Henri Fayol

Henri Fayol

Henri Fayol Born in 1841 was a French engineer and director of mines. His work was not well known outside of France until Constsnce Storrs published his book "Administration Industrielle et Generale" in 1916. Upon publication of the book he wrote, people where more and more interested in his theories of management. Today he is credited with the fourteen principles for organizational design and effective administration.

Fayol began working as a mining engineer, and later moved into the field of geology. In 1888 he was hired as director of Camambault (a French mining company) which was in complete disarray until he arrived to turn the company around using his theories and methods of management. Upon retirement he published his first works, a comprehensive theory of administration which described and classified administrative management roles and processes. With this he is considered the father of classical or administrative management.

His theories about management came from personal experiences in the mine, and while working for Camambault. He built personal observations on what worked well in terms of organization. He wanted there to be an "administrative science" or a constant set of principals that companies would have to abide by in order to succeed.

Fayol believed that there was a "one best way" approach to management that would work no matter what kind of business. This was argued heavily in the United States with his partner F.W. Taylor who published "The Principles of Scientific Management" in 1911. While Taylor worked on work methods and efficiency, Fayol came up with five functions of management that are still useful today.

Ð'* Forecast and plan

Ð'* Organize

Ð'* Command

Ð'* Co-ordinate