Comparative Management Models

By rasel November 18, 2013

Comparative Management models developed by scholars and

authorities in this field are discussed below:
Farmer and Richman Comparative Management models

Professors Richard N. Farmer and Barry M. Richman were the two

pioneers in comparative management. They emphasized that
environments external to the firm do affect management practices.
They very the first to identify the critical elements in the management
process and to evaluate their operation in firms in different cultures.
They also described the environmental factors they considered to
have a significant impact on the management process and managerial
excellence. These factors, viewed as constraints, are classified as:
1. educational variables
2. socio-cultural and ethical variables
3. legal and political variables
4. economic variables
How these environmental factors abbreviated as Ed. Sc, Lp and Ec in
table may influence the managerial functions abbreviated as p1, Or,
St. Le, Co and enterprise functions abbreviated as En, Pr. Ma. Fi.
It thus appears that enterprises may. For a time, succeed entirely
through non-managerial factors but excellence in management will
ultimately make the difference between continued success and
decline.
Comparative management literature emphasizes the following models: Farmer-Richman Model
(based on the assumption that environment represents the main factor whom influence upon
management is decisive); Rosalie Tung Model (using the following variables:environment,or

extra-organisational variables, intra-organisational variables, personal and result variables);

Child Model (including the three determinative domains-contingency, culture and economic
system-threated as items objectively connected); Geert Hofstede Model (the main feature for
the most popular comparative management model is represented by the five sides taken into
account in this conception:induvidualism/colectivism, great/small power distance, intense/low
uncertainly avoidance, masculiniy/feminity, short/long term approach).

Modified Koontz Model for Analyzing comparative Management

This model encompasses two broad categories of enterprise activities

managerial and non-managerial. Either or both can be the casual
factors at least to some degree for enterprise excellence. Also, nonmanagerial activates will be affected by the relevant underlying
science or knowledge, just as managerial activities will be affected by
the relevant underlying science.
Both types of activities will be affected by the availability of human and
material resources and by the constraints and influences of the
external environment, whether these are educational, political and
legal, economic, technological, socio-cultural or ethical.

Koontz has shown the factors affecting enterprise excellence and the
role of the underlying science through a model which appears below.

Koontz model is more complex than the ones used by previous

researchers in the field of comparative management. It is, however,
believed to be far more accurate and realistic. This model, rather than
viewing factors in the environment simply as constraint a term that
has negative commutation considers them as environmental factors,
be they either constraints or opportunities.

For example, in the economic category of factor endowments, a

country may be short on natural resources but rich in capital. Likewise,
some laws of country may be restrictive for conducting business, but
others may be favorable. Thus environmental restraints could become
opportunities in certain situations.
In fact managers need to adopt a global perspective in leading their
enterprises. This requires an understanding of managerial practices in
various countries. The Koontz model of comparative management
helps identify the factors that contribute to managerial and
organizational excellence.