• What is the history of the administration?
• Origin of administration
• Management evolution
• Importance of administration

We explain everything about the history of the administration, its origin and evolution. Also, the importance of administration today.

Modern administration was born as a consequence of the Industrial Revolution.

What is the history of the administration?

The management is a process that through various functions allows planning and organizing means and the activities of the organizations private or public. The history of contemporary administration is recent and arises from the twentieth century, as a consequence of the period of the Industrial Revolution which took place between the 18th and 19th centuries.

However, the concept of management as discipline has been present in the older civilizations of the humanity. This is the case of the Sumerians, who had large palaces that functioned as administrative centers in which they centralized and distributed through barter food and utensils for the rest of the population.

Origin of administration

The ability to manage is inherent in the human being and arises from the need to take decisions, coordinate and execute various tasks individually. When the human being began to live in community, developed that ability to coordinate more complex activities that allowed achieving greater political, economic and social development.

Ancient civilizations show administrative activities, from engineering applied to the construction of temples to commercial deployment. Such is the case of feudalism Roman, which implied a contract between the elite (who granted land or rents) and the vassals (who had to give in exchange their forced fidelity and pay certain services).

The military organization provided certain guidelines for the development of later administrative theories. For example, designating a unit of command that delegates part of the can to managers who, in turn, are in charge of the rest of the subordinates.

As military operations increased, the number of officers with groups of subordinates in charge grew.

Management evolution

Max Weber proposed a centralized procedure in a hierarchy.

The administrative process is a universal activity in the modern world: every organization must coordinate its tasks to meet its objectives. The Industrial Revolution played a key role in the formal development of this administrative discipline.

Mass production generated a new system of factories, which replaced artisan workshops: a businessman with means of production, buy the work force and coordinates the tasks so that the organization is efficient. From that productive process theories arose to improve the methods, the weather and the means.

Theories of administrative management They allow to establish an order to control and coordinate the actions and the different roles that are performed in an organization. In this way, the organization can prevent problems, adapt to changes and fulfill your objectives. Some of the main administrative theories are:

• Scientific theory (United States, 1903). Frederick Wilson Taylor proposed to optimize the work of the worker to achieve greater efficiency in industrial production. This theory holds that by means of planning scientific procedures, each employee can increase their productive capacity without leaving room for personal judgment or improvisation.
• The theory of bureaucracy (Germany, 1905). Max Weber proposed a centralized procedure in a hierarchy, with division of the responsibilities and job specialization. According to this theory, control depends on the bureaucratic order whose rules They must be respected by the boss and the rest of the members.
• The classical theory (France, 1916). Henry Fayol proposed a comprehensive systematic approach of the entire organization, in which all its components must be controlled and coordinated. This theory focuses on the performance of the hierarchical management so that it develops all administrative functions and delegates responsibilities to the rest of the employees.
• The humanist theory (United States, 1932). Elton Mayo proposed a new business philosophy to counter rigorous Scientific methods that dehumanized the worker. This theory understands the needs of the individual within the organization and highlights the importance of self-improvement. The good ones relationships contribute to a greater efficiency of the production process.
• The theory of behavior (United States, 1950). Abraham Maslow proposed a theory, called "the Maslow's pyramid”, To explain the needs that drive the conduct human. This theory is still used today, and it recognizes five types of needs in order from greatest to least importance: physiological, security, social, recognition and self-actualization.
• The theory of contingency (United States, 1980). William Dill, William Starbuck, James Thompson, Paul Lawrence, Jay Lorsch, and Tom Burns proposed the organization as a system opened. They argued that the relationship between the conditions of environment and the techniques The administrative aspects of the organization should be considered as a whole, in order to adapt the Organizational structure to the various unforeseen events. According to this theory, the correct functioning of the organization depends on the interaction with the environment.

Importance of administration

Administration as a discipline provides tools and knowledge so that the coordinated effort of all the resources that make up an organization (materials and humans) work efficiently towards the same goals.

In addition, the administration allows the organization to anticipate or be prepared for situations of change or crisis that may impact their performance, with the aim of staying active.