Chester Barnard: Organisational-Management Code for the 21st Century

Barnard thought that it was possible to improve effectiveness and efficiency through formal organization. He was trying to understand how to obtain organizational survival “maintaining equilibrium of complex character in permanent turbulent environment of physical, biological and social materials and elements and forces” within the organization, exploring in parallel the outer powers to which the organization must adapt on all levels and analysing the functions which in that context are performed by executive directors in the organization as a whole system. This paper explores the influences of Chester Barnard on Blake and Mouton's leadership-management network, Hersey-Blanchard's situational leadership and Maslow's motivational theory, as well as on organisational purpose, communication and team work. This paper examines the relevance of the principles and theories developed by Barnard from the point of today's managers and leaders. According to Barnard, this can be achieved through linking Barnard's central ideas with new concepts of management and leadership. Our opinion is that even today Barnard represents a very important part of the chain of examination and exploration of management and leadership thought.