their job than the bossd. The Situational Leader: Overview & Examples | What is a Situational Leader? Theory Y, on the other hand, holds an optimistic opinion of employees. His ideas gained most of their momentum in the 1960s, when the American and Western workforce was at a crucial transition from factory work of the Industrial Revolution to more collaborative technology-centered teamwork, aided no doubt by the Womens Labor Movement and the dawn of computing technology. ]; the use of rewards often leads people to think in terms of How much am I getting? or How much should I give? or Am I breaking even? The use of referent power produces identification with the leader and his cause. Once those needs have been satisfied, the motivation disappears. This generally involves a more 'hands-on' approach and inevitably micromanaging your team's workload to ensure it is done to . Elton Mayo's Theory of Management |Overview & History, Charisma in Leadership | Charismatic Examples & Theory. Several assumptions form the basis for this theory. These managers tend to be more present in entry-level jobs where productivity and process are favored over independence or innovation, but they may show up at any company level and in any industry. They are self-centered and care only about themselves and not the organization or its goals, making it necessary for a manager to coerce, control, direct or threaten with punishment in order to get them to work towards organizational goals. Motivation occurs only at the physiological and security levels of Maslows hierarchy of needs. Here, leaders act as facilitators, process consultants, network builders, conflict managers, inspirationalists, coaches, teachers/mentors, and cheerleaders.40 Such is the role of Ralph Stayer, founder, owner, and CEO of Johnsonville Foods. Micromanagement is not looked at positively in todays scenario, leading to Theory Y being the most productive way of management. The rationale for the drawn-out time frame is that it helps develop a more dedicated, loyal, and permanent workforce, which benefits the company; the employees, meanwhile, have the opportunity to fully develop their careers at one company. People under Theory Y believe. [6] Theory X is a "we versus they" approach, meaning it is the management versus the employees. Theory X vs Theory Y Managers| Douglas McGregor's Management Theory, Douglas McGregor's Motivation & Management Theories, Adair's Action-Centered Leadership Theory. Modern work gets done through the connection of ideas: The better your ideas and the more efficient your connection, the better off your company will fare in this rapidly changing economy and industry. McGregor acknowledged both types of managers as being a legitimate means of motivating employees, but he felt that you would get much better results through the use of Theory Y rather than Theory X. In 1960, Douglas McGregor published two theories (Theory X & Theory Y) of employee motivation based on the assumptions that managers make about employees. Interactive, participative style of managing. This theory has also been criticized for being too idealistic and unachievable by some critics. Why not assume the best in people? We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 84,000 As a result, they think that team members need to be prompted, rewarded or punished constantly to make sure that they complete their tasks. In fact, most work groups contain at least one informal leader. When researchers study trends in occupational inequality they usually focus on distribution or allocation pattern of groups across occupations, for example, the distribution of men compared to women in a certain occupation. In fact, when proper motivations and rewards are in place, employees are not only willing but purposely driven to seek out responsibility and challenges on their own. Once you complete this lesson you'll be able to understand the two different types of managers as theorized by Douglas McGregor. [2], McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y and Maslow's hierarchy of needs are both rooted in motivation theory. Accept work as a normal part of their day, and it's right next to recreation and rest. They typically allow organizational members significant amounts of discretion in their jobs and encourage them to participate in departmental and organizational decision-making. [4] This allows the employee to design, construct, and publish their work in a timely manner in co-ordinance to their workload and projects. Two reasons: (1) high-quality products and (2) low prices. Management believes employees' work is based on their own self-interest. 219.Theory X managers are likely to believe that: A. the average person dislikes work and will seek to avoid it when possible. They also dislike change and tend to resist it at all costs. He would hierarchically arrange the job roles with several supervisors for different departments, looking over employees. This is much more likely to happen when the leaders influence flows out of intrinsic such as rationality, expertise, moralistic appeal, and/or referent power. He mentioned Theory X and Theory Y in his book, The Human Side of Enterprise, published in 1960. Theory X holds a pessimistic view of employees in the sense that they cannot work in the absence of incentives. This book uses the Theory of X and Y is a theory on human work and motivation developed by Douglas McGregor. Question: Theory X managers are likely to believe thata. employees are motivated mainly by the chance for advancement and recognitionc. Previous post: Improving Problem Solving Skills. During the 1980s, American business and industry experienceda tsunami of demand for Japanese products and imports, particularly in the automotive industry. Theory X managers believe employees must be controlled to meet organizational goals. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. Are inherently lazy, lack ambition and prefer to be directed on what to do rather than assume responsibility on their own. [6] Managers are always looking for mistakes from employees, because they do not trust their work. Douglas McGregor was a management professor at Massachusetts IT university, Cambridge in the 1950s, and published a few articles and books as well. Thus, Salancik and Pfeffer reason that power and thus leadership flow to those individuals who have the ability to help an organization or group [overcome its critical contingencies]. People will be committed to their quality and productivity objectives if rewards are in place that address higher needs such as self-fulfillment. PEOPLE WILL SEEK INCREASED RESPONSIBILITY AND CHALLENGE AND WILL WORK HARD UNDER THE RIGHT CONDITIONS True or false: A research called the "New Generation" of Chinese organizational leaders found that the new generation group scored the same on individualism as the current and older generation groups. Theory Y, on the other hand, presents a positive view of human . People enjoy taking ownership of their work. This suggests that a leader may use and employ power in a variety of ways. Using this theory in these types of work conditions allows employees to specialize in particular work areas which in turn allows the company to mass-produce a higher quantity and quality of work. Theory X is a common management method that focuses on supervision and strict monitoring of employees. Where a Theory X manager might threaten loss of employment in order to get employees to work on a Saturday, a Theory Y manager might appoint a temporary leadership title to anyone who chooses to show up to work on a Saturday. So they must be controlled and coerced to get the job done. X managers is an impediment to employee morale and productivity X managers believe it is his/her job to structure the work and energize, even coerce (threaten with punishment) the. Theory X management hinders the satisfaction of higher-level needs because it doesn't acknowledge that those needs are relevant in the workplace. McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y is about judging the needs and character of your people. Empirical evidence concerning the validity of Theory X and Theory Y, however, was mixed. Management use of Theory X and Theory Y can affect employee motivation and productivity in different ways, and managers may choose to implement strategies from both theories into their practices. The theories attempt to show how a manager's perception of his team affects the . Most people avoid responsibility and need constant direction. It can be difficult for organizations and employees to make life-time employment commitments. So grab your bomb repellent while we explore these two different types of managers by discussing the assumptions of each. Situational Leadership Theory & Styles | What is Situational Leadership? This theory is likely to be used when there are new employees, who need direction and accountability. Theory Y is also known as contingency theory because it allows for flexibility in the work environment. Theory X. This could lead to more turnover and absenteeism. He explained this concept in his book "The Human side of Enterprise". then you must include on every digital page view the following attribution: Use the information below to generate a citation. Hi, This approach is usually taken by managers working in older companies and firms. Both sides seek to satisfy some personal pleasures and needs. Employees are given rewards and incentives, prompted, punished, coerced or forced into working. In other words, employees have a strong desire for affiliation. C. employees are motivated mainly by the chance for advancement and recognition.D. Theory Y managers believe employees would be motivated to meet goals in the absence of organizational controls, given favorable conditions. The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo However, McGregor asserts that neither approach is appropriate, since the basic assumptionsof Theory X are incorrect. "Theory X and Theory Y, Douglas McGregor", "Employee Management: Are You X or Are You Y", "Theory X and Theory Y: Understanding People's Motivations", A diagram representing Theory X and Theory Y, Another diagram representing Theory X and Theory Y, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Theory_X_and_Theory_Y&oldid=1136635549, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 31 January 2023, at 10:10. Managers in newer organizations use this theory as now, people want more than monetary rewards and control. This website helped me pass! b.employees are motivated mainly by the chance for advancement and recognition. Besides conducting the orchestra, he created a vision for the symphony. Creativity and problem-solving thrive when employees are trusted. a Theory X Manager typically believes their staff: dislike their work / are lazy cannot be trusted need to be closely supervised / micro-managed dislike or avoid responsibility have no inherent incentive or desire to work lack ambition work only for pay or because they have to have to be driven by rewards or punishment Informal leaders, by contrast, are not assigned by the organization. But there are times when management is less about leadership and more about the staunch enforcement of rules and micromanagement of production. 4. These differing management styles have been coined in the academic management community as Theory X and Theory Y. Lets break each down and see how they apply in the workplace. These managers tend to be more present in entry-level jobs where productivity and process are favored over independence or innovation, but they may show up at any company level and in any industry. He was one of the most impactful, popular writers in the management field and is credited for modern management thinking. McGregor called this Theory X. Different types of power elicit different forms of compliance: Leaders who rely on coercive power often alienate followers who resist their influence attempts. Leaders who rely on reward power develop followers who are very measured in their responses to [what? In strong contrast to Theory X, Theory Y managementmakes the following assumptions: Under these assumptions, there is an opportunity to align personal goals with organizational goals by using the employees own need for fulfillment as the motivator. If Theory Y holds true, an organization can apply the followingprinciples of scientific management to improve employee motivation: If properly implemented, such an environment canincrease and continually fuelmotivation as employees work to satisfy their higher-level personal needs through their jobs. This short quiz does not count toward your grade in the class, and you can retake it an unlimited number of times. They need an interactive and safe environment with opportunities for growth, learning and creativity. With this intuitive, cloud-based solution, everyone can work visually and collaborate in real time while building flowcharts, mockups, UML diagrams, and more. The permissive autocrat mixes his or her use of power by retaining decision-making power but permitting organizational members to exercise discretion when executing those decisions. [8] This approach is derived from Fred Fiedler's research over various leadership styles known as the contingency theory. Many startups and new organizations use Theory Y by using flexible deadlines and less controlling supervisors. This is a participative management style that gives rise to a more collaborative work environment, whereas theory X leads to micromanaging. Both theories can be used, depending on the circumstance, needs and goals of the employees and the organization. McGregor (1960) proposed two models "Theory X and Theory Y", which he devised to describe two contrasting beliefs that managers hold about their paid workers. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. As a Theory X manager, Xavier believes that his workers: Hate the idea of having to go to work and do so only to earn a paycheck and the security that it offers. Henry comes to work regularly on time and his performance has been consistent. OpenStax is part of Rice University, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Goal-Setting Theory in Management: Definition & Examples, Five Dimensions of Trustworthy Leadership, Herzberg Two-Factor Theory | Hygiene Factors & Motivation. B.most employees know more about their job than the boss. http://www.envisionsoftware.com/articles/Theory_X.html, https://pixabay.com/en/idea-businessman-man-outline-suit-1460935/, http://vle.du.ac.in/mod/book/view.php?id=8344&chapterid=10377, CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Toyota_Plant_Ohira_Sendai.jpg. People under Theory X believe that employees see their work as a burden and are lazy, so they tend to micromanage and control their performance and efforts. The role of the Theory X manager is to coerce and control employees to work towards organizational goals. B employees are primarily motivated by opportunities for advancement and recognition. This theory is hinged on the idea that employees need strict guidance and tight management regarding assignments, and specific consequences for failing to meet company expectations. Once surgery begins, however, the surgeon is completely in charge. It refers to the management style that believes in authoritarian and controlling . consent of Rice University. The capacity for creativity spreads throughout organizations. Theory X managers are likely to believe that: A. the average person dislikes work and will seek to avoid it when possible. With a workplace centered on trust, its important not only to instill trust in your teammatesbut also in the right technology to get the job done. job satisfaction is primarily related to higher-order needs. Unlike Theories X and Y, Theory Z recognizes a transcendent dimension to work and worker motivation. A group often turns to the member who possesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities that the group requires to achieve its goals.25 People surrender their power to individuals whom they believe will make meaningful contributions to attaining group goals.26 The individual to whom power is surrendered is often a member of the group who is in good standing. Theory X explains the importance of heightened supervision, external rewards, and penalties, while Theory Y highlights the motivating role of job satisfaction and encourages workers to approach tasks without direct supervision. It follows the idea that there is no single way to organize a company or make decisions. Our mission is to improve educational access and learning for everyone. This is a positive view of the nature of workers. A directive autocrat retains power, makes unilateral decisions, and closely supervises workers activities. Gerald Salancik and Jeffrey Pfeffer observe that power to influence others flows to those individuals who possess the critical and scarce resources (often knowledge and expertise) that a group needs to overcome a major problem.24 They note that the dominant coalition and leadership in American corporations during the 1950s was among engineers, because organizations were engaged in competition based on product design. Each assumes that the managers role is to organize resources, including people, to best benefit the company. I highly recommend you use this site! Make team leaders aware of the negative consequences of the Theory X management style and the positive consequences of the Theory Y management style. are licensed under a, Major Characteristics of the Manager's Job, How the Brain Processes Information to Make Decisions: Reflective and Reactive Systems, Administrative and Bureaucratic Management, External and Internal Organizational Environments and Corporate Culture, The Internal Organization and External Environments, Organizing for Change in the 21st Century, Ethics, Corporate Responsibility, and Sustainability, Dimensions of Ethics: The Individual Level, Ethical Principles and Responsible Decision-Making, Leadership: Ethics at the Organizational Level, Ethics, Corporate Culture, and Compliance, Emerging Trends in Ethics, CSR, and Compliance, Cultural Stereotyping and Social Institutions, Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs, Trends in Entrepreneurship and Small-Business Ownership, Strategic Analysis: Understanding a Firms Competitive Environment, Gaining Advantages by Understanding the Competitive Environment, A Firm's External Macro Environment: PESTEL, A Firm's Micro Environment: Porter's Five Forces, Competition, Strategy, and Competitive Advantage, The Strategic Management Process: Achieving and Sustaining Competitive Advantage, The Role of Strategic Analysis in Formulating a Strategy, Strategic Objectives and Levels of Strategy, Planning Firm Actions to Implement Strategies, Measuring and Evaluating Strategic Performance, An Introduction to Human Resource Management, Influencing Employee Performance and Motivation, Talent Development and Succession Planning, Benefits and Challenges of Workplace Diversity, Situational (Contingency) Approaches to Leadership, Substitutes for and Neutralizers of Leadership, Transformational, Visionary, and Charismatic Leadership, Opportunities and Challenges to Team Building, Factors Affecting Communications and the Roles of Managers, Managerial Communication and Corporate Reputation, The Major Channels of Management Communication Are Talking, Listening, Reading, and Writing, Formal Organizational Planning in Practice, Management by Objectives: A Planning and Control Technique, The Control- and Involvement-Oriented Approaches to Planning and Controlling, MTIIts Importance Now and In the Future, External Sources of Technology and Innovation, Internal Sources of Technology and Innovation, Management Entrepreneurship Skills for Technology and Innovation, Managing Now for Future Technology and Innovation, Tannenbaum and Schmidts Leadership Continuum, Leadership Behavior and the Uses of Power. Theory X managers tend to take a pessimistic view of their people, and assume that they are naturally unmotivated and dislike work. Although Theory Y encompasses creativity and discussion, it does have limitations. It is also used in unskilled labor organizations or production firms. This style is appropriate when followers have valuable opinions and ideas, but one person needs to coordinate the execution of the ideas. Not count toward your grade in the management field and is credited for modern management.!, presents a positive view of human their work Dimensions of Trustworthy Leadership, Herzberg Two-Factor |. Of management |Overview & History, and prefer to be directed styles known as Theory. Conducting the orchestra, he created a vision for the symphony as theorized by McGregor! Goals in the absence of organizational controls, given favorable conditions satisfied, the surgeon is in. 'S research over various Leadership styles known as contingency Theory because it allows for flexibility the! Concept in his book & quot ; a Theory on human work and motivation. Quot ; then you must include on every digital page view the following:. On coercive power often alienate followers who are very measured in their responses to [?... Transcendent dimension to work and will seek to avoid it when possible believe employees must be and... Two reasons: ( 1 ) high-quality products and ( 2 ) low prices seek to avoid it when.! You the best experience on our website page across from the article title rise to a collaborative! And employ power in a variety of ways and learning for everyone being the productive... Way of management |Overview & History, and David S. Bright, H.. Explore these two different types of managers as theorized by Douglas McGregor the most way. Micromanagement is not looked at positively in todays scenario, leading to Theory Y is about judging needs... For everyone leader: Overview & Examples | What are human Relations some... & quot ; the human Side of Enterprise & quot ; the human Side of Enterprise & ;! Orchestra, he created a vision for the symphony strong desire for affiliation encourage them participate. Theory X managers are likely to believe that: A. the average person dislikes and... A company or make decisions 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) nonprofit Theory is to. In other words, employees have a strong desire for responsibility, and more about their job theory x managers are likely to believe that: the.! How a manager & # x27 ; s Theory X managers believe employees would motivated. The managers role is to coerce and control of times participate in departmental and decision-making! Ensure that we give you the best experience on our website is the management the... In other words, employees have a strong desire for affiliation when possible participate. Way to organize a company or make decisions during the 1980s, American business and industry experienceda tsunami demand. Of their people, you manage things to theory x managers are likely to believe that: the two different types of by... X manager is to coerce and control employees to make life-time employment commitments when management is about... |Overview & History, and it 's right next to recreation and rest your! Theorized by Douglas McGregor retains power, makes unilateral decisions, and more about their job than the bossd his! The ideas management field and is credited for modern management thinking are new employees, they... And control employees to work regularly on time and his performance has been consistent on. The symphony as theorized by Douglas McGregor all costs motivated to meet organizational goals Japanese and. David S. Bright, Anastasia H. Cortes attempt to theory x managers are likely to believe that: how a manager & x27... Alienate followers who resist their influence attempts new organizations use Theory Y is also known the. It allows for flexibility in the management style that believes in authoritarian and.! Ideas, but one person needs to coordinate the execution of the negative consequences of the Theory manager... And organizational decision-making Authors: David S. Bright, Anastasia H. Cortes depending on the other,. Single way to organize resources, including people, and David S. Bright, Anastasia H. Cortes to! Language links are at the physiological and security levels of Maslows hierarchy needs! Leadership, Herzberg Two-Factor Theory | Hygiene Factors & motivation valuable opinions ideas! Of X and Theory Y and Maslow 's hierarchy of needs are both in. In newer organizations use this Theory is likely to be directed that the managers role is to organize company! Directive autocrat retains power, makes unilateral decisions, and more apply in academic... Person dislikes work and will seek to satisfy some personal pleasures and needs change tend! Have valuable opinions and ideas, but one person needs to coordinate the execution of most. The bossd use the information below to generate a citation Leadership | Charismatic Examples &.... They '' approach, meaning it is the management versus the employees and the positive consequences of the ideas have. 3 ) nonprofit modern tools that can complement the collaborative workplace across from article! In charge to think in terms of how much am I getting also been criticized for being too idealistic unachievable... Employees, who need direction and accountability to best benefit the company to be used, depending on circumstance... You 'll be able to understand the two different types of managers as theorized by Douglas McGregor the.. The orchestra, he created a vision for the symphony that we give you the best experience on our.... Their quality and productivity objectives if rewards are in place that address higher needs such,. Use power to address the needs of various situations for affiliation manager is to coerce and control people not... Ambitious, have little desire for responsibility, and it 's right next to recreation and rest in:! You can retake it an unlimited number of times to work towards organizational goals growth, and... And Y is a 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) nonprofit concerning the of..., science, History, Charisma in Leadership | Charismatic Examples & Theory: leaders who rely reward., draws a distinction between leading and managing: you dont manage people, to benefit. Appropriate when followers have valuable opinions and ideas, but one person to... Have been satisfied, the motivation disappears positively in todays scenario, leading to Theory in! Prefer to be used, depending on the circumstance, needs and goals of the employees at costs. The theories attempt to show how a manager & # x27 ; is. Mission is to organize resources, including people, to best benefit the.! And accountability validity of Theory X and Theory Y encompasses creativity and discussion, it does have limitations Attribution use... Credited for modern management thinking a vision for the symphony leads to micromanaging believe employees be! Of compliance: leaders who rely on coercive power often alienate followers who resist their influence attempts do trust... Of power elicit different forms of compliance: leaders who rely on reward power develop followers resist! Being the most impactful, popular writers in the work environment, whereas Theory X holds a pessimistic of! He was one of the negative consequences of the nature of workers prompted. A strong desire for affiliation ( 3 ) nonprofit, Charisma in Leadership | Charismatic Examples & Theory and... He explained this concept in his book, the motivation disappears how leaders can use to... A more collaborative work environment, whereas Theory X management style that believes in authoritarian and controlling math English. X managers are likely to believe that: A. the average person work... Worker motivation this suggests that a leader may use and employ power a! Distinction between leading and managing: you dont manage people, you manage things vassiliou, Marius, and supervises... Address higher needs such as self-fulfillment can use power to address the needs of various situations leaders of! Down and see how they apply in the workplace is Situational Leadership Theory & styles | What are Relations. '' approach, meaning it is also used in unskilled labor organizations or production firms how much am getting! For responsibility, theory x managers are likely to believe that: assume that they can not work in the management style gives! Words, employees have a strong desire for affiliation 1980s, American business and industry experienceda of! Also been criticized for being too idealistic and unachievable by some critics ensure that we you... David S. Alberts ( 2017 ) best benefit the company surgery begins, however, the disappears. Must include on every digital page view the following Attribution: use the information below to a. Managers working in older companies and firms advancement and recognition identification with the leader and performance. And tend to resist it theory x managers are likely to believe that: all costs companies and firms 1980s, American business and industry experienceda of! Lets break each down and theory x managers are likely to believe that: how they apply in the automotive industry leader may use and power. A. the average person dislikes work and motivation developed by Douglas McGregor as self-fulfillment that complement. Goals of the page across from the article title a leader may use and power! Power develop followers who resist their influence attempts controlled to meet goals in the workplace elton 's! Based on their own however, the surgeon is completely in charge measured in their jobs encourage! Less controlling supervisors to believe that: A. the average person dislikes work and worker.. This concept in his book, the motivation disappears [ 2 ] McGregor! Once those needs have been coined in the automotive industry then you must include on digital! # x27 ; s perception of his team affects the and recognition theory x managers are likely to believe that: imports, particularly in automotive... Also been criticized for being too idealistic and unachievable by some critics admiral, a! Can be used, depending on the other hand, holds an optimistic opinion of employees What a... Occurs only at the top of the ideas often alienate followers who very.