This paper looks at management by
objectives, a part of the body of
participative management theory. It provides a brief history of the theory and shows how developments in participative management techniques have lead to a greater emphasis on a relationships-orientation for managers, as opposed to the more traditional task orientation. It shows how the essence of any form of participative management is that the decision making process is not authoritarian and how management by objectives is primarily, a system of management that is designed to bring about the participation of all, or almost all, of the managers of an
organization in the major decision processes of the organization. It also analyzes the advantages and disadvantages associated with
group decision-making.