Theory X & Theory Y Douglas Mcgregor's

Theory X & Theory Y Douglas McGregor's Theory X Theory Y are a set of dichotomous views about human nature that guide management. Theory X holds that humans generally dislike work, are irresponsible and require close supervision to do their jobs; Theory Y holds that humans are generally industrious, creative and able to assume responsibility (eNotes, 2006). These theories are said to guide management styles, because they imply that the role of the manager is going to be significantly different depending on which theory the manager subscribes to.

Managers therefore need to approach team-building with a vision of the types of role definitions, control mechanisms and team construction that will fulfill the theory the manager believes in (Mind Tools, 2012). The questionnaire from Business Balls (Chapman, 2002) had my former company score a 47.

This score correlates with a "generally Y-theory management." Although the job was actually fairly regimented, and with little room for mobility to greater levels of responsibility, the company did an excellent job of keeping me informed about what was going on with the company, was casual and generally there was good incentive to develop and regular communication between different levels of the organization. I scored a 69 on the personal preferences quiz. This indicates that I have a very strong orientation to Y-theory management.

Only one area received a score from me that was not a 4 or a 5, and this was the question about the exit interview. While I appreciate the opportunity to get my two cents in, I feel that once I have decided to leave the organization I am no longer as interested in contributing to its well-being. Thus, I have little reason to conduct an exit interview at that point, as I am unsure of how that would benefit me as I move to another organization.

In general, I feel that these score are reflective of my experiences at work. My desire for autonomy is definitely greater than what most companies are prepared to offer. Some of my earliest jobs were governed almost entirely according to Theory X, and those jobs simply did not work out. More recent jobs that were more oriented towards Theory Y management were clearly better fits for me, and were both more enjoyable and more productive.

It is interesting to consider how the transition from Theory X to Theory Y management is going to take place. It already has taken place in some sectors of the economy, but many companies still adhere to management styles that date from decades ago, when Theory X was much more common. So much of our management philosophy still originates from Taylor, Deming and other Theory X management philosophers.

As a result, I think that there is a lot of Theory X embedded in the control systems at a lot of companies, and entire industries still. Yet I find that most people my age are more Theory Y oriented, and this is not.