Q.Ravi works in the packing department of a manufacturing unit. On Monday, his packing supervisor instructs him to pack 200 boxes using method X. An hour later, the production manager, bypassing the supervisor, instructs Ravi to switch to method Y and pack only 150 boxes. Ravi is confused about whose instruction to follow. Which principle of management given by Henri Fayol has been violated in this situation, and why?

The correct word is authority. Fayol's principle of Scalar Chain describes the formal, unbroken line of authority stretching from top management down to the lowest rank, along which official communication travels.

Scalar chain is one of Henri Fayol's fourteen principles of management. It states that there should be a clear, continuous line of authority connecting every position in the organisation from the top to the bottom. This chain acts as the official route through which orders and instructions flow downward and information and feedback flow upward, so that communication remains orderly and no level of management is skipped.

• Following the chain avoids confusion, fixes responsibility clearly and maintains discipline in the flow of communication.

• Discipline and unity are separate principles of Fayol (Discipline; Unity of Command and Unity of Direction), so they do not complete this sentence.

• Fayol also permitted a shortcut called the Gang Plank, which allows two employees at the same level to communicate directly in an emergency without going all the way up and down the chain.

The statement is False. The 14 principles of management were given by Henri Fayol; F. W. Taylor is known for Scientific Management, not for the 14 principles.

Two pioneers shaped modern management thought, and their contributions must not be confused:

• Henri Fayol — a French management thinker who gave the 14 principles of management (such as Division of Work, Authority and Responsibility, Discipline, Unity of Command, Scalar Chain, Espirit de Corps, etc.). He is called the father of modern management.
• F. W. Taylor — an American engineer who developed the Scientific Management approach, whose principles include Science not Rule of Thumb, Harmony not Discord, Cooperation not Individualism, and Development of each worker to greatest efficiency. He also gave techniques like time study, motion study and differential piece-rate wages.

Since the 14 principles belong to Fayol and not to Taylor, the statement is false.

By Fayol's principle of Unity of Command, an employee should get orders from one superior only.

Henri Fayol gave 14 principles of management. One of the most important is Unity of Command, which states that an employee should receive orders and instructions from only one boss (superior) at a time.

Why one superior and not many?

• If a worker reports to many superiors, he may receive conflicting instructions and will not know whom to obey.
• It leads to confusion, overlapping of authority and escape of responsibility (each boss blames the other).
• With a single superior, responsibility is clearly fixed and discipline is easy to maintain.
• It maintains a clear chain of command and smooth flow of communication.

(Note: 'Unity of Command' — one superior — should not be confused with 'Unity of Direction' — one head and one plan for a group of activities having the same objective.)

The underlined word should be Centralization, because it means concentrating authority at the top.

The definition given — 'concentration of powers and authorities at a specific position' — is the definition of Centralization, not Decentralization.

• Centralization: Authority and power to take decisions are concentrated in the hands of top management / a specific position.
• Decentralization: Authority is systematically delegated (dispersed) to lower levels of the organisation.

Since the statement talks about concentration at a specific position, the correct term is Centralization.

Henri Fayol is called the father of modern (administrative) management; F.W. Taylor is the father of scientific management.

Henri Fayol studied management from the viewpoint of top-level administration. He divided business activities into six groups, listed the five functions of management (planning, organising, commanding, coordinating, controlling) and gave 14 principles of management.

• His broad, general approach applies to every type of organisation, so he is honoured as the father of modern management.
• The option 'scientific' belongs to F.W. Taylor, and 'technical' is not a recognised title.

Hence Fayol is the father of modern management.