Managers are more authoritarian and actively intervene to get things done.Īlthough Theory X management has largely fallen out of fashion in recent times, big organizations may find that adopting it is unavoidable due to the sheer number of people that they employ and the tight deadlines that they have to meet. Authority is rarely delegated, and control remains firmly centralized.
Have no incentive to work or ambition, and therefore need to be enticed by rewards to achieve goals.Īccording to McGregor, organizations with a Theory X approach tend to have several tiers of managers and supervisors to oversee and direct workers. Have to be controlled, forced and threatened to deliver work. This style of management assumes that workers:Īvoid responsibility and need constant direction. Performance appraisals and remuneration are usually based on tangible results, such as sales figures or product output, and are used to control staff and 'keep tabs' on them. Work in organizations that are managed like this can be repetitive, and people are often motivated with a 'carrot and stick' approach. As a result, they think that team members need to be prompted, rewarded or punished constantly to make sure that they complete their tasks. Theory X managers tend to take a pessimistic view of their people, and assume that they are naturally unmotivated and dislike work.
