Management Science & the Contingency Theory

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Management Science the Contingency Theory

• Group Three
• MGMT 2053 Principles of Management Spring 2006

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What is Management Science?

• Management Science, or MS, is the discipline of
  using mathematic, and other analytical methods,
  to help make better business decisions.
• While often considered synonymous with Operations
  Research (OR), MS is differentiated by being
  generally thought to have a more practical,
  rather than academic approach.

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Purpose of MS

• MS purpose is to use rational, systematic,
  science-based techniques to inform and improve
  decisions of all kinds.
• MS is also concerned with so-called
  soft-operational analysis, which concerns
  methods for strategic planning, strategic
  decision support, and Problem Structuring Methods
  (PSM).

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The Beginning of MS

• Frederick Winslow Taylor is credited with the
  initial development of scientific management
  techniques in the early 1900s.
• In addition, several management science
  techniques were further developed during World
  War II.
• Some even consider the World War II period as the
  beginning of management science.

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Uses of MS

• Management science techniques are used on a wide
  variety of problems from a vast array of
  applications.
• In marketing, optimal television scheduling has
  been determined using integer programming.
• Finance using MS aids in maximizing the
  potential of portfolios.
• And many other uses.

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Computer Technology MS

• Practitioners and researchers are able to use
  ever-increasing computing power in conjunction
  with management science methods to solve larger
  and more complex problems.
• In addition, management scientists are constantly
  developing new algorithms and improving existing
  algorithms.

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Contingency Theory

• Is the leader's ability to lead is contingent
  upon various situational factors, including the
  leader's preferred style, the capabilities and
  behaviors of followers and also various other
  situational factors.
• Can lead to positive or negative outcomes for
  leaders.

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What governs Contingency Theory?

• Contingency theory is guided by the general
  orienting hypothesis that organizations whose
  internal features best match the demands of their
  environments will achieve the best adaptation.
• Different subunits within an organization may
  confront different external demands.

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Contingency Theory in Leadership

• In contingency theory of leadership, the success
  of the leader is a function of various
  contingencies.
• The effectiveness of a given pattern of leader
  behavior is contingent upon the demands imposed
  by the situation.

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Fiedlers Contingency Theory

• Fiedlers contingency theory Fiedlers theory is
  the earliest and most extensively researched.
• Fiedlers approach departs from trait and
  behavioral models by asserting that group
  performance is contingent on the leaders
  psychological orientation and on three contextual
  variables
• group atmosphere
• task structure
• leaders power position

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Limitations of Contingency Theory

• Pottery, specialty glass, motel room artwork
  plumbing computer technical support
  (craftwork).
• Film making aerospace (non routine research).

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Contingency Theory Present

• In contrast to the classical scholars, most
  theorists today believe that there is no one best
  way to organize.
• What is important is that there be a fit between
  the organization's structure, its size, its
  technology, and the requirements of its
  environment.

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Works Cited

• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Management_science
• http//www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Log
  -Mar/Management-Science.html
• http//www.kwandong.ac.kr/choich/contingency.html
  
• http//www.tcw.utwente.nl/theorieenoverzicht/Theor
  y20clusters/Organizational20Communication/Contin
  gency_Theories.doc/
• http//www.onepine.info/lead1.htm
• http//www.analytictech.com/mb021/orgtheory.htm

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Questions?

• So you told me what is was..now what exactly was
  it?