Stages of Social Development

Matjaz Mulej

University of Maribor

Slovenia

Dimensions of Change During Stages of Social Development

Dimensions/characteristic Preindustrial society

Early industrial society

Labor-intensiveProduction

Capital-intensive Production Innovation-intensive

Production

Organizational structure Inflexible Inflexible Inflexible Some creativity Flexible

Planning method Lack of resources Government budget Government and entrepreneurs

Technology and investment

Market

Management of change Avoid change React to external changes

React to changes Proactive Very proactive

Technology Dependent on nature

Beginning to use it Labor intensive Technology and capital intensive

Science, technology, and information intensive

Education Illiteracy Some literacy Primary schools High schools, technical schools

Colleges and universities

Quality management Value durability Value durability Production more important than quality

Quality contracts, warranties

Quality assurance

Marketing None Distribution Sell production Produce to demand Delight customers

National feelings Determined by religion

Emerging Basis for power Basis for abuse of power, ethics = ethics of rulers

Transnational diversity

Dimensions of Change During Stages of Social DevelopmentDimensions/characteristic Preindustrial

societyEarly industrial

societyLabor-intensive

ProductionCapital-intensive

Production Innovation-intensiveProduction

Economy Preindustrial agriculture, etc.

Primary accumulation

Decentralized Integrated Coordination decentralized

Democracy Slaves, subjects vs. owners

Enlightened absolutism

Political democracy Also shop floor democracy

Also government and management democracy

Management style Obey, do not think

Obey, do not think Taylor, Weber, Fayol

Human relations school

Human resources

Market Random exchange

Producers’ market Competition Buyer’s market Government-regulated/supported buyer’s market

Access to market Guild monopolies No regulation Free competition Monopoly competition

Government regulation of business competition

Entrepreneurial perception Owner’s risk More opportunity Acquire property Acquire property and do R & D

Also manage innovation

Way to wealth Inheritance, abuse or power

Personal initiative Build an organization

Monopoly and abuse of power

Creativity

Management/government perception

Total control Creativity permitted Room for creativity (handicraft style)

Back toward central control

Making room for creativity

Source

Matjaz Mulej “Dimensions of Change During

Development from a Pre-Industrial to a Modern Society”

Cybernetics and Systems, 25:911-930, 1994