Did you know that the study of management has been around for at least 2500 years? In this article, I will briefly discuss the history of management. As usual, I will offer a First Nations perspective on this very important topic.

About 2500 years ago, a Chinese general named Sun Tzu, wrote an astounding piece of work "The Art of War." In his book, Sun Tzu acknowledged the need for inter-organizational communications, hierarchy and staff planning.

A little later, between 400-360 BC, Socrates and Aristotle, two Greek philosophers, wrote about the principles of management and the nature of executive power.

In the Middle East, around 1300 AD, ibn Taymiyyah outlined an approach to administration using the scientific method in "The Principles of Religious Government."

In North America, for thousands of years, First Nations and Native Americans used management principles and concepts in ma

ny areas, including forestry, fisheries, land use and government. For example, the Potlatch system required a complex set of management tools, including planning, organizing, monitoring, and regulating.

Because First Nations had oral cultures, their management principles were passed down from generation to generation orally and through socialization, such as by the use of ceremonies.

Later, in 1532, Machiavelli, an Italian, wrote "The Prince" a bold piece of work that discussed the practical use of power. The term "Machiavellian" is used today to describe a ruthless way of getting and keeping power.

In the 1700s, the Industrial Revolution started. With the explosion of industry came a wave of new management writers, mostly from Europe and the United States. The basis for their works is largely rooted in ancient Western thinking. Generally speaking, Western thought assumes that we can control the world through reasoning and science. This is known as the "

classic" management view.

By the 1900s, people started seeing the limitations of "classic" management thinking. Management based solely on reasoning and science was missing a critical ingredient: the human factor. Thus, by the 1950s, management concepts like MaslowÕs hierarchy of basic human needs were popping up.

By the 1980s, Americans started examining JapanÕs approach to management. Japan is a fascinating case study in "how to build an economy." After being totally devastated by World War II, Japan recovered and quickly grew into a leading industrial power. By the late 1980s, 53 of the top 100 companies in the world were Japanese.

The Americans learned very quickly that Japanese management has a "different way" of doing things. Specifically, the Japanese emphasize teamwork, employee development, and giving workers an environment to do quality work.

Since the 1980s, many North American companies have tried to incorporate various Japanese management principles. However, one challenge to this approach is that Japanese and Western cultures are, in many respects, fundamentally different. The 1980s movie Gung-Ho dramatized the challenges of blending Eastern and Western cultures into a single company.

In comparing Eastern, Western and Native American thought, it is clear that Eastern concepts are much more compatible with First Nations principles. For example, Eastern principles emphasize the importance of relationships and the interconnectedness of all things.

Interestingly, many of todayÕs leading Western writers are pushing for a more non-Western approach to management. For example, in his bestseller "The Fifth Discipline," Peter Senge advocates for a complete change in Wester

Dn managerial thinking. He calls this new worldview systems thinking, which sounds like a First Nations concept, if you ask me!

There are other signs that Western companies are trying to become more holistic. "Hot topics" in management today include concepts like 360-degree feedback, servant-leadership, social capital, and spirituality in the workforce. I believe that the rising interest in these kinds of topics signifies that the West wants a more meaningful approach to work and management.

As a doctor of management candidate, I am committed to conducting a comprehensive study on a management-related topic. Examining the idea that Western management concepts have not served First Nation organizations very well is especially appealing. Indeed, I am beginning to see that fitting many Western management concepts into First Nations organizations is like "trying to fit a square peg into a round hole."

In summary, from my preliminary research of management, I have made three general conclusions:

1. That all cultures have developed their own management principles based on their own worldview.

2. That the First Nations worldview is fundamentally different than the Western worldview.

3. That First Nations today need to explicitly develop their own management principles that are consistent with their own worldview.

Andrew Leach is from the StÕatÕimc Nation, has a Masters degree in Business Administration (MBA) and is presently completing his doctorate degree in Management. He also operates a successful management consulting business. If you want to give feedback to this article, email Andrew at andrewleach@home.com or call him at 604-868-4004