Question

Hitesh started a garment manufacturing company recently. However, he soon began facing several problems like targets not met, conflicts among managers, high labour turnover, etc. He hired a management consultant to find out what was going wrong. The consultant conducted investigations and gave the following observations : (i) In Production Department, workers were receiving instructions from both, the Production Manager and the Marketing Manager. As a result, there was a lot of confusion regarding tasks to be done. (ii) Promotions were given only to women employees. Other employees did not get equal opportunities in the company to rise. Identify and explain the two principles of management given by Fayol which are not being followed in Hitesh’s company.

• A. Unity of Direction and Discipline
• B. Unity of Command and Equity
• C. Division of Work and Scalar Chain
• D. Unity of Command and Centralisation

Hint:

Key triggers for Fayol's Principles: - Dual reporting or having two bosses \(\rightarrow\) Violates Unity of Command. - Discrimination, bias, or unfair treatment regarding rewards or opportunities \(\rightarrow\) Violates Equity.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Connecting the symptoms to Fayol's principles.
Hitesh's company is facing confusion and low morale because two of Fayol's fourteen principles of management are being ignored in daily practice.
Step 2: Unity of Command.
Workers in the production department were taking orders from both the Production Manager and the Marketing Manager. Fayol's principle of Unity of Command says every employee should answer to only one boss at a time, and having two superiors here is exactly why the workers were confused about what to do.
Step 3: Equity.
Promotions being handed only to women employees, regardless of merit, breaks the principle of Equity, which calls for fair and impartial treatment of all employees so that everyone stays loyal and motivated.
Final answer: Option 2, Unity of Command and Equity.