'Management is a science like physics or chemistry.' Do you agree with this statement? Give reasons in support of your answer.
Answer: This statement is wrong. Although management can be called science but not an exact or pure science like Physics or Chemistry.
It is important to apply the characteristics of science to management in order to find out whether management is a science or not. Following are the main points:
i). Systematised Body of Knowledge: It is necessary for science to be a systematised body of knowledge. Management is also a systematised body of knowledge because it has its own theory and principles which are developed by the management experts after years of research.
ii). Principles Based on Experimentation: After applying this characteristic of science to management, we find that the development of management took years for the collection of facts, their analysis and experiments. In other words, management came into existence because of the continuous and encouraging
labour of the theorists and various people concerned.
iii.) Universal Validity: Scientific principles are based on truth and they can be applied at every time and in every situation. Thus, its universal application is possible. In the field of management too, managerial knowledge and principles of management are considered to be based on truth and they, too, can be applied anywhere and in every situation. But the principles of management are not as
exact as the principles of science as their application may not yield the desired results always.
Conclusion: The subject matter of management is ‘Human Being’ who is an intelligent and sensitive being and whose behaviour or conduct changes according to the changing situations. Therefore, no permanent principles like the principles of physics and chemistry can be enunciated in relation to his conduct or behaviour. Clearly, the science of management cannot be called a natural or pure science but it should be described as an Applied Science or Inexact Science.
