Chester Barnard (1886–1961,) an American executive, scholar, and management theorist, played a significant role in shaping organizational theory and administration during the mid-20th century.
Born in Malden, Massachusetts, Barnard held the position of president at the New Jersey Bell Telephone Company and later became a key executive at AT&T. His influential work, The Functions of the Executive (1938,) stands as a seminal text in management theory. Emphasizing the crucial elements of cooperation, communication, and the informal organization within corporations, Barnard’s insights in this groundbreaking book resonate in management discussions. One of his key concepts, the “zone of indifference,” introduced in the same work, underscores the acceptance of managerial authority by subordinates as long as directives fall within the perceived acceptable range of employees.
Beyond his impactful contributions to the business sector, Barnard took on the role of president at the Rockefeller Foundation 1948–52, where he made significant contributions to the organization’s philanthropic initiatives. Papers he delivered to various professional groups are compiled in Organization and Management 1935–46 (1956.)
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Chester Barnard
The responsibility of the executive is (1) to create and maintain a sense of purpose and moral code for the organization; (2) to establish systems of formal and informal communication; and (3) to ensure the willingness of people to cooperate.
—Chester Barnard
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