copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Managers following Theory Y believe that employees are willing to work and put effort into their performances. Theory X holds a pessimistic view of employees in the sense that they cannot work in the absence of incentives. Also, participative decision-making may not always be feasible or successful due to the nature of the work or the willingness of the workers. The control and coercion involved in this style of management could lead to employee frustration, de-motivate employees and damage relationships within the organization. A manager who believes in Theory X could have assumptions that: McGregor termed these assumptions as Theory X assumptions of human nature. [4] He theorized that the motivation employees use to reach self-actualization allows them to reach their full potential. She also holds three degrees including communications, business, educational leadership/technology. They also dislike change and tend to resist it at all costs. Overall leader effectiveness will be higher when people follow because they want to follow. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. The two theories proposed by McGregor describe contrasting models of workforce motivation applied by managers in human resource management, organizational behavior, organizational communication and organizational development. As a consequence, they exert a highly controlling leadership style. Theory X managers are likely to believe that Select one: a. the average person dislikes work and will seek to avoid it when possible. Management believes employees' work is based on their own self-interest. Theory X managers are likely to believe that: a. the average employee dislikes work and will seek to avoid it when possible. Creativity and problem-solving thrive when employees are trusted. Theory Y results in an arrangement whereby individuals can achieve their own goals and happily accomplish the organizations goals at the same time. Managers may prefer one theory over the other; it depends on individual trait differences. How do the theories of Tannenbaum and Schmidts leadership continuum and McGregors Theory X and Theory Y attempt to define leadership? d. job satisfaction is primarily related to higher order needs. Jack Welch was the formal leader of General Electric, and Leonard Bernstein was the formal leader of the symphony. Theory X managers are likely to believe that: A.the average person dislikes work and will seek to avoid it when possible. "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. B. most workers know more about their job than the boss. This could additionally lead to a bad reputation. Two reasons: (1) high-quality products and (2) low prices. Leaders who rely on reward power develop followers who are very measured in their responses to [what? Motivation occurs only at the physiological and security levels of Maslows hierarchy of needs. They can only work under fear, and proper supervision. They can use self-direction and self-control in this aspect. The Theory X leader assumes that the average individual dislikes work and is incapable of exercising adequate self-direction and self-control. Self-determination Theory Self-determination theory suggests that people are motivated to grow and change by three Which of the following is a behavior that would most likely b [8] This approach is derived from Fred Fiedler's research over various leadership styles known as the contingency theory. The manager allows for collaborative decision-making and amicable relations within the organization or firm. Organizations have two kinds of leaders: formal and informal. The secret to their success was not what they were producing but how they were managing their peopleJapanese employees were engaged, empowered, and highly productive. B.most employees know more about their job than the boss. This book uses the They can have creativity, innovation and potential skills that they can use to solve problems or to perform effectively. People are self-motivated and embrace responsibility. In 1960, Douglas McGregor published two theories (Theory X & Theory Y) of employee motivation based on the assumptions that managers make about employees. Evidence suggests that managers from different parts of the global community commonly hold the same view. Many startups and new organizations use Theory Y by using flexible deadlines and less controlling supervisors. During the 1980s, American business and industry experienceda tsunami of demand for Japanese products and imports, particularly in the automotive industry. Micro-managers believe that they must oversee every single task assigned to the employee, and they believe employees will try . Work in organizations that are managed like this can be repetitive, and people are often motivated with a "carrot and stick" approach. The employees do not dislike work and it can be a source of satisfaction or joy for them. Participative Leadership Theory & Examples | What is Participative Leadership? Theory X managers and supervisors are sometimes called micro-managers. He mentioned Theory X and Theory Y in his book, The Human Side of Enterprise, published in 1960. Some critics believe that current methods of measuring unemployment are inaccurate in terms of the impact of unemployment on people as these methods do not take into account the 1.5% of the available working population incarcerated in US prisons (who may or may not be working while they are incarcerated); those who have lost their jobs and have . Leonard Bernstein was part of the symphony, but his role as the New York Philharmonic conductor differed dramatically from that of the other symphony members. Project Management. The Japanese had discovered something that was givingthem the competitive edge. Research suggests that rationality is the most effective influence tactic in terms of its impact on follower commitment, motivation, performance, satisfaction, and group effectiveness.30. Yoko must also try to harness the motivational energy of her employees through things such as giving them more autonomy, responsibility, power, trust and feedback and involving them in the decision-making process. The worker here is considered to be mature. Theory Xmanagement hinders the satisfaction of higher-level needs because it doesnt acknowledge that those needs are relevant in the workplace. The managers influenced by Theory X believe that everything must end in blaming someone. Several assumptions form the basis for this theory. As a result, they think that team members need to be prompted, rewarded or punished constantly to make sure that they complete their tasks. This style of leadership is seen as appropriate when circumstances require quick decisions and organizational members are new, inexperienced, or underqualified. As soon as that need is satisfied, the employees have no additional motivation for coming to work. [6] Managers who believe employees operate in this manner are more likely to use rewards or punishments as motivation. employees are motivated mainly by the chance for advancement and recognition. The permissive democratic approach to leadership is characteristic of leadership in high-involvement organizations. [6], The soft approach is characterized by leniency and less strict rules in hopes for creating high workplace morale and cooperative employees. This could lead to more turnover and absenteeism. He believed that workers who were continuously being treated as robots with no thinking ability, at one point eventually start behaving like robots. In general, Theory X style managers believe their employees are less intelligent, lazier, and work solely for a sustainable income. However, one person who seemed to be unafraid of self-inflicted explosions was Douglas McGregor, a behavior management theorist who was heavily influenced by both Abraham Maslow and the Hawthorne Studies. Theory X managers tend to take a pessimistic view of their people, and assume that they are naturally unmotivated and dislike work. They typically allow organizational members significant amounts of discretion in their jobs and encourage them to participate in departmental and organizational decision-making. 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. Lack of ambition and laziness is more common than ambition and creativity. Based on these factors, it is easy to see how Theory X differs from Theory Y and easy to imagine their potential outcomes in the workplace. Theory X represents a negative view of human nature that assumes individuals generally dislike work, are irresponsible, and require close supervision to do their jobs. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 84,000 Theory X and Theory Y were developed in the 1960's and describe two different, almost opposite, attitudes to motivation in the workplace. McGregor's X-Y theory is a salutary and simple reminder of the natural rules for managing people, which under the pressure of day-to-day business are all too easily forgotten. Enlightened managers use Theory Y, which produces better performance and results, and allows people to grow and develop. Consider these assumptions from the different managerial styles: Most people find happiness in hard work under the right conditions. A doctor in charge of a hastily constructed shelter for victims of a tornado may use this style to command nonmedical volunteers. A surgeon might allow the entire surgical team to participate in developing a plan for a surgical procedure. The result was Theory Za developmentbeyond Theory X and Theory Y thatblended the best of Eastern and Western management practices. This theory states that managers evaluate the workplace and choose their leadership style based upon both internal and external conditions presented. His main ideas broke down into two options, Theory X and Theory Y. It has been a fact that sustainability and employee turnover in corporations rely heavily on the different styles of management practiced at given companies nowadays. CRC Press; New York; pp. Why not assume the best in people? Reward and legitimate power (that is, relying on ones position to influence others) produce inconsistent results. C. employees are motivated mainly by the chance for advancement and recognition. Work is inherently distasteful to most people, and they will attempt to avoid work whenever possible. Instead, McGregor feels that an approach located in the middle would be the most effective implementation of Theory X.[7]. Theory of X and Y is a theory on human work and motivation developed by Douglas McGregor. McGregor stressed that Theory Y management does not imply a soft approach. Management professor William Ouchi argued that Western organizations could learn from their Japanese counterparts. Since the employee is not responsible to work willingly, he or she must be motivated with the rewards and incentives, prompted, punished, coerced or forced into working. Different situations call for different configurations of knowledge, skills, and abilities. Implementing a Theory Y-focused leadership approach requires modern tools that can complement the collaborative workplace. d. job satisfaction is primarily related to higher-order needs. Human Relations Theory Overview & Timeline | What are Human Relations? Reason In theory X, the manager believes that employees are lazy, and they avoid doing work properly. The power base in many organizations shifted to marketing as competition became a game of advertising aimed at differentiating products in the consumers mind. 9899. [8] This approach can potentially yield a hostile, minimally cooperative workforce and resentment towards management. The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo Theory X represents a negative view of human nature that assumes individuals generally dislike work, are irresponsible, and require close supervision to do their jobs. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. 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McGregor makes the point that a command-and-control environment is not effective because it relies on lower needs for motivation, but in modern society those needs are mostly satisfied and thus are no longer motivating. The employee is not responsible and hence must be supervised or directed towards the goal of the organization. 22nd International Command and Control Research and technology Symposium (ICCRTS). [3] Maslow's hierarchy of needs consists of physiological needs (lowest level), safety needs, love needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization (highest level). We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Coercive power can result in favorable performance, yet follower and resistance dissatisfaction are not uncommon. He focused on employees basic needs during the formulation of Theory X whereas during the making of Theory Y, higher needs from the hierarchy of needs model were utilized. Most people have little aptitude for creativity in solving organizational problems. "Mission Command and Agile C2." C. employees are motivated mainly by the chance for advancement and recognition.D. 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. Hence, both theories used in moderation are key to good organization. D.job satisfaction is primarily related to higher order needs. Theory Y is used by managers who believe employees are responsible, committed and self-motivated. Managerial Functions in the International Organization. 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. You might, for instance, have a tendency to micromanage or, conversely, you may prefer to take a more hands-off approach. Vassiliou, Marius, and David S. Alberts (2017). While these contrasting management styles might be easily recognizable in todays technology-driven world, they were novel thoughts at one point, developed through research and observation by a workplace thought leader. Theory X is a common management method that focuses on supervision and strict monitoring of employees. Douglas McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y. In this situation, one would expect employees to dislike their work, avoid responsibility, have no interest in organizational goals, resist change, etc.creating, in effect, a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you agree with Riya, you will likely agree with Theory Y, which refers to a more participative style of managing. Most people are gullible and unintelligent. [8] As a result, Theory Y followers may have a better relationship with their boss, creating a healthier atmosphere in the workplace. I think there is a little misconception here. In his 1960 book, The Human Side of Enterprise, McGregor proposed two theories by which managers perceive and address employee motivation. [4] The workplace lacks unvarying rules and practices, which could potentially be detrimental to the quality standards of the product and strict guidelines of a given company. Older, strictly hierarchical conceptions of C2, with narrow centralization of decision rights, highly constrained patterns of interaction, and limited information distribution tend to arise from cultural and organizational assumptions compatible with Theory X. Although born and educated in America, Ouchi was of Japanese descent and spent a lot of time in Japan studying the countrys approachto workplace teamwork and participative management. citation tool such as, Authors: David S. Bright, Anastasia H. Cortes. Although both styles of management can motivate people, the success of each will largely depend on your team's needs and wants and your . Theory Y managers appeal to a higher level of motivation on Maslows famous Hierarchy of Needs, capitalizing on the human need for esteem and self-actualization. [6] Work is inherently distasteful to most people, and they will attempt to avoid work whenever possible. What might be less immediately understandable are the differing effects of Theory X and Y on resulting behavior and productivity. Douglas McGregor was a management professor at Massachusetts IT university, Cambridge in the 1950s, and published a few articles and books as well. 219.Theory X managers are likely to believe that: A. the average person dislikes work and will seek to avoid it when possible. This judgement could say a lot about your style of management. The informal leader is that individual whom members of the group acknowledge as their leader. While money may not be the most effective way to self-fulfillment, it may be the only way available. Hi, Both theories are mostly used as a mixture in organizations and workplaces. When this persons role is sanctioned by the formal organization, these team leaders become formal leaders. McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y is about judging the needs and character of your people. They are not inherently irresponsible or lazy. Are inherently lazy, lack. The managers who are categorized as a Theory X leaders in general believe that the subordinates fail to live up to the corporate expectations hence assume that subordinates are just influenced with rewards as well as monetary rather than fulfilling the stated corporate objectives. He wrote on leadership as well. Its assumptions about the value of individual initiative make it more a Theory-Y than a Theory X philosophy.[15]. Slow promotions, group decision-making, and life-time employment may not be a good fit with companies operating in cultural, social, and economic environments where those work practicesare not the norm. They are not lazy at all. Question: Theory X managers are likely to believe thata. A directive autocrat retains power, makes unilateral decisions, and closely supervises workers activities. In solving organizational problems the organizations goals at the physiological and security of. 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