Theory X and Theory Y Organizations

Management styles
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May 12, 2019
Management styles
Douglas McGregor’s book, the human side of enterprise have highlighted two theories that elaborate the role of management in an organization. It concludes that both X and Y theories are meant to assemble various factors of production including individuals with an aim of elevating economic benefit of an organization. Contrary, theory X and theory Y have different approach towards management practices. For instance, management in theory X can play around hard approach and soft approach (Douglas, M 2010). Hard approach on management practices employs close supervision, tight control and threat implication while soft approach only results to more demands from employees to solve decreasing output barriers. On the other hand, theory Y can only apply hard approach especially in cases where employees have not reached the required level of maturity. In such occasions, tighter control practices are applied to foster effective achievement of goals in an organization.
Both theory X and Y have contrasting assumption that clearly highlight difference between the two management practices. Theory X assumes that employees have no ambitions and they do not like responsibilities. Additionally, most employees are barely intelligent and they do not like change, most of them would rather follow their leaders because they dislike their work and they do not care about organizations objectives (Douglas, M 2010). Contrary, theory Y states different because it’s assumption highlight that most employees are committed to their objectives only if they are self-directed. Unlike in theory X, theory Y clears that employees are creative and intelligent and they can handle various responsibilities. In addition, work can be as natural as play and rest unlike in theory X which states that employees avoid work. In theory Y, employees work to satisfy their personal needs through work while in theory X employees only work for money and security.
Various examples can be applied to explain further on how these two theories can be applied. Good examples to explain theory X are based on construction and machinery management practices. Machinery and construction management practices require decisions from leaders only, employees are supposed to follow guidelines (Zeth Mining, 2019). In most cases, construction and machinery requires hard approach management practices because individuals are required to work harder in order to promote faster development in an organization. Employers in this field are required to pay enough compensation to their employees in order to retain them (Symonds College. 2017). Additionally, hard approach in machinery and construction areas produce results into a more cost-effective workforce because decision making is fast and it is focused on employees. Besides hard approach, machinery and construction employees needs to be rewarded for motivation and improved performance. This action highlights soft approach on management practices which suits theory X...