Management styles differ from company to company and country to country. It is largely influenced by culture prevalent in the organization. Management styles are also subject to whether it’s a family run organization or professionally run. There are two contrasting styles of management.

First one is authoritarian and totally opposite of it is participative style. Both run on entirely different philosophies. In the authoritarian style of management managers are supposed to do what they are told. It’s basically a top-down approach where transmitting orders are in vogue. Here decision making is done at the top. Many people also term it as military type of organization where there is a chain of command at all levels. At the core of this style of leadership, lies an inherent belief that people are not willing to work and in order to achieve organizational objectives people are needed to be forced to work. That’s why; controllable conditions are needed to extract the best out of employees.

In participative style of management the collaboration and co-ordination between the different hierarchies of management is of paramount importance. Here work is delegated. The communication channels are more open and camaraderie between manager and subordinates is based upon mutual trust and responsiveness. There is an active participation in decision making process at all levels. In participative style of management the emphasis is on learning by working as a team where managers are instrumental in removing obstacles out of path of subordinate. This way, people can find satisfaction in their work. Participative style also promotes leadership qualities in the workers.

It has been concluded that larger participation in the decision making of the workers and delegating authority to the subordinates increases productivity by 20-30 percent. It also enhances the level of satisfaction and contentment felt by the employees.

By: Jennie Gandhi