The foundations of Henri Fayol's administrative theory

Authors: Wren, Daniel A.; Bedeian, Arthur G.; Breeze, John D.

Source: Management Decision, Volume 40, Number 9, 2002 , pp. 906-918(13)

Publisher: Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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Abstract:

Among modern scholars and students there is an increasing distance between the fundamental thoughts of early management writers and contemporary, often secondary, accounts of how these pioneers developed their ideas. This shortcoming can be remedied by seeking original sources from when a pioneer's ideas were being formulated and from the context within which this occurred. We examine examples of how others have furthered our understanding of management history by the discovery and translation of pioneering writings and present a rare, out-of-print translation and a previously untranslated and unpublished presentation from the French pioneer, Henri Fayol. These presentations to his colleagues in the mineral industry reveal Fayol's early reflections as they would later evolve into his classical book, Administration Industrielle et Générale.

Keywords: History; Management theory

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/00251740210441108

Publication date: 2002-11-01

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