Theory X and Theory Y.
In the Human side of enterprise, Douglas McGregor outlined two opposing theories of work and motivation. What he calls Theory X is the traditional approach to workers and working which assumes that people are lazy and dislike work, and that they have to be both threatened (for example, with losing their job) and rewarded. It assumes that most people are incapable of taking responsibility for themselves and have to be looked after. Theory Y, on the contrary, assumes that people have a psychological need to work and want achievement and responsibility.
Later theorists argued that Theory Y makes much greater demands on both workers and managers than McGregor realized. Abraham Maslow, for example, spent a year studying a Californian company that used Theory Y, and concluded that its demands for responsibility and achievement are excessive for many people. He pointed out that there are always weak and vulnerable people, with little self-discipline, who need protection against the burden of responsibility. Even strong and healthy people need the security of order and direction. Managers cannot simply substitute Theory Y for Theory X. They have to replace the security provided by Theory X with a different structure of security and certainty.
În "Latura umană a înterprinderii",Douglas McGregor a evidenţiat două teorii opuse ale muncii şi motivaţiei.Ceea,ce el denumeşte Teoria X este abordarea tradiţională a lucrătorilor şi a funcţionării ,care presupune că oamenii sunt leneşi,nu le place munca şi ei trebuie să fie atît ameninţaţi(de exemplu,pierzîndu-şi locul de muncă),cît şi remuneraţi.Aceasta presupune că majoritatea oamenilor sunt incapabili de a-şi asuma responsabilitatea şi ei trebuie sa fie supravegheaţi.Teoria y,deopotrivă,presupune că oamenii au o necesitate psihologică de a munci şi sa-şi asume realizări şi responsabităţi.
Teoreticienii ulteriori au susţinut că Teoria Y are o cerinţă mult mai mare,decît a realizat McGregor,atît pentru lucrători,cît şi pentru manageri.De exemplu,Abraham Maslow,a petrecut un an studiind o companie din California,care utiliza Teoria Y,şi a concluzionat că cerinţele acesteia faţă de responsabilitaţi şi realizări,sînt în exces pentru mulţi oameni.El a accentuat că întotdeauna au existat persoane slabe şi vulnerabile,cu un nivel insuficient de autodisciplină,care au nevoie de protecţie împotriva povării responabilităţii.Chiar şi oamenii rezistenţi şi sănătoşi au nevoie de securitate ordinii şi direcţiei.Managerii ,pur şi simplu, nu pot să substituie Teoria Y cu teoria X. Aceştia trebuie să înlocuiască securitatea promovată de teoria X cu o structură diferită a securităţii şi certitudinii.
В "Человеческом факторе предприятия" Дуглас МакГрегор выделил две противоположные теории работы и мотивации. То, что он называет теорией Х это традиционный подход к работникам и работе, который предполагает что люди ленивы и не любят работу, и что их нужно припугивать(например потерей работы) и вознаграждать. Это предполагает то, что большинство людей неспособно нести ответственность за самих себя, и за ними нужно приглядывать. Теория У, наоборот, предполагает, что люди имеют психологическую потребность работать и хотят добиться успехов и ответственности.
Позже теоретики спорили, что теория У делает более значимые запросы к обоим - рабочим и менеджерам, чем МакГрегор выполнял. Абрам Маслоу, например, потратил год изучая калифорнийскую компанию, которая использовала теорию У и пришёл к заключению, что её запросы на ответственность и достижение успеха чрезмерны для многих людей. Он подчёркивал, что всегда есть слабые и уязвимые люди, с низкой самодисциплиной, которые нуждаются в защите от бремени ответственности. Даже сильные и здороввые люди нуждаются в охране порядка и руководства. Менеджеры не могут просто заменять теорию Х на теорию У. Они должны замещать безопасность обеспеченную теорией Х с разными структурами безопасности и уверенности.
1d Summarizing
Read the text again and complete the following sentences, using your own words as much as possible.
1 According to Theory X, employers have to threaten workers because...
2 According to Theory Y, employers should give their workers responsibilities because...
3 Maslow criticized Theory Y because...
4 Maslow argued that even though they might want to be given responsibilities at work...
1b Discussion(see p.24)
Which of the following statements seems to be true to you:
1 People dislike work and avoid it if they can.
2 Work is necessary to people's psychological well-being.
3 People avoid responsibility and would rather be told what to do.
4 People are motivated mainly by money.
5 Most people are far more creative and ingenious than their employers realize.
6 People are motivated by anxiety by their security.
7 People want to be interested in their work, and given the right conditions they will enjoy it.
8 Under the right conditions, most people will accept responsibility and want to realize their own potential.
1e Disussion
One of the most important function of a manager is to motivate the employees under his/ her authority. But HOW? What kind of things motivate YOU? Which of the following factors have been or will be important for you in choosing your job?
Classify them in order of their importance.
- good administration and good labour relations
- good working conditions: enough space, light, heat and time, not too much noise and so on.
- an adequate wage or salary, and benefits such as paid holidays, sick pay, a pension and so on.
- job security.
- a challeging, interesting and creative job
- responsibility
- contact with people
- opportunities to travel
- holidays
I. Watch the video and answer the questions:
1) Who was the author of Theory X and Theory Y?
a) A. Maslow
b) D. McGregor
c) A. Smith
d) M. Friedmen
2) What factors were important both for workers and economics, according to theory of McGregor?
a) social needs
b) money
c) qualification
d) responsibility
3) What motivation factor can be considered as a social one ?
a) second
b) dominant
c) additional
d) first
4) When did McGregor write his book about Theory X and theory Y?
a) 1985
b) 1623
c) 1960
d) XVI century.
5) What is the title of this book?
a) "The human side of entreprise"
b) "People's relations"
c) "Theory of management"
d) "Ideas and innovations"
6) What types were managers divided into?
a) Financial and executive managers
b) Promotion and marketing managers
c) Theory X and theory Y managers
d) Top and medium-level managers
7) How are employees considered,according to Theory X?
a) pessimistic
b) optimistic
c) indifference
d) important
8)Which theory is similar to Theory X?
a) Confucianism
b) Taylorism
c) Keynesism
d) Legilism
9) According to the theory Y, how do employees view their job?
a) as a burden imposed on them
b) as a pleasure
c) as a responsibility
d) as a promotional tool
10) According to the theory Y, employess can be...
a) source of valuable insights and innovations
b) additional labour force
c) slaves
d) potential customers
II. In what context these words were used:
1)1960
2)Theory X
3)social needs
4)desire to work
5)Theory Y managers
6)work as a burden
7)sources of innovations
8)Taylorism
9)The human side of entreprise
10)Avoid responsibility
III. Fill in the following statements:
a) D.McGregor asserted _________ were just as important both to workers and economics.
b) D.McGregor divided managers on _________ managers and Theory Y managers.
c) Name of McGregor's book is "The _______ side of entreprise".
d) Theory X is _____ to Taylorism/scientific management.
e) The theory Y says that _______ don't view work as a burden imposed on them.
f) In theory ____ employees can be the source of innovations.
g) ______ factor can be dominant motivational factor.
h) McGregor wrote "The human side of entreprise" in ___ .
i) Theory X assemed that employees ______ work and avoid responsibility.
j) Theory Y assumed that employees take a voluntary, _____ interest in their work.
IV. True/False questions.
1) Adam Smith was the author of Theory X and Y.
2) According to the theory X and theory Y ,there are no differences between employees.
3) Theory X assumes that employees like work.
4) Theory X is similar to Taylorism.
5) Theory Y takes an optimistic view of employees.
6) In both theories people avoid responsibility.
7) Managers can use only theory X on practise.
8) The book "The human side of entreprice" was written in 1960.
9) According to the theory Y employees don't view work as a burden imposed on them.
10) Social factor can be the dominant motivational factor.
Posted by Crasneanciuc Nina and Oprea Marina.
