Assumptions of Theory Z: A Tool for Managing People at Work

Abstract

Managing people at work is found significant for the survival of enterprises. Researchers and academicians around the globe have established that motivational management "Theory Z" by Dr William G. Ouchi (1981) is an excellent tool for increasing productivity and managing people at work. In the late Bangladeshi business, entrepreneurs are facing tremendous pressure to control and manage workers in their organizations. A focal concern of this study was to understand how best entrepreneurs of textile industries can utilize the assumptions of Theory Z to manage people at work. This study has found three key dimensions (organizational culture, consensus decision-making process, and mutual trust) of Theory Z and tried to find out the relationship of these dimensions with workers management at the workplace. The finding suggests that there is a moderate relationship between the assumption of Theory Z and the human resource management concept in Bangladeshi Textile Industries. The limitation of the research is that it has only three independent variables. Findings may provide business leaders in these contexts with an understanding of the possible adaptation of the concept of William Ouchi's Theory Z assumptions to manage people (the employees) at the workplace with a view to increase productivity and achieve organizational goals. The results of the study supported the predisposition of enterprise managers’ proclivity of accepting or denying to implement Theory Z assumptions to manage people at work. The research recommends the management of Bangladeshi Textile Industries should seek to improve their propensity to implement the assumptions of Theory Z to manage people and increase productivity.