Characteristics of principles of management:
(i) Universal applicability
(ii) General guidelines.
(iii) Formed by practice and experimentation.
(iv) Flexible.
(v) Mainly behavioural.
(vi) Cause and effect relationship.
(vii) Contingent.
Characteristics/Nature of Principles of Management:
(i) Universal applicability: The principles of management are intended to apply to all types of organisations, business as well as non-business, small as well as large, public sector as well as private sector, manufacturing as well as the services sectors. However, the extent of their applicability would vary with the nature of the organisation, business activity, scale of operations and the like.
(ii) General guidelines: The principles are guidelines to action but do not provide readymade, and to the point solutions to all managerial problems. This is so because real business situations are very complex and dynamic and are a result of many factors. However, the importance of principles cannot be underestimated because even a small guideline helps to solve a given problem.
(iii) Formed by practice and experimentation: The principles of management ate formed by experience and collective wisdom of managers as well as experimentation. For example, It is a matter of common experience that discipline is indispensable for accomplishing any purpose. This principle is mentioned in the management theory. On the other hand, in order to remedy the problem of fatigue of workers in the factory, an experiment may be conducted to see the effect of improvement of physical conditions to reduce the stress.
(iv) Flexible: The principles of management are not rigid prescriptions, which have to be followed absolutely. They are flexible and can be modified by the manager when the situation so demands. They give the manager enough discretion to do so.
(v) Mainly behavioural: Management principles aim at influencing behaviour of human beings. Therefore, principles of management are mainly behavioural in nature. It is not that these principles do not pertain to things and phenomenon at all; it is just a matter of emphasis. Moreover, principles enable a better understanding of the relationship between human and material resources in accomplishing organizational purposes.
(vi) Cause and effect relationships: The principles of management are intended to establish relationship between cause and effect so that they can be used in similar situations in a large number of cases. As such, they tell us if a particular principle was applied in a particular situation, what would be its likely effect. The principles of management are less than perfect since they mainly apply to human behaviour. In real life, situations are not identical. Therefore, accurate cause and effect relationships may be difficult to establish.
(vii) Contingent: The application of principles of management is contingent or dependent upon the prevailing situation at a particular point of time. The application of principles has to be changed as per requirements.
