The Historical Development of Management

Management, in essence, is simply the act of organising a mass of people in order to achieve a number of pre-defined goals and objectives. There are many complicated steps involved in this process, such as planning, organising, staffing, leading, and controlling an organisation. Some people may insist that management is a modern conceptualisation; however, the truth is that this concept has been around for a long time.

The first historical hint of a management-like mindset goes back to ancient times, and historians have credited the early Sumerian traders and the builders of the pyramids of Egypt as exhibiting management-like skills. With the invention of the Arabic numerical system in 5 BC to 15 BC and double-entry book-keeping, it paved the way for an improved system in management assessment, planning and control.

Furthermore, literature has provided a venue for the broadcast of management principles. The earliest known published work on management was Sun Tzu's "The Art of War", a military strategy book written in 6 BC that dealt with the strengths and weaknesses of a manager's organisation and that of his foe. Over the centuries, there have been other published works and treatises all concerned with the concept of management, written by a slew of personalities such as public servants, philosophers, and economists.

Towards the end of the 20th century, management came to be divided into separate parts, such as human resource, operations, marketing, finance, and the like. In the 21st century, it has been difficult to categorise management this way, as there are numerous processes today that involve one or more categories. One thing remains definite, management practices and theories will always find a way to catch up with the times.