Management Theory - Essay Help

Some experts argue that people are the most important element of a successful organisation. Others argue that non-people issues such as information, technology and structure are the keys to success. Which do you think is most important?

There are various factors contributing to an organisations success, such as motivated employees, sound strategy, efficient product and processes and so on. Every organisation wants to be competitive and successful in its current environment. Therefore, organisations strive to retain their best employees to remain competitive in the market (Dobre, 2013). For organisational effectiveness, the first and foremost thing that management does is to create a positive and strong relationship with its employees. From the work of Dobre (2013), it is clear that motivated employees are the most concerned aspect of organisational success, while all other non-person issues are secondary to the organisation's success. In the following essay, the argument on the importance of human element and non-human elements for an organisation's success will be made. 

The human element has been the centre of argument in management sciences. At many stances, organisation management argues on the elements essential for organisation success, often argue on the importance of human resource issues and non-people issue in an organisation (Cole, 2018). According to Cole (2018), organisations must make greater use of human resources in this business pursuit. Cole (2018) argued that human resource is one of the most valuable resources of any organisation, without which the business cannot exist. Moreover, organisations must make use of technology to enable people instead of replacing people. In this manner, an organisation can pace with innovation and creativity to compete with the market. Elton Mayo’s “behavioural theory of management” best discussed the importance of employee motivation in achieving organisation’s goals. According to this theory, employees work more efficiently when they are provided with ample resources. In previous business settings, the organisations used to rely solely on human elements than technology. However, in the contemporary business world, introduction of technology has increased the chances of human replacement with IT. In this way, several organisations have changed their practices in managing its human resource. 

 According to Ashworth (2016), the human element is still the most important element for organisational success. There are various past literature and articles that support human element as an essential to organisational success such as (Dobre, 2013; Desko, n.d.), while a number of critics back non-people issues important for the organisations’ success. In the organisational context, the human element is considered as the most important resource that works towards goal attainment, and connect with the customers, while on the other hand, non-people issue technology and structure requires support from human resource (Ferres, 2015).

Patel (2017) argued that for an organisation’s success, building culture is important. However, to follow the organisational culture, the human element is necessary. When an organisation works under the umbrella of its culture and policies, human element within organisation features that culture and policies in everyday practices leading to organisations’ success. Without human resource, an organisation can never be functional.  Latour (2012) in his book “We have never been modern” discussed that contemporary management has come up with the different non-human aspects to ensure organisational success, but it has also underestimated the influence of human resource in organisation’s goal achievement and competitiveness.