Even with all the various theories of management that have been put forward in the last 50 years, basic structures have remained largely unchanged for the last 500,000 years. Throughout this time, management has relied on just FOUR pillars or basic methods of organization.
Pillar One: “Shoot the monkey”
Division of labour means breaking up the work into smaller components so that each task can be carried out by anyone with a certain amount of training. Even if you have, for instance a not very skilled workforce, you can carry on breaking down a job into smaller and smaller components, until it can be carried out by someone with minimal education and training.
In a 50,000 year-old tribe, the chief might have said ‘We need food’. By the time that idea had filtered down through the tribe, it would have changed from ‘The tribe needs food’ to ‘Make a bow, gather in the plants to make poisoned arrows, prepare provisions for the hunting party’ etc., until the final completion of the circle would be the order ‘Shoot the Monkey!’.
Pillar Two: The Elders
‘Span of control’ is management jargon for the fact that a manager or director cannot (efficiently) manage more than a small number of individuals. This process is continued down through the organization until we have the classic shape of a hierarchical management structure.
The chief of the tribe was well aware that he could not control everything and everybody directly. But he could manage half a dozen or so elders. They in turn would have their right-hand men. And so the process continued, down to the Fisherman, Hunter, Clothes maker, Potter and Cook
Pillar Three: Hunt or make an arrow?
There are three types of function within any business. Firstly, the so-called ‘line’ function which is directly related to the objectives of the business. Secondly, the support function, such as accounts, personnel and IT. The third is any sort of advisory function.
In order for the objectives of the tribe to be carried out, the same functions had to be in place within the tribe. The line function was the hunting, fishing and gathering. The support function was making arrows, cooking food, making clothing etc. The advisory staff functions will have been the Witch Doctor or Shaman.
Pillar Four: “Remember the others”
The chief managed six elders. Each would in turn manage others such as hunting party leaders. The hunters needed to coordinate with the fishermen who needed to coordinate with the hut builders. The final pillar is the coordination of management functions.
