About Henry Ford

Henry Ford’s Biography

He was born on July 30, 1863 in William and Mary Ford, at the age of 84 years and died on April 7, 1947.

Henry Ford is a renowned industrialist. He was born in Dearborn, Michigan, on a family farm, remaining until he was 13 when he departed after the death of his mother.

Ford was first trained with James Flower & Bros in Detroit at a single-room school before studying as a mechanic.

After he married Clara, he left the business and went back to agriculture for three years to support his family.

He returned later to Detroit, and he was employed as an engineer by the Edison Illuminating Company.

Henry Ford is known for his dictatorial management style since he had a say in the primary decisions made by his company (Ford Motor Company).

Henry Ford’s Management Style

Henry Ford had an unusual management style which does not fit in a single category but was the autocratic/dictatorial management style at its best.

This management style entails the leader making all the strategic decisions and driving people to perform their best ensuring that there are no mistakes.

The basis of the premise of his approach can be seen in his famous quotation where he stated that quality referred to doing the right thing even with no one watching.

This management style falls under the contingency theory which contemporary management theory since it asserts that managers have the responsibility to make decisions and account for all situations.

It further states that every management decision depends on many factors such as economic dependence, cultural factors, legislation or even changes in technology.

The autocratic management style is still practiced today in situations where control and utmost quality is required such as manufacturing and construction companies.

Impact of Technology on Autocratic Management Style

Technology has no significant effect on the dictatorial management style.

This form is associated with a single leader making all the decisions for the enterprise with no room for participation.

Therefore, lack of innovation on the leader’s side limits use of technology in the firm.

Ford, for instance, was accused of lack of diversity when he only offered the Model T car in just one color for nearly twenty years (Gunderson, 2009).

However, in some instances, technology had an effect on Ford’s management style.

This approach does not compare to evidence-based management style since Ford was concerned with quality as shown by his famous saying that the market is never saturated with a good-quality product.

The Future of Autocratic Management Style

The future of autocratic management style lies in its ability to adopt the new technology.

Advanced technology such as the advent of conveyance belts enabled Ford to gather all the manufacturing in a single roof enabling the company to control all parts of the car-building process such as producing raw materials.

The effect of technology can also be seen where the business developed mass-production techniques following the success of Model T’s sale to increase their output.

This style can, therefore, be used by automobile companies to ensure that the advent of technology boosts their production.

The advantages of this technique also guarantee the future of this style such as timely and efficient decision-making process and strong organization skills preventing companies from being stagnant.

Finally, the dictatorial leadership style will continue being in existence since it shares the same objectives as those of other leadership styles.

References

Biography.com Editors. (2016). Henry Ford Biography. Retrieved February 19, 2017 from

http://www.biography.com/people/henry-ford-9298747

Gunderson, A. (2009). The Great Leaders Series: Henry Ford, Founder of Ford Motor Company. Retrieved February 19, 2017 from

http://www.inc.com/author/amy-gunderson