---
title: "Management vs administrative principles"
subject: "Construction Management"
chapter: 10
key: "semester_8/construction_management:principles-management-compare"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/construction_management/principles-management-compare
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Management vs administrative principles

Construction Management · Chapter 10: Personnel Management

- Asked in: 2067 Mangsir (old course), 8 marks
- Video: [14 Principles of Administrative Management by Henri Fayol: Benefits & Limitations Explained Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kiGDbeZxIY) — ConsultKano
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/construction_management/principles-management-compare
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_8/construction_management/chapter-10

## Question

What are the principles of management and compare administrative principle and management principle.

## Short answer

Principles of management are flexible guidelines for effective organisation. Fayol's administrative principles cover the whole organisation, structure and top management, while Taylor's scientific management focuses on shop-floor efficiency, standard methods and productivity. Both approaches are complementary and improve administration and work performance.

## Answer

**Principles of management** are fundamental guidelines or truths that explain how managers should act to manage an organisation effectively. They are flexible and are applied according to the situation.

#### Common principles
Division of work, authority and responsibility, discipline, unity of command, unity of direction, subordination of individual interest to general interest, fair remuneration, centralisation and decentralisation, scalar chain, order, equity, stability of tenure, initiative and esprit de corps (Fayol); and scientific selection and training, standardised methods, cooperation and a clear division of work between workers and management (Taylor). Others: planning, coordination, delegation and control.

#### Administrative principle vs management principle
| Point | Administrative principles (Fayol) | Management (scientific) principles (Taylor) |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Overall organisation and top management | Shop-floor work and efficiency of workers |
| Viewpoint | Top-down; whole organisation | Bottom-up; individual job |
| Concern | Structure, authority, coordination | Methods, time and motion study, incentives |
| Origin | Henri Fayol | F. W. Taylor |
| Nature | General and universal for all managers | Mostly for production and operations |
| Number | 14 principles | 4 principles of scientific management |
| Applicability | Wide, all functions | Narrower, work-level |
| Aim | Better administration | Higher productivity and lower cost |

Both approaches are complementary: administrative principles guide the organisation as a whole, while scientific management improves the work done in it.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. Principles of management are:
   A. Only for workers
   B. Rigid laws never changed
   C. Flexible guidelines applied according to the situation
   D. Only for the government
   Answer: C. They are flexible fundamental guidelines applied by situation. (Key point: Nature of principles)

2. Administrative principles (Fayol) focus on:
   A. Wage payment only
   B. Overall organisation and top management
   C. Time and motion study only
   D. Shop-floor efficiency of workers
   Answer: B. Fayol's principles deal with the whole organisation and top management; Taylor's with shop-floor work. (Key point: Fayol vs Taylor focus)

3. Fayol's administrative principles number ___ and Taylor's scientific principles number ___.
   A. 14, 4
   B. 4, 14
   C. 12, 6
   D. 10, 5
   Answer: A. Fayol has 14 principles; Taylor has 4. (Key point: Numbers)

4. How are the two approaches related?
   A. Complementary: one guides the whole organisation, the other improves the work done in it
   B. They contradict and cannot be used together
   C. Both deal only with workers
   D. Both deal only with structure
   Answer: A. Both are complementary. (Key point: Complementary)

## Related in Construction Management

- [Techniques of administrative and market decentralization](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fconstruction_management%3Adecentralization-techniques) — Construction Management, chapter 10
- [Fayol's principles of administration](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fconstruction_management%3Afayol-principles) — Construction Management, chapter 10, asked 3×
- [Principles of writing specifications](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fconstruction_management%3Aspec-principles-writing) — Construction Management, chapter 12, asked 2×

## Related in other subjects

- [Administrative management theory, Fayol](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Forganization_and_management%3Aadmin-management-fayol) — Organization and Management, chapter 3, asked 3×
- [Scientific management and Taylor's principles](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Forganization_and_management%3Ascientific-management-taylor) — Organization and Management, chapter 3
- [Behavioral and administrative approaches](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Forganization_and_management%3Abehavioral-administrative-approach) — Organization and Management, chapter 3
- [Work-energy vs impulse-momentum principles](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Fapplied_mechanics_dynamics%3Awork-energy-vs-impulse-momentum) — Applied Mechanics (Dynamics), chapter 2