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Management Theorists: Getting Started

Tips for Getting Started

Before you begin your search

1. Confirm the full name of the theorist if possible. Determine era during which the scholar was an active researcher, writer, manager or leader.

 2. Use your textbook or a reference handbook to identify theories and/or disciplines associated with a name. For example, “Theory Z “is most associated with William Ouchi; Edith Penrose is often associated with the “stakeholder theory”.  It is sometimes easier to find books and articles on a particular theory than on a specific theorist.

What is included in this guide

Management theories are often based on a variety of related disciplines including economics, psychology, sociology, engineering, systems and communication. Practitioners - business leaders, entrepreneurs and managers, have developed other management theories. Locating information on both the theory and the theorist therefore requires knowledge of a wide range of general sources outside the traditional “management” literature. This guide is intended to provide a list of resources appropriate for exploring the management theorists and their theories.

Peter Drucker

Click for books by Peter Drucker in the Cheng Library

Management Process ( excerpt from syllabus) - "This course aims at acquaInting the student wiht Management

  • as a discipline
  • as a basic function in economy and society
  • as a process
  • as a personal challenge, adventure and opportunity" (Source: Drucker Institute)

Credo

Credo is an online portal to reference materials such as dictionaries and encyclopedias. You can search through all of the Credo content or search within specific sources. Through Credo, you can search reference sources such as Exemplary Economists, Finance Thinkers and Leanders, Encyclopedia of the History of Management and Business: the Ultimate Resource. Search Credo fo a specific theorist by name (such as William Ouchi) or theory (Theory Z).

Other Reference Sources

In honor of

This guide is in memory of Dr. Virgnina Taylor, a strong advocate for helping students become skilled users of information resources. Dr. Taylor loved teaching courses in organizational theory and led to the original creation of earlier editions of this guide.