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CMA Foundation · Fundamentals of Business Economics and Management · Introduction to Management

A Chennai textile company's managers use established principles of planning and control, but the same techniques give different results in two of its branches because of differing staff attitudes and local market conditions. Which view of management does this best support?

The case supports the view that management is both science and art. It has systematic principles, but because they are applied to people and varying conditions, results differ and depend on the manager's skill and judgment. It is therefore neither an exact science nor purely an art.

  1. AManagement is an exact science like physics, since principles are used
  2. BManagement is both science and art: it has a body of principles, but their application needs skill and judgment in varying situationsCorrect
  3. CManagement is purely an art, so principles have no value
  4. DManagement is not a discipline because results differ

Explanation

Management has organised knowledge and principles, which gives it a scientific character. Because it deals with people and changing situations, principles are not exact laws and outcomes depend on the manager's skill in applying them, which is the art element. Hence it is both, not an exact science and not purely an art.

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