“Principle is a Fundamental Statement or Truth providing a guide to the Thought or Action.” . Characteristics of Principles of Management are :
- Universal Application : Principles of Management have Universal Applicability. It implies that Principles of Management can be applied in all types of organizations : Business or Non–business Public Sector or Private Sector, Manufacturing Sector or Service Sector and Small or Large throughout the world .
- General Guidelines : Principles of Management just provide general guidelines to Managerial actions; they do not provide readymade solutions to the problems. This is so because Organizations have to work in a dynamic environment having complex factors and business realities may not completely match with the prescriptions of principles of Management Principles.
- Formed by Practice and Experiments / Evolutionary: The Management Principles are developed only after deep and thorough research work. They are not developed overnight or they are not the personal feelings of any person. Proper observations and experiments are conducted before developing them. These are the expressions of deep experiences of the leaders of management thoughts. Therefore they are evolutionary in nature .
- Flexibility : Principles of Management are Not Rigid, but Flexible. This is so because Principles of Management are Situation Bound and these Principles are Modified according to Situational Requirements. Thus, a Manager may Modify Principles of Management according to His own needs.
- Behavioural in Nature: Management Principles are formed to Guide and Influence the Behaviour of Employees . These Principles Insist on improving Relationship between Superior , Subordinates and All the Members of the Organization. They also establish relations between Human and Material Resources . E.g. Princople of Discipline Improves Commitment of Employees towards the Organization and Principle of Espirit-de-Corps mold the Behaviour of Employees towards Team Spirit .
- Based on Cause and Effect Relationship: Principle of Management establishes the Relationship between Cause and Effect by Prescribing “What Effect will result, if a particular Principle of Management is Applied in a Given Situation”. However, the Cause Effect Relationship is in a Probable way because these are Applied on Human Beings .
