BTSC Staff Nurse 30July-2025
Nursing Management & leadership
Easy

The concept of management by objectives (MBO) was introduced by:

Appeared in: BTSC Staff Nurse 30July-2025

Explanation

  • Peter Drucker, a renowned management consultant and writer, introduced the concept of Management by Objectives (MBO) in his 1954 book, 'The Practice of Management'.
  • MBO is a management model designed to improve organizational performance by clearly defining objectives that are agreed upon by both management and employees.
  • The core principle of MBO is to establish a clear connection between individual employee goals and the overall objectives of the organization, thereby increasing motivation and alignment.
  • This approach shifts the focus from activities to results, making performance evaluation more objective.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

  • Option A: Frederick W. Taylor is known as the father of Scientific Management, not MBO. His focus was on task efficiency and labor productivity.
  • Option B: Henry Fayol is associated with Administrative Management theory. He outlined the 14 Principles of Management, which focus on the functions of managers.
  • Option C: Elton Mayo is a key figure in the Human Relations Movement, which grew out of the Hawthorne Studies. His work highlighted the importance of social and psychological factors in the workplace.

Related Visual

A comparative chart showing the key principles and focus areas of MBO Drucker, Scientific Management Taylor, Administrative Management Fayol, and the Human Relations Theor...
Clinical Relevance
  • Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Origin of Management by Objectives (MBO) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
  • In nursing management, MBO is a practical tool for setting clear, measurable goals for patient care and staff performance. For example, a nursing unit might set an objective to reduce patient falls by 15% in a quarter.
  • This approach helps align the goals of individual nurses (e.g., completing safety checks) with the broader objectives of the healthcare organization (e.g., improving patient safety).
  • Using MBO can increase staff motivation and accountability by involving them in the goal-setting process and providing a clear basis for performance appraisal.
How to Approach the Question
  • First, identify the key concept in the question, which is 'Management by Objectives (MBO)'.
  • Recognize that this is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of major management theorists and their contributions.
  • Systematically review the options and try to associate each theorist with their primary theory.
  • Recall or deduce that Peter Drucker is famously credited with developing and popularizing MBO.
  • Eliminate the other options by correctly linking Taylor to Scientific Management, Fayol to Administrative Principles, and Mayo to the Human Relations Movement.
  • Confirm your choice by selecting the theorist whose work is centered on collaborative goal-setting and results-based performance.
Concept Tested & Keywords
  • Concept Tested: Origin of Management by Objectives (MBO)
  • Stem keywords: management by objectives, MBO, introduced by
  • Lead-in keywords: BEST, MOST RELEVANT CLUE
  • Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

QLI7bXpC58LF7c84bUnzxA

Reference Book

E6 Nursing_Management_and_leadership_Johny_Kutty_JosephCbs_Publishers (pp 16-364 of 374) p. 141-143

E6 Principles and Practice of NURSING Management Leadership for BSc Nursing 3rd Edi Jogindra Vati — Subpart B (pp 340-678 of 1017) p. 41-43

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