Mary Parker Follett

Mary Parker Follett was a renowned American management theorist, philosopher, and author who made significant contributions to the fields of organizational theory and management science. Her work was heavily influenced by Henri Bergson, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and William James, and she is often regarded as one of the most important thinkers of the 20th century. Follett's ideas on management and organizational behavior have had a lasting impact on the development of business administration and public administration, with notable thinkers such as Chester Barnard, Herbert Simon, and Peter Drucker drawing on her work. Her concepts have also been applied in various fields, including sociology, psychology, and political science, with scholars like Émile Durkheim, Max Weber, and John Dewey engaging with her ideas.

● Early Life and Education

Mary Parker Follett was born on September 3, 1868, in Quincy, Massachusetts, to a family of New England aristocracy. She grew up in a Unitarian household, which emphasized the importance of social responsibility and community service. Follett attended Thayer Academy in Braintree, Massachusetts, and later studied at the Society for the Collegiate Instruction of Women (now Radcliffe College) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she was exposed to the ideas of William James and Josiah Royce. She also spent time at Newnham College, Cambridge, where she was influenced by the works of Alfred North Whitehead and Bertrand Russell. Follett's education was further shaped by her interactions with prominent thinkers of the time, including Jane Addams, John Dewey, and Thorstein Veblen.

● Career and Contributions

Follett began her career as a social worker in the settlement movement, working at the Denison House in Boston, Massachusetts, alongside notable figures like Emily Greene Balch and Vida Scudder. She later became involved in labor relations and industrial management, serving as a consultant to various organizations, including the Boston Employment Agency and the National Civic Federation. Follett's work in this area was influenced by the ideas of Frederick Winslow Taylor, Henri Fayol, and Max Weber, and she was also familiar with the work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Her experiences in these fields informed her development of management theory and organizational philosophy, which emphasized the importance of cooperation, coordination, and integration in achieving organizational effectiveness. Follett's ideas were also shaped by her interactions with other prominent thinkers, including Elton Mayo, Chris Argyris, and Douglas McGregor.

● Management Theory and Philosophy

Follett's management theory and philosophy were characterized by a focus on the human factor in organizations, emphasizing the importance of employee participation, communication, and collaboration. She argued that management should be a facilitative rather than a directive process, and that leadership should be based on expertise and influence rather than authority and power. Follett's ideas on integration and circular response were influenced by the works of Henri Bergson and Alfred North Whitehead, and she also drew on the concepts of systems theory and cybernetics, as developed by Norbert Wiener and Ludwig von Bertalanffy. Her philosophy of management was also shaped by her engagement with the ideas of John Dewey, Thorstein Veblen, and C. Wright Mills.

● Major Works and Publications

Follett's major works include The New State: Group Organization the Solution of Popular Government (1918), Creative Experience (1924), and Dynamic Administration: The Collected Papers of Mary Parker Follett (1941), which was edited by Henry C. Metcalf and L. Urwick. Her writings have been widely read and influential, with scholars such as Chester Barnard, Herbert Simon, and Peter Drucker drawing on her ideas. Follett's work has also been translated into numerous languages, including French, German, Italian, and Japanese, and has been published by prominent presses such as Routledge, Oxford University Press, and Harvard University Press. Her ideas have been applied in various fields, including business administration, public administration, sociology, and psychology, with notable thinkers like Émile Durkheim, Max Weber, and Sigmund Freud engaging with her concepts.

● Legacy and Impact

Mary Parker Follett's legacy and impact on the fields of management and organizational theory are significant, with her ideas continuing to influence contemporary thinkers and practitioners. Her emphasis on cooperation, coordination, and integration has shaped the development of organizational behavior and management science, with notable scholars like Elton Mayo, Chris Argyris, and Douglas McGregor drawing on her work. Follett's concepts have also been applied in various fields, including sociology, psychology, and political science, with thinkers like C. Wright Mills, Herbert Marcuse, and Jürgen Habermas engaging with her ideas. Her work has been recognized by various organizations, including the Academy of Management, the American Sociological Association, and the International Society for the Systems Sciences, and she is widely regarded as one of the most important thinkers of the 20th century. Category:American philosophers