The Machiavellian Approach to Management Essay - 973 Words

The Machiavellian Approach to Management Whether you love him/her or hate him/her everybody has one†¦a boss. Most people have their own opinions as to what kind of boss it is that they would like to work for. Most would probably agree that the worst kind of boss is a new boss. This is more than likely due to people’s extraordinary fear of change and the unknown. Whatever the reason, the employee always has the option to leave their position and seek work elsewhere. The same can not be said for subjects of states, who by no action of their own, were to be ruled by a new prince. Just as varied as the ways in which one â€Å"inherits† a new boss, likewise new principalities have an abundance of ways of being acquired. Niccolo†¦show more content†¦Adding fuel to an already explosive situation, by making changes to company policy should be avoided at all costs. However, as Machiavelli suggests that a boss â€Å"by birth [has] less need to harm his[/her]† employees, thus putting some of th e fears towards the new boss to rest (8). When a principality is acquired through an acquisition of a non-hostile nature, it is the prince who may have fears. The prince of a â€Å"mixed principality† faces more difficulties than those of a hereditary principality. Machiavelli suggests that these â€Å"difficulties derive from one natural problem inherent in all new principalities: men gladly change their masters, thinking to better themselves† (8). Additionally, the new prince is, out of necessity, going to offend his new subjects by bringing in â€Å"his soldiers and [causing] other countless injuries that are involved in his new conquest† (8). These same problems will face the management of a newly acquired business. Those employees that are retained will automatically look to better their current position by less than honest means. Those â€Å"left over† from the old regime may be inclined to steal from the company out of fear that they may soon be replaced. Thus, endangering the alread y financially unstable situation that an acquisition puts a company in. Therefore, measures must be taken to ensure that the state/company not be lost due to an uprising by theShow MoreRelatedMachiavellian Prince Analysis1688 Words   |  7 Pageswould find Machiavelli’s concept of a prince to be a leader void of these qualities. Socrates would be critical of a Machiavellian prince’s character and actions for failing to meet his morally absolute standard of goodness, and of the Machiavellian prince’s notion of wisdom for conflicting with his own. Socrates would not be supportive of the political system formed under a Machiavellian prince, the perpetuation of which inherently clashes with his stringent moral absolutism and ideals of devotion toRead MoreRelevance Of Personality And Psychopathy1057 Words   |  5 Pagesthus) derives from an ethical typology of organisational morality. The creation of a four square matrix from the Machiavellian â€Å"ethic† of means and ends identify four distinct ethical organisational styles; Machiavellian and criminal on one hand, and Kantian and â€Å"ethicall† on the other. In the Machiavellian matrix, the four types occupy the different sections of the diagram †¢ Machiavellian characterised by an extreme pragmatism, with the moral valence of the actions taken managerially are judged byRead MoreArgument Favor Of Establishing A Positive Culture1408 Words   |  6 Pagescontrolling is a fundamental function of management. Manipulation is not solely bound to a Machiavellian style of leadership. 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The issue that crops up here is the overemphasis on soft emotions like love in almost every facet of life as opposed to the use of fear whenRead MoreTo be loved or feared as a leader?1706 Words   |  7 Pagesrecognizes the opposite polarity of the two emotions and maintains that since it is difficult to combine both in one person, it is better to be feared as a leader than to be loved (Machiavelli, 2003, p.53). Today, about five hundred years later, the Machiavellian concept of a feared leader is still quite rigorously followed by leaders in fields including business. The issue that crops up here is the overemphasis on soft emotions like love in almost every facet of life as opposed to the use of fear whenRead MoreHow Organizational Size and Structure Influences Control1375 Words   |  6 Pageswhile also being continually influenced by stakeholder requirements (Inzerilli, Rosen, 1983). 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