Directorate of distance education master of business administration

Lesson  21 - Workers And Managerial Decisions
Meaning and Definition
 
“The concept of worker’s participation in management crystallizes 
the concept of industrial democracy, and indicates an attempt on the part 
of an employer to build his employees into a team which works towards 
the realization of common objectives”
The concept of worker’s participation aims at providing an 
opportunity to the workers to take part in the management decision-
making. Worker’s participation is adopted and practiced differently in 
different organizations. While in some places, the employees might be 
required to just give their suggestions and the final decision-making 
authority vests with the management, in other places, the workers might 
be involved in taking only operational decisions. In some other places, 
however, workers might get to actively participate in all the decisions of 
the organization, including those at the strategic level. 
Workers’ participation in management can be in any shape, from 
establishing work-committee to auto-management by the employees. 
The aim of management is to get wok through others. Workers, if 
they are permitted to participate and involve themselves in some of 
the decisions relating to work situation, etc., can perhaps achieve the 
company objectives more effectively.
Levels of Participation
 
The degree of influence that workers are allowed to exercise can 
be classified into five levels - from the minimum to maximum degree of