Are Fayol's 14 Management Principles Still Relevant Today?

Principles of management
Erick Billy
I think Mr. Fayol principles are applicable to many organizations and institutions in one way or the other and people use them as foundation of their managing systems and others will be built from these to increase effectiveness and good administration in any Organization.

14 Principles still Practical
Emmanuel
These principles are spectacular and very pratical. Despite all the changes in technology and conceptual analysis, most companies that are succeeding are making good use of Fayol's principles.

Fayol's Principles are Evergreen
Odukoya Ademola
The set of rules put in place by Henri Fayol, discovered, put to use, tested and sustained till date will continue to remain evergreen. It's the lifeline of both the new and existing organization. If I have my way, I would print these principles on the heart of corporate and private establishment. The more top executives understand this, the more we have a positive, functional and dynamic premises for talented interpreneurial minds to develop in corporate settings, because the system and approaches are all scientific.

Fayol's principles are old fashioned
Charlie
I am not so sure, these principles seem based on "command and control", that management knows best. It fosters a 'them and us' mentality. What does this say about 'empowerment' and flatter organisational structures? I think a lot of this is old school thinking.

Relevance can not be denied
Ravi Chhabra
Even after almost 100 years since these principles were first proposed, their relevance can not be denied. The 14 principles are still valid in the present scenario and can be applied by all present and future managers.

14 Principles very relevant
Matonda
These principles are very relevant in the sense that from here we have the prevoyance and the foundation to build on a stable management structure. Think about specialization, unity of command, remuneration, scalar chain, discipline and esprit de corps not forgetting direction.They can even influence the political atmosphere when applied shrewdly. HENRI FAYOL deserves appreciation!

Relevant or not?
Ingrid
I think these principles are very relevant and are applied by a lot of managers in different scenerios. But the environment is the most important thing. In Zambia, you will need to command one or two people to get performance.

Principles of Management
Tahir Qurban Ali Ch.
I apply Fayol's 14 Principles of Management in my department while serving in different organizations with limited available resources and feel easy to achieve my targets in time.

Enabling Better Management
Makori
The 14 principles form the basis of the entire management practice in all organisations and companies. They happen to be active in all sectors and industries.

14 Principles Still on Course
Touazock Benny
The 14 principles birthed by Henri Fayol is still reigning in all aspects of Management and Administration of most, if not all, organisations in the World. Fayol truly was a genius in Management.

Relevance of Fayol's Principles
Robinson, Accountant, Kenya, Member
'The 14 principles of management by Fayol will always remain relevant in management and administration for the foreseeable time to come. Any emerging manager will always find them very instrumental stepping stones.

Principles of Management Still Valid Today?
Gerald Muema, Member
What challenges might a manager confront today if he tried to implement Fayol's principles of management as they were originally stated?

14 Principles Relevant Within the Capitalist Paradigm
Jai Villa
The basic framework of Fayol's 14 principles will continue to be relevant for as long as the capitalist system continue to exist as dominant world system. The current free market economy is the paradigm that these principles rest.
While Fayol gave radical contributions to the field of management, he nevertheless galvanized the institution of making workers efficient and more specialized, not primarily for their well-being, but for increased productivity and hence greater profit.

The Relevance of Fayol's Principles in Todays Business
william Owusu konduah, Student (University), Ghana, Member
In this modern world, I am a little perplexed concerning the relevance of all the 14 principles at work in an organisation.

Validity of 14 Principles of Management
Mary Okumu, CEO, Kenya, Member
Many of these principles are valid and have subsequently been adopted by managers in all kinds of organization in Kenya. However, taken as a whole, they apply less easily in modern conditions where rapid change make formal structures less effective, and where paternalistic management styles are unsuited to the sense of independence of present day employees, and to the need of individuals to accept greater responsibility for their own work in less hierarchical organizations.

14 Principles of Fayol Still Relevant
Jolanta Sz, Professor, Poland, Member
I am absolutely convinced that Fayol's principles are still actual, relevant to many everyday management situations. They (principles) serve with success, I hope, in my lectures, mainly to explain the complexity of the management process and it's human side.

Current Research on Fayol?
boudarel, Professor, France, Member
Do you know of any research teams who are working on Fayol's 14 principles today?

14 Principles of Management and Politics
sneha, HR Consultant, India, Member
I agree that 14 principles of management are still good and should still be followed, but in management it's not ourselves we need to consider. There are many other people too who need to follow the principles.
Take Unity of Command. In organisations there is only one boss for each worker, but what if a worker approaches our boss, or our boss approaches the worker directly? That is not in our control and this makes you to think in another way.

Applicability of Fayol's Principles of Management Today
Nelson E. Edjan, Student (MBA), Philippines, Member
Fayol's principles are still relevant, even in this diverse and fast changing business organization. The more principles you have the better decision making and implementation. The only thing is adapt and incorporate all relevant and very useful principles to achieve the best results for the workers and the organization in common.

Fayol's Principles are Now Outdated
baseer, CEO, Bahamas, Member
All these 14 principles are only a frame work within a controlled environment. Nowadays businesses are operated in a fluid and dynamic environment, hence demand a completely different approach. Its a war scenario, where certain principles like unity of command, authority are automatic.Things like scalar work chain, stability and security are not really seen as so significant. The employee mobility is at a Global level, gone are the days of one job, one company..Further Speed is the essence, the corporations are quite impatient now. So I feel this whole framework is outdated.

Fayol's Principles Valid, But Add Employee Empowerment
Wilder, HR Consultant, Kenya, Member
They are still applicable, but room for employee empowerment and consultation is critical in today's environment.

Current Validity of Fayol's Principles of Management
desu rama mohan, Professor, India, Member
They definitely still apply and are good to follow in general. But they can't be implemented in their totality, especially in health care setting and in the hospital industry.
Employees here require participation in decision making and support from management to achieve the goals of organization.

Principles of Management Still Helpful
Madubuike Obinna Chimezie Francis, Project Manager, Nigeria, Member
Following Fayol's 14 principle of management is an encompassing solution box for dealing with most if not all management issues in any organization.

14 Principles of Henri Fayop
khalid, Business Consultant, Bahrain, Member
I taught for many years at a uni to fresh school graduates. I always told them when explaining the 14 principles that these are valid till today. Technology or no technology.

The 5 Verbs of Fayol
claude rougeot, Management Consultant, Cote Divoire (Ivory Coast), Member
Here 14 principles are presented, but in my opinion the main contribution of Fayol is: anticipate, organize, give order, coordinate, control. Taylor has developed this concept as well.
These verbs are focusing the manger on what is essential. They are in my agenda on a small piece of paper so I can't forget them. Are they useful today? DEFINITELY.
Personally I'd add "communicate" and "sustainable development".

Fayol's Five Elements of Management
Jaap de Jonge, Editor, Netherlands
@Claude rougeot: Indeed Fayol's 5 Elements of Management are also still worth to remember even today. You'll find them mentioned and described as follows in the summary:

1. Prevoyance. (Forecast & Plan). Examining the future and drawing up a plan of action. The elements of strategy.
2. To organize. Build up the structure, both material and human, of the undertaking.
3. To command. Maintain the activity among the personnel.
4. To coordinate. Binding together, unifying and harmonizing all activity and effort.
5. To control. Seeing that everything occurs in conformity with established rule and expressed command.

Relevance Today of 14 Principles of Management - Henry Fayol
JOYCE RHOBBINAH KIZZA, Accountant, Uganda, Member
The current relevance of the 14 Principles of Management should not be underestimated. They form the foundation of both new and existing organisations. Unity of Direction, Discipline, Division of Work and Team Spirit are paramount in the success and survival of any organisation. If there exists any organisation which has been successful in any arena without direction, full of chaos and without team spirit, then I'd like to know which one.

Management is All About Purpose
Kelvin H Mwiinga, Student (MBA), Zambia, Member
Management, to manage for a purpose, creating value (monetary or otherwise), can not be done without the combined effort of people, hence these principals stand the test of time because it's all about adding value with the input of others at very different levels. Indeed Fayols principals cannot be ignored.

Relevancy of 14 Principles Of Management
TITUS TARUS, Student (University), Kenya, Member
The principles are still relevant today, though being challenge by scholars. I find it interesting when I realise the current scholars are building on the arguments of Fayols principles unknowingly.

Principles of Management are Guiding Ideas
Kelvin H Mwiinga, Student (MBA), Zambia, Member
Fayol's 14 principles are ideas providing guidance in a given field of thought. Their implementation can change according to value changes, which are different from time to time and from place to place. We can simply build from were our early thinkers left, not reinventing the wheel. Fayol was a great thinker of his time and has contributed greatly to management thought. We should honor him and keep his place. How we see and utilize his management principles depends on our situation.

Fayol's Principles of Management are Still Relevant Today
judith aldaba, Philippines, Member
I strongly believe that Fayol's Principles of Management are still relevant today. Every school administrator needs to know these basic principles and apply them in their administrative work. These are timeless principles that one cannot take for granted.
The principles helped me a lot when I was just starting as a school administrator twenty-five years ago and until this time, they still help me.

Relevance in Some Way
Norman Dragt, Netherlands, Member
@Charlie: If one looks at the time in which these principles were written, I think one would see that organizations were reasonably flat and their employees were more empowered than today. So what we are doing today is returning to the organizational structure Fayol knew when he wrote his principles.
For example: rule 2, the advice to be responsible in the use of commands.
This rule is still good advice for a manager, even hundred years after Fayol.

Rules that Went Wrong
Norman Dragt, Netherlands, Member
@Touazock Benny: There are 2 rules that have gone wrong:

• First the remuneration rule (7). Has been skewed towards the top managers, which creates a demotivation at lower levels (why should I work hard for the organization that pays me 100 times less than the CEO) and envy on mid levels of an organization (how can I become the CEO) which causes a loss of unity of direction (5).
• Second the scalar chain (9), today too many organization have too many layers of management, making it almost difficult for the organization to maintain unity of direction (5), unity of command (4), equity (11), initiative (13) and team spirit (14).

Applicability of Classical Management Theories Today
milly banura, Student (Other), Uganda, Member
This is an interesting discussion about the applicability of classical management theories in the management of modern organizations.

14 Principles of Management by Henri Fayol
Kulkarni Mohan, Manager, India, Member
It's quite inspiring that these 14 principles evolved by Henri Fayol way back in 18th & 19th century. Its evergreen, standardized, time tested and proven principles are applicable even today at all fronts. These principles, if implemented at any given situation & assignment pave the way for success.
For me, the Division of Labour, Decentralization & Team Spirit have always been most important.

Building Blocks for Effective Execution
Brillo L. Reynes, Consultant, Philippines, Member
Fayol's 14 Principles of Management are building blocks for effective execution. However, given various management issues over time and the changing business environment, many tools have been put forward on how to put together and even modify these building blocks for effectiveness in execution. It would be most useful to pair Fayol's 14 Principles of Management with currently used tools that enhanced or modified the management practices of these principles.

Applicability Today of Henry Fayol's 14 Principles of Management
krishnamohan, Teacher, India, Member
The 14 Principles of Henry Fayol are so fundamental in the management discipline. They have changed the very orientation of managing organisation from lower level to higher level that eventually led to formulation of administrative management theory.
Fayol's principles are considered to be universally applicable to any type of organisation and in any situation. Most of these principles are in vogue all over the world in different types of organisations.
Indeed Fayol's 14 Principles are valid propositions even in today's modern management era.