Evolution of management programmes over the years

We often think of management as the knowledge one acquires when they attend a business school. But think about your day-to-day activities – everything, from your personal finances to human-to-human interaction, that is management too.

Human beings are born managers. We earn degrees primarily to hone and polish this skill and learn how to apply it in the professional world. Naturally, the nature of management would be different from when humankind invented the wheel to the present, where we possess the power of information at our fingertips. Let’s review how management programmes have evolved over the years.

Management: A brief history
Did you know that management studies originated in Portugal and date back to 1755? Yes! The initiative to teach management as a subject started in response to the Lisbon earthquake and the Escola do Comércio was aimed at training public administrators in the art of managing tax and disbursement. Soon enough, the field started gaining traction all over the European continent with management institutes and universities opening in Germany, Sweden, Russia (formerly USSR), France, Austria, Hungary, and Italy.

European migrants spread the word about the science and art of management, and the industrial revolution aided their efforts. Industrialists became patrons of universities and sponsored dedicated trade and commerce departments and business education. Soon, we witnessed the foundation of some of the best universities for MBA, such as Wharton, Harvard, London Business School, and more.

State of management: A contemporary look
Management programmes have come a long way in the last (almost) three centuries. At the same time, books like ‘The Wealth of Nations’ by Adam Smith continue to stay relevant even to this day. So, what has changed and what remains the same?

One of the major transformations in the field was the transition to a scientific approach. Management was no longer about instinctive human ability. Instead, it rested on principles driven by science.

Previously, managers were considered the cream of the crop. They had the reputation of professionals who are clearly better than their subordinates. However, now they have assumed the role of a “servant-leader.” The primary role of a manager now is to serve and work towards the betterment of the workforce. The courses have also changed accordingly.

The diversification in the role of a “Manager” has been the starkest difference so far.

Management for sustenance: The future
With the advent of the 21st century, management studies have already seen a rapid pace of growth through digitisation. Resultantly, online BBA degrees and MBA degrees have made management highly accessible to students and affordable to parents.

Online learning allows the candidate to learn on their own schedule, which makes it highly convenient. Plus, it bypasses the need for moving to a different town or switching jobs. Moreover, students can also choose between an assortment of programmes ranging from accelerated online MBA to MBA for working professionals. Naturally, the world is ready to reap these benefits in the years to come.

Interestingly, these degrees hold the same value and weight as any full-time course. Hence, if you have the passion and the drive, you can apply for top BBA/MBA programmes through online learning.

Since the future is digital, why should the management programme be any different?