Douglas Mcgregor's Theory X And Theory Y

Douglas McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y The work of Douglas McGregor, the renowned social psychologist at MIT's Sloan School of Management who studied the theoretical foundations of human motivation in the 1960's, was premised on a binary conception of managerial perception known as Theory X and Theory Y According to McGregor, managers practicing Theory X operate under the assumption that employees are inherently lazy and unwilling to pursue greater responsibility, while managers who adhere to Theory Y assume that their workers are ambitious in the self-motivated pursuit of personal goals, and these contrasting approaches viewing a workforce necessarily informs management's choice of leadership style.

Under the working conditions fostered by Theory X, management must develop strict organizational controls to assure even minimal levels of efficiency, with managers providing close supervision to assure compliance, and punitive measures used as a threat-based incentive. Conversely, the liberated style of Theory Y management empowers employees to contribute creatively, with relatively loose institutional controls creating a workplace in which members largely provide their own motivation while accomplishing organizational objectives.

While the merits of applying Theory X to modern workplaces, including offices, factories, and other complex organizations, have been roundly discredited in the decades after McGregor's groundbreaking work, there are still many occupations which are constrained by this authoritarian style of management.

After completing the "X-Y Theory Questionnaire" on www.businessballs.com, I am now better informed as to whether or not my own superiors at work view my employment there through the perspective of Theory X or Theory Y Q1: How do your two scores relate to your experience at work? The first part of the "X-Y Theory Questionnaire" gauged the tendency of my managers at work to engage in Theory X or Theory Y motivational practices, based on my response to a number of survey questions regarding my relationship with my boss, my ability to pursue additional responsibilities, and other managerial methods.

My score of 52 indicates that my own bosses are utilize "generally Y-theory management" to encourage workers like myself to feel engaged in the creative process, and to incentivize continual contributions to the pursuit of organizational goals.

The second part of the "X-Y Theory Questionnaire" was designed to assess my personal preference for either style of management, and with a score of 65 the test indicates that I "strongly prefer Y-theory management." Near the bottom of the survey, an assortment of fine print reveals that "most people prefer 'Y-theory' management & #8230; (because) these people are generally uncomfortable in 'X-theory' situations and are unlikely to be productive, especially long-term, and are likely to seek alternative situations" (Chapman, 2002), and based on the phrasing of the questions used to measure my affinity for either theory, I am not surprised that I was found to be partial to a collaborative workplace which respects my competency and qualifications.

Q2: Is there anything in the work context that can change your personal score? Hypothetically speaking, to lower my scores.