Douglas McGregor developed a philosophical view of humankind with his Theory X and Theory Y in 1960. These are two opposing perceptions about how people view human behavior at work and organizational life.
THEORY X
With Theory X assumptions, management's role is to coerce and control employees.
* People have an inherent dislike for work and will avoid it whenever possible.
* People must be coerced, controlled, directed, or threatened with punishment in order to get them to achieve the organizational objectives.
* People prefer to be directed, do not want responsibility, and have little or no ambition.
* People seek security above all else.
THEORY Y
With Theory Y assumptions, management's role is to develop the potential in employees and help them to release that potential towards common goals.
* Work is as natural as play and rest.
* People will exercise self-direction if they are committed to the objectives (they are NOT lazy).
* Commitment to objectives is a function of the rewards associated with their achievement.
* People learn to accept and seek responsibility.
* Creativity, ingenuity, and imagination are widely distributed among the population. People are capable of using these abilities to solve an organizational problem.
* People have potential.
Which theory do you subscribe to?
His book, "The Human Side of Enterprise"
http://www.codysbooks.com/product/info.jsp?isbn=0071462228
(Thanks Kary!)
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