MANAGEMENT EVOLUTION AS A PRACTICAL ACTIVITY IN THE ANCIENT WORLD AND INFLUENCE ON THE MANAGEMENT ESTABLISHMENT AS A SCIENCE

Abstract

The article is devoted to the issue of management evolution as a practice. The article purpose is to generalize the features of management relationships in the Ancient World and to establish their relationship with modern management theories. In the vast majority of sources, the study of these civilizations’ development is carried out from the standpoint of historical, political, cultural, philosophical, and state-building aspects. The author summarized the main provisions of management processes’ implementation in the Ancient World countries. They are: Ancient Egypt, Babylon, Ancient India, Ancient China, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome. The key works of these countries’ representatives, which have reached our time, became the basis for the analysis. They are: “The Teachings of Ptahhotep” (Ancient Egypt), “Code of Hammurabi” (Babylon), “Arthashastra” (Ancient India), “Tao Te Ching”, “Lun Yu” (Ancient China), “State”, “Politics” (Ancient Greece). Their generalization gave the author the opportunity to formulate the key provisions of management in the Ancient World. It was also distinguished management tools and interrelated them with modern management theories. Attention is focused on the formation and implementation of management functions in ancient society. This is confirmed by the cited quotations from works that reflect the peculiarities of life in general and management in particular during the period under study. During the research, the author came to the following conclusions. In the Ancient World states, the foundation was formed for the further development of management and its transfer to a scientific basis of use. The main functions of management have been reflected and have their own place in people's activities. Such functions are planning, organization, control, motivation. The prominent place was given to communication and delegation. The population strata that carried out management activities were clearly distinguished. The management process and its subjects were characterized by the observance of certain rituals and the presence of relevant attributes. They were clothing, behavior manner, signs of authority. It can be considered as an archetype of modern managerial culture.