| The development of management theory exists on a | | | | will be willing to exert enough energy to achieve it. |
| continuum where each new insight leads to either an | | | | Have you ever met someone who was motivated in |
| updated theory or a new theory. Yet as society | | | | life? It is probably from a need to be recognized and |
| changes we often falsely assume that older theory | | | | appreciated. |
| has no bearing in modern life. We seem to forget that | | | | As this need becomes stronger we are more likely to |
| these theories are based in basic human needs that | | | | exert additional energy. Let us say that you were a |
| don't change. What does change is the expression of | | | | tribesman from some African village. If you aren't that |
| those needs and how we go about fulfilling them. | | | | hungry you probably won't work that hard. Yet as you |
| Reviewing old management theory is important | | | | get closer to starvation you will exert more energy |
| because these older theories often are simpler and cut | | | | hunting, fishing, and getting more food. The same |
| to the problem more quickly. They don't jumble up all | | | | principals can be applied to housing (big houses), |
| the relevant information with educated ramblings. They | | | | money, dating and more. |
| prefer to get to the root of the matter so that great | | | | Nearly a hundred years later Henry George, around |
| understanding can happen. The more understanding | | | | 1898, states this disposition of men to seek the |
| we have the better ability we have to achieve our | | | | satisfaction of their desires with the minimum of |
| business goals. | | | | exertion is so universal and unfailing that it constitutes |
| Let us take Adam Smith as one example. Adam | | | | one of those invariable sequences that we |
| Smith, around 1776, observed that human beings | | | | denominate the laws of nature." |
| tended to conserve energy and in so conserving | | | | George is proposing a law of nature that energy |
| energy they had to have a challenge or motivating | | | | exertion is dependent upon the intensity of the need or |
| force. In his work entitled An Inquiry into the Nature and | | | | desire. Apply this concept to your business. Employees |
| Causes of the Wealth of Nations he wrote, "In every | | | | aren't likely to work very hard if the majority of their |
| profession, the exertion of the greater part of those | | | | needs are fulfilled. For example, if they don't have drive |
| who exercise it is always in proportion to the necessity | | | | to achieve more than an average employee they |
| they are under in making the exertion." | | | | aren't likely to work that hard. Some employees have |
| What does that mean? It means that we don't like to | | | | no desire to achieve (need) and are not going to work |
| exert energy fulfilling a need. However, we will exert | | | | hard to maintain the status quo. Recruit people who |
| energy based on the necessity of fulfilling a need. For | | | | want to succeed in life and you will get more work out |
| example, if we really want something bad enough we | | | | of them. |