Compare and contrast the management theories of Frederick Taylor, Henri Fayol, Elton Mayo and Douglas McGregor. In what sense(s) are these theories similar and/or compatible? In what sense(s) are these theories different and/or incompatible? How could a contingency theorist reconcile the points of dissimilarity and/or incompatibility between these approaches? The 20th century brought a number of management theories that have helped shape our view of management in today's business environment. These emerging theories have allowed managers to appreciate new ways of thinking, new ways of organizing, and new ways of managing organizations and people. Over the years, these different theories have made it possible to study the trends that have occurred in the field of management. The main views of management, which include classical, behavioral and contingent approaches, have contributed to the formation of contemporary management theory and techniques of the 21st century (SC Certo and ST Certo, 2006). Although there are significant differences between all of these approaches, they appear to be unified by efforts to improve the effectiveness of an organization in terms of good human resource management. Furthermore, the differences observed between these approaches are due to the ever-changing organizations and environments that require the application of new management practices and techniques to maintain the effectiveness of an organization. The classical approach to management was the result of an effort to develop a body of knowledge. Managerial thought and the management theorists who participated in this effort are considered the pioneers of management studies. The classical view emphasizes efficiency in work management...... middle of paper ......ncepts and Models, Thorogood, London. Kermally, S. (2005), Gurus on People Management, Thorogood, Sydney. Longenecker, J. & Pringle, C. (1978), “The Illusion of Contingency Theory as a General Theory”, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 3 Issue 3, pp. 679 -682. Lorsch, JW (1987), “Organization Design: A Situational Perspective”, Academy of Management Review, January issue, pp. 117 – 132. Luthans, F. & Stewart, T. ( 1977), “A general contingency theory of management”, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 2, pp. 181 – 195. McGregor, D. (1960), The Human Side of Enterprise, McGraw-Hill, New York. Rodrigues, C. (2001), “Fayol's 14 Management Principles Then and Now: A Framework for Effectively Managing Today's Organizations”, Monclair State University, New Jersey. Taylor, F. (1947), The Principles of Scientific Management, Harper & Bros, New York.