What is McGregory Theory of X and Y?

McGregor's X-Y theory is a salutary and simple reminder of the natural rules for managing people, which under the pressure of day-to-day business are all too easily forgotten.

McGregor maintained that there are two fundamental approaches to managing people. Many managers tend towards theory x, and generally get poor results. Enlightened managers use theory y, which produces better performance and results, and allows people to grow and develop.

Theory x ('Authoritarian Management' Style)

- The average person dislikes work and will avoid it he/she can.

- Therefore most people must be forced with the threat of punishment to work towards organisational objectives.

- The average person prefers to be directed; to avoid responsibility; is relatively unambitious, and wants security above all else.

Theory y ('Participative Management' Style)

- Effort in work is as natural as work and play.

- People will apply self-control and self-direction in the pursuit of organisational objectives, without external control or the threat of punishment.

- Commitment to objectives is a function of rewards associated with their achievement.

- People usually accept and often seek responsibility.

- The capacity to use a high degree of imagination, ingenuity and creativity in solving organisational problems is widely, not narrowly, distributed in the population.

- In industry the intellectual potential of the average person is only partly utilised.

Characteristics of The x Theory Manager

What are the characteristics of a Theory X manager? Typically some, most or all of these:

    results-driven and deadline-driven, to the exclusion of everything else

    intolerant

    issues deadlines and ultimatums

    distant and detached

    aloof and arrogant

    elitist

    short temper

    shouts

    issues instructions, directions, edicts

    issues threats to make people follow instructions

    demands, never asks

    does not participate

    does not team-build

    unconcerned about staff welfare, or morale

    proud, sometimes to the point of self-destruction

    one-way communicator

    poor listener

    fundamentally insecure and possibly neurotic

    anti-social

    vengeful and recriminatory

    does not thank or praise

    withholds rewards, and suppresses pay and remunerations levels

    scrutinises expenditure to the point of false economy

    seeks culprits for failures or shortfalls

    seeks to apportion blame instead of focusing on learning from the experience and preventing recurrence

    does not invite or welcome suggestions

    takes criticism badly and likely to retaliate if from below or peer group

Agre with Mr. Venkitaraman

According to Theory X assumptions employees do not like their work, they lack ambition and responsibility and employees prefer to be led rather than leading others.

Theory X assumes average human being to dislike the work and avoid it whenever possible. The following statements relate to Theory X assumptions:

• Most people must be controlled and threatened so that they can produce an adequate level of output
• Responsibility is avoided by an average human who desires security above all
• An average human being has a little ambition and has to be closely supervised at all times

Theory Y set of assumptions, on the other hand, is based upon the idea that employees are generally enthusiastic about their work, they are creative and self-directive, and also employees readily accept responsibility.

Theory Y is based on the following alternative assumptions:

• The expenditure of physical and mental effort in work is as natural as play or rest
• Methods of making people work are not limited to control and punishment, high level of commitment in organisational aims and objectives can result in self-direction
• Commitment to organisation can be achieved by designing satisfying jobs
• If proper conditions are created, an average human can not only learn how to take responsibility, but he can also learn to seek responsibility

Theory X

This assumes that employees are naturally unmotivated and dislike working, and this encourages an authoritarian style of management. According to this view, management must actively intervene to get things done. This style of management assumes that workers:

Dislike working.

Avoid responsibility and need to be directed.

Have to be controlled, forced, and threatened to deliver what's needed.

Need to be supervised at every step, with controls put in place.

Need to be enticed to produce results; otherwise they have no ambition or incentive to work.

X-Type organizations tend to be top heavy, with managers and supervisors required at every step to control workers. There is little delegation of authority and control remains firmly centralized.

McGregor recognized that X-Type workers are in fact usually the minority, and yet in mass organizations, such as large scale production environment, X Theory management may be required and can be unavoidable.

Theory Y

This expounds a participative style of management that is de-centralized. It assumes that employees are happy to work, are self-motivated and creative, and enjoy working with greater responsibility. It assumes that workers:

Take responsibility and are motivated to fulfill the goals they are given.

Seek and accept responsibility and do not need much direction.

Consider work as a natural part of life and solve work problems imaginatively.

This more participative management style tends to be more widely applicable. In Y-Type organizations, people at lower levels of the organization are involved in decision making and have more responsibility.

Comparing Theory X and Theory Y

Motivation

Theory X assumes that people dislike work; they want to avoid it and do not want to take responsibility. Theory Y assumes that people are self-motivated, and thrive on responsibility.

Management Style and Control

In a Theory X organization, management is authoritarian, and centralized control is retained, whilst in Theory Y, the management style is participative: Management involves employees in decision making, but retains power to implement decisions.

Work Organization

Theory X employees tend to have specialized and often repetitive work. In Theory Y, the work tends to be organized around wider areas of skill or knowledge; Employees are also encouraged to develop expertise and make suggestions and improvements.

Rewards and Appraisals

Theory X organizations work on a ‘carrot and stick’ basis, and performance appraisal is part of the overall mechanisms of control and remuneration. In Theory Y organizations, appraisal is also regular and important, but is usually a separate mechanism from organizational controls. Theory Y organizations also give employees frequent opportunities for promotion.

Application

Although Theory X management style is widely accepted as inferior to others, it has its place in large scale production operation and unskilled production-line work. Many of the principles of Theory Y are widely adopted by types of organization that value and encourage participation. Theory Y-style management is suited to knowledge work and professional services. Professional service organizations naturally evolve Theory Y-type practices by the nature of their work; Even highly structure knowledge work, such as call center operations, can benefits from its principles to encourage knowledge sharing and continuous improvement.

AGREE WITH MR. VENKITARAMAN KRISHNA MOORTHY VRINDAVAN 

In an easy way from my point of view it is:-

1- Theory X Managers See Workers As:

Having Little Ambition, Disliking Work &Avoiding Responsibility.

2- Theory Y Managers  See Workers As: Self-Directed, Enjoying Work and Accepting Responsibility.

Agree with All. Well explained.

Theory X: employees are lazy and not work with heart. they just try to post-pound their work.

Theory Y: employees are very hard working and self motivated.  

McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y is specifically related to human motivation at work.

Theory X refers to the authoritative style of management. It is based on the assumption that the employees are lazy, dull and avoid responsibilities, and therefore, the management is required to coerce the duties and directly control the employees.

Theory Y is based on a completely different assumption. It says that an average employee loves to work and seeks responsibilities.

swinging between  evil and  angel !

Theory x

Ø  The average person dislikes work and will avoid it he/she can.

Ø  Therefore most people must be forced with the threat of punishment to work towards organizational objectives.

Ø  The average person prefers to be directed; to avoid responsibility; is relatively unambitious, and wants security above all else.

Theory y

Ø  Effort in work is as natural as work and play.

Ø  People will apply self-control and self-direction in the pursuit of organizational objectives, without external control or the threat of punishment.

Ø  Commitment to objectives is a function of rewards associated with their achievement.

Ø  People usually accept and often seek responsibility.

Ø  The capacity to use a high degree of imagination, ingenuity and creativity in solving organizational problems is widely, not narrowly, distributed in the population.

Ø  In industry the intellectual potential of the average person is only partly utilized.