Fayol’s insights revolutionized the way businesses operate, emphasizing the importance of administrative functions, coordination, and effective leadership. His five key management functions—planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating, and controlling—have become cornerstones of management theory.
Through practical examples and case studies, Fayol explores topics such as organizational structure, division of labor, authority, and the role of managers. He advocates for a holistic approach to management that considers both technical and human aspects within an organization.
Whether you’re a seasoned manager or a student of business, “General and Industrial Management” provides timeless wisdom and actionable strategies for achieving efficiency, productivity, and success in any organizational setting.
Henri Fayol (1841–1925) was a French mining engineer and management theorist, often regarded as one of the founders of modern management. He developed a general theory of business administration known as "Fayolism," which focused on the role of management in organizations. This theory was developed independently of Frederick Winslow Taylor's "scientific management."
Fayol's most significant contributions include his five primary functions of management: planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating, and controlling. He also formulated 14 principles of management, which he believed were essential for effective administration. These principles cover various aspects, such as division of work, authority and responsibility, unity of command, and team spirit. Fayol's seminal work, "Administration Industrielle et Générale" (General and Industrial Management), published in 1916, laid the foundation for modern management curricula worldwide.
Constance Storrs was a British scholar best known for her significant contribution to the field of management theory through her translation of Henri Fayol's seminal work. In 1949, she published the English translation of Fayol's 1916 book, Administration Industrielle et Générale, under the title General and Industrial Management. Prior to Storrs's translation, Fayol’s ideas were largely unknown outside of France. Her work was instrumental in introducing Fayol's five functions and fourteen principles of management to the English-speaking world, establishing his reputation as a key figure in modern administrative theory.