Theory x, theory y, and theory z introduction to business. Theory x and theory y are still referred to commonly in the field of management and motivation, and whilst more recent studies have questioned the rigidity of the model, mcgregors xy theory remains a valid basic principle from which to develop positive management. Evaluating mcgregors theory as an approach to management. Managers with theory x attitudes hold that subordinates dislike work, avoid work if they can, and show little ambition. Mcgregor came from a social psychology background and brought his training in this area to the field of management. Kouroush jenab, selva staubsuccessful implementation of six. Many years ago a professor named douglas mcgregor dubbed these perspectives theory x and theory y.
Theory x of motivation is based on the following assumptions. The average individual is by nature indolent and will avoid work if he can. The theory x and theory y are the theories of motivation given by douglas mcgregor in 1960s. Mcgregor developed a philosophical view of humankind with his theory x and theory y in 1960. Mcgregors work had a huge effect on administrative thought.
Douglas mcgregor has developed two sets of assumptions about human behaviour. Mcgregors ideas suggest that there are two fundamental approaches to managing people. Theory x and theory y in his 1960 book, the human side of enterprise, douglas mcgregor proposed two theories by which to view employee motivation. If you believe that your team members dislike their work and have little motivation, then, according to mcgregor, youll likely use an authoritarian style of. Differences between theory x and theory y difference between.
Theory x and theory y describe two views of people at work and may be used to describe two opposing management styles. In his book, the human side of enterprise, he outlined a new role. My boss asks me politely to do things, gives me reasons why, and invites my suggestions. In the 1960s, douglas murray mcgregor, a famous mit professor of management wrote a book named the human side of enterprise in which he analyzed the various behaviors of professionals at work. Mcgregors theories x and y introduction to business. These theories are based on the premise that management has to assemble all the factors of production, including human beings, to get the work done. Theory x says that the average human being is lazy and selfcentred, lacks ambition, dislikes change, and longs to be told what to do. Douglas mcgregor, one of maslows students, influenced the. Pdf on nov 1, 2017, mohammad saiful islam and others published application of mcgregors theory x and theory y. Xy theory questionnaire score the statements 5 always, 4 mostly, 3 often, 2 occasionally, 1 rarely, 0 never to indicate whether the situation and management style is x or y. Mcgregor s ideas suggest that there are two fundamental approaches to managing people.
They can only be made to get results at work by the application of. He summarized the findings of the hawthorn experiment by introducing both theory x and theory y. Theory x, theory y by douglas mcgregor is a motivation theory. Pdf application of mcgregors theory x and theory y. In this essay i will elaborate more on the douglas mcgregors theory x and y as well as how the theory has added value in the methods of the management that managers today use to reach organizational goals. It showed up when the behavioral sciences were assuming an expanding part in how managers considered their work. Douglas mcgregors theory x vs theory y lucidchart blog. Douglas mcgregor is a social psychologist and applied two sets of assumptions to the organizational structure called theory x and theory y. His work is based upon maslows hierarchy of needs, where he grouped the hierarchy into lowerorder needs theory x and higherorder needs theory y. Perception of management toward the employees in the banking industry of. Mcgregors theory x and theory y are theories about human behavior and motivation in the organization that was published in 1960 by douglas mcgregor.
Theory y mcgregors theory y is the root cause of employee empowerment. Theory x and y were created and developed by douglas mcgregor in the 1960s. The relationship between mcgregors xy theory management. Application of theory x and y in classroom management by. Difference between theory x and theory y with comparison. Many theorists support that mcgregors theory considers the field of management from a new angle, indicating a strong influential value. In 1960, douglas mcgregor developed a leadership theory mcgregor theory x and theory y about organization and management in which he represented two opposing perceptions about people. The team members are active and supportive in our work climate and find the work itself rewarding. The average human being has an inherent dislike of work and will avoid it if possible.
Mcgregors theory x and theory y theory of motivation. A historical view of douglas mcgregors theory y tufts canvas. There are two alternative sets of assumptions which mcgregor has described as theory x and theory y. These theories are two opposing sets of general assumptions of how workers are motivated, it forms the. Mcgregors xy theory is a natural rule for managing people. Theory x and theory y are still referred to regularly in the fields of management and motivation. The business provides assistance to great lakes sailors and other transient labour.
Theory x and theory y team management training from. Organizational communication channel 114,558 views. Free xy theory test tool personal and organizational pdf. Toward a constructvalid measure article pdf available in journal of managerial issues 202. Theory x advanced the view that human beings have an innate dislike for work. The three prior studies that have made this distinction were recently conducted solely to develop constructvalid measures of both. In 1895, it was here that his grandfather, thomas mcgregor started his business and given its name as, mcgregor institute.
Advantages and disadvantages of theory x and y essay. Theory x vs theory y managers because employees have historically been given a flat exchange of time and energy for income, workplace incentives have often been rooted in a fear of loss of employment, in earning potential from extra productivity, or in acquiescing to managerial dominance for promotion. Theory x and theory y were first explained by mcgregor in his book, the. Mcgregor promoted theory y as the basis of good management practice, pioneering the argument that workers are not merely cogs in the company machinery, as theory xtype organizations seemed to believe. The average person lacks ambition, dislikes responsibility, and prefers to be led. Theory x and theory y mcgregor s theory x and theory y. Theory into practice abraham maslow viewed mcgregor as a mentor. Mcgregors theory x, y and ouchis z motivation self.
After reading you will understand the background and the practical basics of these leadership styles what is theory x and theory y. In contrast to the principles of conventional management mentioned as theory x, the advocated theory y illuminated a cluster of new or redefined concepts such as selffulfilling prophecy and responsibility. There were two main parts to this framework, theory x and theory y. This concept emphasizes that staff are selfdiscipline and would like to do the job themselves. Mcgregors theory x and theory y the idea that a managers attitude has an impact on employee motivation was originally proposed by douglas mcgregor, a management professor at the massachusetts institute of technology during the 1950s and 1960s. The latter theory has a much more positive view about employees and it is suggested that the employer is under a lot less pressure than one who is influenced by the management style of theory x. Theory y maintains that human beings are active rather than passive shapers of. Theory x holds a negative traditional view of the workers while theory y holds a much refined and. This article describes the theory x and theory y of douglas mcgregor. Theory x and theory y are theories of human work motivation and management.
Theory x is propounded by mcgregor, which indicates a set of assumptions, that an average worker is motivated to satisfy their own needs and not to contribute to the fulfilment of organisational goals. Professor douglas mcgregor highlighted that there is a significant relationship between motivation and leadership among people. It is important to note that both theory x and theory y are based on the argument that there are specific approaches to managing people based on their traits. Theory x and theory y were first explained by mcgregor in his book, the human side of enterprise, and they refer to two styles of management authoritarian theory x and participative theory y. Douglas mcgregors theory x and theory y 849 words 123.
Alan chapman 200108 based on douglas mcgregors xy theory. He avoided descriptive labels and simply called the theories theory x and theory y. X and consider using the techniques suggested by theory y. The idea behind using letters x and y, perhaps seems to be using a neutral terminology, which does not convey any sense of badness or goodness associated with these theories. People will exercise selfdirection and selfcontrol if they are committed to the objectives. Theory x and theory y assumptions, merits and demerits. Critically evaluate mcgregors theroy x and theory y free. Mcgregor s x y theory is a natural rule for managing people.
Mcgregor s xy theory character of the manager or worker corresponding to the theory x etoria page was last edited on 25 novemberat 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. Mcgregors work was rooted in motivation theory alongside the works of abraham maslow, who created the hierarchy of needs. Theory x management style generally get poor results compare with managers use theory y, which produces better performance and results, and allows people to. First, there has been a failure to distinguish between theory xy attitudes and theory xy behaviors. Douglas mcgregor introduced us to theory x and theory y in his 1960 book, the. He was a strong supporter of theories x and y, and he put theory y that people want to work, achieve and take responsibility into practice in a californian electronics factory. The human side of enterprise, where he identifies and develops his enowned theory x and theory y. This theory divides workers and managers in the organization in two typical groups according to how managers lead their subordinates and respectively how subordinates behave character of the manager or worker corresponding to the. History mcgregor developed a philosophical view of humankind with his theory x and theory y in 1960. Mcgregor considers theory x and theory y as two different continua in themselves, they are not different ends of the same continuum. Theory x and theory y were initially presented in the early work of douglas mcgregor. In his 1960 book, the human side of enterprise, douglas mcgregor proposed two theories by which to view employee motivation. Mcgregor argued that these assumptions fall into two broad categories theory x and theory y. Theory x and theory y of motivation theory x and theory y of motivation by mcgregor s external motivation includes the forces which exist inside the individuals as well as the controlled by the manager, including items such as salaries, working conditions, company policy and job content items, such as recognition.
Purpose the purpose of this paper is to trace douglas mcgregors theory y thinking back from. Mcgregor postulated 2 theories on human management and leadership which are theory x and theory y. Theory y mcgregors theory y is the root cause of employee. According to the economist 2008 he was not necessarily the first. The average man is by nature, lazy he works as little as possible. Theory x and theory y of motivation explain with examples. Difference between douglas mcgregor theory and herzberg s.
Douglas mcgregors theory x and theory y are theory of human motivation and management. Theory x and theory y describe two very different attitudes toward workforce motivation. The idea that a managers attitude has an impact on employee motivation was originally proposed by douglas mcgregor. Theory x management style generally get poor results compare with managers use theory y, which produces better performance and results, and allows people to grow and develop. Pdf douglas mcgregors landmark book, the human side of enterprise, changed the path of management thinking and practice by. Theory x and theory y, introduced in the book and are known for management and human motivation. Managements action of motivating human beings in the organization, according to mcgregor, involves certain assumptions, generalizations and hypothesis relating to human behavior and human nature. Mcgregors ideas about theory x and theory y were first articulated in his. How are mcgregors theories x and y and ouchis theory z used to explain worker motivation.
Douglas mcgregor, an american social psychologist, proposed his famous xy theory in his 1960 book the human side of enterprise. Given the drawbacks of theoryx, mcgregor developed an alternative theory of human behavior called theoryy. Motivation, theory x and y, classroom, management manager and organisation introduction douglas mcgregor, an american social psychologist, proposed his famous theory x and y in his book the human side of enterprise in 1960. The first being theory y mangers and theory x managers waddell, jones, george 2010, p. Features of mcgregors theory x and theory y of motivation. Employees can view work as being as natural as rest or play. Douglas mcgregor 1960, 1966 classified managers attitudes or belief system, which he called assumptions, as theory x and y.
They were created by douglas mcgregor while he was working at the mit sloan school of management in the 1950s, and developed further in the 1960s. Theory x assumes that employees inherently dislike work. The points given below are substantial, so far as the difference between theory x and theory y is concerned. Douglas mcgregors theory x and theory y biography of douglas mcgregor douglas mcgregor was born on 1906 in detroit, america. Douglas mcgregors theory x and theory y of motivation. Theory x and theory y in 1960, douglas mcgregor formulated theory x and theory y suggesting two aspects of human behaviour at work, or in other words, two different views of individuals employees. His theory is based on managerial views of human beings. Mcgregors theory x and theory y douglas mcgregors in his book the human side of enterprise published in 1960, explained two different kinds of theories or assumptions about human behavior. Social psychologist mcgregors theoryx and theoryyof mit expounded two contrasting theories on human motivation and management in the 1960s. Douglas mcgregor, a famous mit professor and social psychologist, formulated two theories of motivation theory x and theory y, where he suggests that these two contrasting theories directly link to the employees one might encounter at the workplace, and how managers can deal with them.
Theory x was based on a number of key assumptions, the most important of which was that individuals instinctively didnt like work. Douglas mcgregor work is established in motivation theory. Douglas mcgregor, one of maslow s students, influenced the study of motivation with his formulation of two contrasting sets of assumptions about human nature theory x and theory y the theory x management style is based on a pessimistic view of. And theory x theory y was based on mcgregors book of 1960s called the human side of enterprise.
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