What were researchers focused on in the 1950s concerning management approaches?

In the 1950s, researchers directed their focus on understanding the actual practices and behaviors of managers, particularly how they spent their time and the typical patterns of activities, responsibilities, and functions associated with managerial roles. This period marked a shift towards a more empirical approach to management, where researchers sought to analyze real-world managerial activities rather than just theoretical constructs.

By closely examining how managers operated on a day-to-day basis, researchers were able to identify the various functions that are integral to effective management, such as planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. This focus on managerial activities helped inform later management theories and practices, leading to a more systematic understanding of management as a discipline.

This research contrasted with other areas of exploration during the same era, which may have emphasized personal traits, charisma, financial strategies, or organizational hierarchies but did not provide the same depth of analysis on managerial behavior and responsibilities.