A History of Management Thought

Since human beings first thought about the nature of work, we have thought about management. As management has grown as an academic discipline, management theories have come and gone and management thinking has ebbed and flowed. This introductory textbook helps history of management thought students to fully understand how the discipline has changed over time and how management thinkers and theories from years gone by remain relevant today. Starting with the earliest concepts of management, and examining management thought from throughout the world, the textbook helps students to understand the international range of contributions to the discipline. An innovative micro-historical feature throughout the book uses "reflections" to tie a management theme from another age to cutting edge management situations happening right now. Students taking classes in the history of management thought will find this text to be the perfect accompaniment to their studies whilst all students of business and management wishing to understand the historical roots of their chosen subject wil revel in the rich pickings on offer here.