Skip to main content
Essay Undergraduate 1,457 words

Management Philosophy Approaches: MBO, Ethics, and Strategy

~8 min read 6 sections Business · Management
Abstract

This paper reviews and compares four scholarly articles on management philosophy, examining how different theoretical frameworks guide organizational direction and performance. The articles covered include Kralev's (2011) analysis of Management by Objectives (MBO) in tourism organizations, Wang's (2011) study of mission-driven management in Japanese companies, He's (2011) case study of Confucian philosophy in Chinese and Silicon Valley firms, and Dierksmeier's (2011) exploration of the relationship between managerial freedom and business ethics. The paper identifies both common themes—such as the centrality of goals, alignment, and organizational culture—and key differences in research methodology and philosophical grounding, concluding that effective management philosophy is essential to organizational success.

Key Takeaways
  • Introduction to Management Philosophy: Defines management and introduces the review's scope
  • Management by Objectives and Mission-Driven Management: Covers Kralev's MBO and Wang's mission-driven approaches
  • Confucian Philosophy and Strategic Alignment: Examines He's Confucian-based strategic alignment model
  • Business Ethics and Managerial Responsibility: Explores Dierksmeier's ethics and managerial freedom framework
  • Comparing Research Methods Across Frameworks: Contrasts survey, case study, and phenomenological methods
  • Synthesis and Overall Assessment: Connects all four frameworks to organizational success
✍️ How to write this paper — guide, tools & examples ▾

What makes this paper effective

  • The paper systematically introduces each management philosophy in sequence, ensuring the reader can follow distinct frameworks before comparing them.
  • It traces theoretical lineage accurately—for example, connecting Kralev's MBO approach back to Drucker's (1955) original goal congruence model—demonstrating engagement with foundational sources.
  • The comparative section explicitly contrasts methodologies (quantitative survey, case study, phenomenological analysis, literature review), showing awareness that research design shapes theoretical conclusions.

Key academic technique demonstrated

The paper demonstrates comparative synthesis across multiple sources. Rather than summarizing each article in isolation, it groups frameworks by similarity (Wang and Kralev as goal-oriented approaches) and distinguishes them from divergent philosophies (He's Confucian alignment; Dierksmeier's ethical freedom), building a structured argument about the diversity of management thought.

Structure breakdown

The paper opens with a brief introduction defining management and the purpose of the review. It then presents each of the four frameworks in dedicated paragraphs before moving into a comparative discussion that contrasts both the philosophical content and the research methodologies of each article. It closes with a synthesizing conclusion that ties all four approaches back to the shared theme of management's role in shaping organizational philosophy and performance. The reference list follows APA format.

Essay 1,457 words

Introduction to Management Philosophy

Management's principal characteristic is the directing and leading of people and resources toward the achievement of predetermined objectives. An organization runs and operates based on defined specific objectives, and the role of management is to direct efforts and resources toward the achievement of those objectives. Over the decades, different management approaches and strategy formulations have been proposed in an attempt to find the most suitable approach that can effectively and sustainably guide organizations toward their goals. This paper summarizes management philosophies and approaches proposed by different scholars, identifies the different opinions on management, and reviews the theories proposed on management thought.

5 Sections Hidden · 1,135 words
Management by Objectives and Mission-Driven Management320 words
Of particular interest is the article by Kralev (2011), which identifies the importance of the Management by Objectives (MBO) approach. Kralev proposes this management philosophy because it defines and uses organizational…
Confucian Philosophy and Strategic Alignment220 words
The article by He (2011) proposes that traditional strategy plans cannot apply in today's business environment, which requires flexible and rapid responses to change. He's (2011) article draws on case studies of NTT DoCoMo and…
Business Ethics and Managerial Responsibility185 words
The article by Claus Dierksmeier (2011) discusses the relationship between management philosophy and business ethics. Dierksmeier believes that ethical responsibility among managers must be part of…
Comparing Research Methods Across Frameworks290 words
The four articles are similar in that they all discuss management philosophy approaches. The main differences lie in their philosophical orientation and their research…
Synthesis and Overall Assessment120 words
Overall, the articles provide evidence that the success of an organization is dependent on the ability of management to create a guiding philosophy. The responsibility of management in creating organizational philosophy lies in its…

Already a member? Log in

Unlock the rest of this paper

135,000+ research papers · AI writing tools · Plagiarism & AI detection

Monthly

$12.99Per month

Renews at $12.99/month until canceled

Start Monthly
Best value

Annual

$99Per year

Renews at $99/year until canceled

Start Annual
  • Unlimited AI writing tools
  • Plagiarism and AI text detection tool
Secure checkout

Plan details

Unlimited AI writing tools are for individual, non-automated use and are subject to our Terms of Service and abuse-prevention measures.

TextChecker scans: 3 during the 7-Day Pass, or 5 per month with Monthly and Annual.

Prices exclude applicable tax.

Key Concepts in This Paper
Management by Objectives Mission-Driven Management Confucian Philosophy Strategic Alignment Business Ethics Goal Congruence Corporate Social Responsibility Organizational Culture Managerial Freedom Organizational Performance
Cite This Paper
PaperDue. (2026). Management Philosophy Approaches: MBO, Ethics, and Strategy. PaperDue. https://www.paperdue.com/study-guide/management-philosophy-approaches-mbo-ethics-strategy-103350

Always verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.