MODERN BEHAVIORISM

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 438.

The term ”modern behaviorism”refers to the current stage of evolution of the behavioral school of management, which gives primacy to psychological considerations but treats fulfillment of emotional needs mainly as a means of achieving other, primarily economic goals.

Behavioral scientists have often criticized classical management theory and scientific management as not being responsive enough to the human needs. The behaviorists' specific criticisms include the following:

• Jobs have been overly specialized.
• People are underutilized.
• Managers have exercised too much control and have prevented employees from making decisions they are competent to make.
• Managers have shown too little concern about subordinates' needs for recognition and self-fulfillment.

Behavioral scientists argue that the design of work has not changed to keep pace with changes in the needs of today's employees. In today's complex, affluent, and rapidly changing society employees cannot be treated like interchangeable parts. Today's worker has a higher level of education and tends to possess higher expectations for the working environment than workers of the past did. Modern behaviorists say employees of today desire diverse and challenging work. This desire has placed increased pressure on management to be responsive to change and to provide an environment designed to meet human needs.