Henri Fayol, born 29 July 1841 in Istanbul and deceased on the 19th of November 1925, was a French mining director and engineer, who analyzed and synthesized a theory of management called Fayolism. Fayol’s motivation was not financial, as he had developed his theory at the late age of 75, after a lifetime of collecting and recording observations, while pursuing his career as the manager of a successful metallurgy. The roots of his work may have sprouted from his private life, respectively his pursuit of intellectual realization and to surpass his father’s restricted military career. Henri Fayol began his hunt for knowledge as a student in La Volte, which was funded by the local iron mine. At the end of the classical education
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He was a member of several learned societies and obtained many awards and prizes, such as the gold medal at the 1878 and 1889 International Fairs in Paris and the main prize in 1900. He was also decorated for his personal activities and also patented two technical inventions, like several breathing apparatuses and the frictome’tre, a machine which could measure the efficiency of lubricating oils. In his late life he formulated his theory, which contributed to the practice of organizational management. His concepts are still considered relevant in modern times and continue to influence certain organizations and …show more content…
Its object is to point out mistakes in order that they may be rectified and prevented from recurring.” - Fayol (1916) cited in: Ralph Currier Davis (1951) The fundamentals of top management. p. 157. This quote was already cited in multiple sources in 1938.
“The technical and commercial functions of a business are clearly defined, but the same cannot be said of the administrative function. Not many people are familiar with its constitution and powers; our senses cannot follow its workings - we do not see it build or forge, sell or buy - and yet we all know that, if it does not work properly, the undertaking is in danger of failure.” – Fayol p. 907-908
“Every employee in an undertaking, then, takes a larger or smaller share in the work of administration, and has, therefore, to use and display his administrative faculties. This is why we often see men, who are specially gifted, gradually rise from the lowest to the highest level of the industrial hierarchy, although they have only had an elementary education. But young men, who begin practical work as engineers soon after leaving industrial schools, are in a particularly good position both for learning administration and for showing their ability in this direction, for in administration, as in all other branches
He was a member of several learned societies and obtained many awards and prizes, such as the gold medal at the 1878 and 1889 International Fairs in Paris and the main prize in 1900. He was also decorated for his personal activities and also patented two technical inventions, like several breathing apparatuses and the frictome’tre, a machine which could measure the efficiency of lubricating oils. In his late life he formulated his theory, which contributed to the practice of organizational management. His concepts are still considered relevant in modern times and continue to influence certain organizations and …show more content…
Its object is to point out mistakes in order that they may be rectified and prevented from recurring.” - Fayol (1916) cited in: Ralph Currier Davis (1951) The fundamentals of top management. p. 157. This quote was already cited in multiple sources in 1938.
“The technical and commercial functions of a business are clearly defined, but the same cannot be said of the administrative function. Not many people are familiar with its constitution and powers; our senses cannot follow its workings - we do not see it build or forge, sell or buy - and yet we all know that, if it does not work properly, the undertaking is in danger of failure.” – Fayol p. 907-908
“Every employee in an undertaking, then, takes a larger or smaller share in the work of administration, and has, therefore, to use and display his administrative faculties. This is why we often see men, who are specially gifted, gradually rise from the lowest to the highest level of the industrial hierarchy, although they have only had an elementary education. But young men, who begin practical work as engineers soon after leaving industrial schools, are in a particularly good position both for learning administration and for showing their ability in this direction, for in administration, as in all other branches