I f you ask a random number of Swedes to name an influential Frenchman some will probably mention Réné Descartes –not because they know much about his philosophy, but because it is well known that he died from a cold at the Stockholm Royal Castle, while teaching the queen Kristina. Others may mention Jean-Paul Sartre– not because they are necessarily familiar with existentialism, but because they have heard about Sartre’s problematic relationship to Simone de Beauvoir (and have seen a recent documentary about this couple). Very few, if any, will mention Henri Fayol. (Some may venture that, perhaps, he was one of the famous French impressionists?) This seems both upsetting and unfair, because Fayol’s management recommendations define “management”. And management, as you know, is generally assumed to be imperative to organizational success (and perhaps to individual success as well). Fayol’s management recommendations provide the basis for an MBA-education, not only in Sweden, but worldwide. They provide a living for hundreds of thousands of people: authors, students, teachers, and university staff, not to mention managers. Who was Henri Fayol, which kind of management did he recommend, why should his influence be appreciated (rather than that of Frederick Taylor), and why is it not recognized? These are the questions for the following paragraphs
Auteur: Holmlad Brunsson Karin