ABSTRACT
Douglas McGregor wanted to demonstrate that the traditional management strategies were based on obsolete notions about human behavior, and that they hampered efficiency and productivity. To adopting principles from the field of psychology, McGregor also wanted to develop a management theory firmly rooted in humanism, a philosophy that values individual human beings and their right to realize their full potential. McGregor's theories helped modernize the way in which businesses structure themselves and view their employees. He helped promote the idea that taking a more humane view of workers not only improves their satisfaction, but also increases productivity. McGregor's approach included an analysis of management styles within organizations. He systematically studied prevailing assumptions about human behavior within the organizational context. McGregor was among the first to express suspicion about how employees had traditionally been supervised, and to argue that management needed to adjust its view of human ability.
