Memorandum on Enlightened Management

It was found, for instance, in Jim Clark's studies or in many of the studies quoted in theLikert book that one department was doing better economically than another department, that is, it had a higher production rate or it had less turnover or it had better morale or something of this sort, and the experiment was made in order to find out what factors were responsible for this economic superiority. What was found in practically all of these cases was that a particular kind of foreman or supervisor-manager was responsible for the economic superiority of the working group. And the qualities of the superior managers have been worked out, i.e., they are more democratic, more compassionate, more friendly, more helpful, more loyal, etc. That is, the whole thing has been done pragmatically, rather than on a priori,moral, or ethical or political grounds. A certain kind of democratic manager makes more profit for the firm as well as making everybody happier and healthier. What is true of the behavior and attitudes of these pragmatically superior supervisors should be copied or forced upon the pragmatically inferior supervisors, even if this is not their spontaneous self-choice.