Dynamic Administration: The Pioneering Work of Mary Parker Follett
Mary Parker Follett (1868-1933)
An American social worker, management theorist, and organizational behavior pioneer who challenged traditional bureaucratic models. Despite working decades ahead of her time, Follett’s ideas about conflict resolution, participatory management, and organizational dynamics remain remarkably relevant today.
Key Contributions: Integration theory, circular response, law of the situation, co-active power, constructive conflict, and the concept of “power-with” rather than “power-over.”
1868-1933
Module Introduction: Beyond Traditional Management
While Max Weber focused on structural efficiency and Frederick Taylor on scientific management, Mary Parker Follett pioneered a humanistic, relational approach to administration that emphasized dynamics, relationships, and integration. Her work provides a critical bridge between classical administrative theory and modern human relations approaches.
This module explores Follett’s revolutionary concepts that challenged the mechanistic view of organizations and laid the groundwork for contemporary theories of participative management, organizational development, and conflict resolution.
Part 1: Historical Context and Theoretical Foundations
Follett developed her ideas during the Progressive Era (1890s-1920s), a period characterized by social reform, industrialization, and changing attitudes toward authority and organization. Her work emerged as a counterpoint to both Weberian bureaucracy and Taylorist scientific management.
Early Social Work & Community Studies
Follett’s work in community centers and neighborhood organizations provided practical insights into group dynamics, conflict resolution, and participatory decision-making that would inform her later management theories.
Key Works: “The Speaker of the House of Representatives” (1896), community center studies
Management Theory Development
Transition from community organization to industrial management theory. Developed concepts of integration, constructive conflict, and the psychological foundations of management.
Key Works: “Creative Experience” (1924), lectures at business schools
Mature Theory Formulation
Refined concepts of circular response, law of the situation, and power-with. Delivered influential lectures at the London School of Economics and other institutions.
Key Works: Papers collected in “Dynamic Administration” (1941)
Rediscovery & Contemporary Relevance
Follett’s work was largely overlooked until the human relations movement rediscovered her in the 1950s. Today, her ideas resonate with contemporary theories of participative management, organizational learning, and conflict resolution.
Key Recognition: Recognition as “prophet of management” by Peter Drucker
Core Philosophical Assumptions
Holistic Perspective
Organizations as integrated wholes rather than collections of parts. Emphasis on relationships and connections between elements.
Process Orientation
Focus on ongoing processes and dynamics rather than static structures. Organizations as continuously evolving systems.
Humanistic Foundation
Recognition of psychological and social dimensions of work. Emphasis on human dignity, creativity, and participation.
Relational Focus
Priority on relationships and interactions over formal structures. Quality of relationships determines organizational effectiveness.
Part 2: Key Concepts of Dynamic Administration
Integration
Creative resolution of differences through finding solutions that satisfy all parties, rather than compromise or domination.
Key Insight: “Integration invents something new; it does not mean that one side or the other has to give up anything.”
Circular Response
Dynamic, reciprocal interaction where each party influences and is influenced by others in continuous feedback loops.
Key Insight: Behavior emerges from the total situation, not from individual characteristics alone.
Law of the Situation
Authority should derive from the requirements of the situation rather than from hierarchical position or formal power.
Key Insight: “The best leader does not ask people to serve him, but the common end.”
Co-active Power
“Power-with” (shared, cooperative power) rather than “power-over” (domination). Power as capacity rather than control.
Key Insight: “Genuine power is not coercive control, but co-active control.”
The Integration Process: A Step-by-Step Approach
Differences
Airing Differences
Openly acknowledging and exploring conflicting views rather than suppressing them.
Interests
Understanding Needs
Moving beyond positions to understand underlying interests, needs, and values.
Reconceptualization
Inventing New Options
Developing innovative solutions that address all parties’ fundamental interests.
Solution
Implementing Together
Jointly implementing solutions that create value beyond original expectations.
Detailed Analysis: Constructive Conflict
Follett distinguished between constructive and destructive conflict:
Constructive Conflict
- Reveals important differences
- Generates creative solutions
- Strengthens relationships
- Leads to integration
- Enhances understanding
Destructive Conflict
- Focuses on winning/losing
- Creates resentment
- Damages relationships
- Leads to compromise or domination
- Suppresses creativity
Follett’s Approach: Rather than avoiding or suppressing conflict, organizations should create processes that transform conflict from destructive to constructive through integration.
Power Dynamics: Three Types of Power
Power-Over
Traditional Power
Power as domination, control, and coercion. Based on formal authority and hierarchical position.
Example: Military command, traditional bureaucracy
Limitation: Creates resistance, limits creativity, and depends on continuous enforcement.
Power-With
Follett’s Co-active Power
Power as capacity, collaboration, and mutual influence. Based on expertise, relationships, and shared purpose.
Example: Professional teams, collaborative networks
Advantage: Enhances creativity, builds commitment, and creates sustainable relationships.
Empowerment
Modern Extension
Distributing power throughout the organization. Based on delegation, development, and shared responsibility.
Example: Self-managed teams, participatory decision-making
Connection: Extends Follett’s ideas about shared power throughout organizational structures.
Part 3: Comparison with Traditional Administrative Theories
| Dimension | Weberian Bureaucracy | Taylor’s Scientific Management | Follett’s Dynamic Administration | Contemporary Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| View of Organization | Mechanistic machine | Production system | Living organism | Complex adaptive system |
| Primary Focus | Structure & rules | Efficiency & tasks | Relationships & processes | Innovation & adaptation |
| Conflict Resolution | Avoidance through rules | Management directive | Integration & creativity | Collaborative problem-solving |
| Source of Authority | Formal position | Expert knowledge | Situation requirements | Multiple sources (expertise, relationships) |
| Decision-Making | Top-down, hierarchical | Managerial prerogative | Participatory, circular | Distributed, consensus-based |
| View of Power | Power-over (authority) | Power-over (control) | Power-with (co-action) | Empowerment & shared leadership |
| Employee Role | Rule-following official | Task-performing unit | Creative participant | Knowledge worker & innovator |
| Key Contribution | Predictability & fairness | Efficiency & standardization | Creativity & relationship quality | Adaptability & engagement |
Theoretical Synthesis: Bridging Classical and Human Relations Approaches
Follett’s work represents a critical transition point in administrative theory:
Classical Theories (Weber, Taylor)
Focus on structure, efficiency, control, and predictability. Mechanistic view of organizations.
Strengths: Clarity, consistency, efficiency
Follett’s Dynamic Administration
Bridge emphasizing relationships, integration, participation, and situational adaptation.
Innovation: Humanistic, relational focus
Human Relations & Beyond
Development of participative management, organizational development, and systems thinking.
Evolution: Building on Follett’s foundations
Part 4: Contemporary Applications and Case Studies
Case Study 1: Participatory Budgeting in Porto Alegre, Brazil
Follettian Principles Applied
Integration in Practice
Citizens and officials jointly develop budget priorities through deliberative forums, creating integrated solutions.
Law of the Situation
Budget decisions based on community needs and priorities rather than bureaucratic formulas or political patronage.
Power-With Dynamics
Shared decision-making authority between citizens and government officials, creating co-active power structures.
Constructive Conflict
Open deliberation of competing priorities transforms potential conflicts into creative solutions.
Implementation Results
- Increased Equity: Budget allocation shifted toward poorer neighborhoods
- Enhanced Legitimacy: Higher citizen trust in government decisions
- Improved Services: Better alignment between budget and community needs
- Conflict Reduction: Decreased protests and political conflicts over budget issues
Learning Point: Integration at Scale
Porto Alegre demonstrates how Follett’s integration principles can be institutionalized at the municipal level, transforming adversarial politics into collaborative governance through structured participatory processes.
Case Study 2: Agile Software Development Teams
Follettian Principles in Modern Organizations
Self-Organizing Teams
Agile teams exemplify Follett’s “law of the situation” – authority follows expertise and task requirements rather than formal hierarchy.
Continuous Integration
Daily stand-ups and sprint reviews create Follett’s “circular response” through continuous feedback and adaptation.
Conflict Resolution
Retrospective meetings provide structured processes for transforming conflicts into process improvements (constructive conflict).
Shared Leadership
Rotating scrum masters and collective ownership reflect Follett’s “power-with” rather than “power-over” approach.
Key Practices Aligned with Follett’s Ideas
- Daily Stand-ups: Continuous circular response and situational adaptation
- Sprint Planning: Collective determination of goals based on situation analysis
- Retrospectives: Structured integration of different perspectives for process improvement
- Pair Programming: Co-active power and knowledge sharing in practice
- Collective Code Ownership: Shared responsibility and authority
Part 5: Critical Evaluation and Modern Relevance
Strengths and Contributions
Theoretical Innovations
- Ahead of Her Time: Anticipated human relations movement by decades
- Holistic Perspective: Integrated psychological, social, and organizational dimensions
- Process Focus: Shifted attention from static structures to dynamic processes
- Conflict Positive: Revolutionary view of conflict as potentially constructive
- Democratic Values: Advanced participative, democratic approaches to management
Practical Applications
- Conflict Resolution: Provided practical methods for integrative negotiation
- Leadership Development: Offered alternative models of authority and influence
- Organizational Design: Suggested flexible, adaptive organizational forms
- Change Management: Emphasized participatory approaches to organizational change
Limitations and Criticisms
Theoretical Limitations
- Idealistic Assumptions: Requires high levels of trust, communication skills, and goodwill
- Implementation Challenges: Difficult to implement in large, complex organizations
- Power Realities: Underestimates structural power inequalities and resistance to sharing power
- Cultural Specificity: Assumptions may not translate across different cultural contexts
- Incomplete Theory: Lacks detailed implementation frameworks and tools
Practical Challenges
- Time Intensive: Integration processes require substantial time and resources
- Skill Dependent: Requires advanced conflict resolution and facilitation skills
- Scalability Issues: Difficult to maintain in large-scale operations
- Measurement Difficulties: Hard to quantify benefits for traditional performance metrics
Modern Extensions and Related Theories
Participative Management
Connection: Direct extension of Follett’s emphasis on employee participation in decision-making.
Key Theorists: Rensis Likert, Douglas McGregor
Modern Application: Employee involvement programs, quality circles
Organizational Development
Connection: Builds on Follett’s process orientation and focus on organizational learning.
Key Theorists: Kurt Lewin, Chris Argyris
Modern Application: Change management, team building, action research
Interest-Based Negotiation
Connection: Direct application of Follett’s integration principles to conflict resolution.
Key Theorists: Roger Fisher, William Ury
Modern Application: Principled negotiation, mediation, collaborative law
Servant Leadership
Connection: Extends Follett’s “law of the situation” and service-oriented leadership.
Key Theorists: Robert Greenleaf, James Hunter
Modern Application: Transformational leadership, ethical leadership models
Contemporary Relevance in 21st Century Organizations
Follett’s ideas have gained renewed relevance in contemporary organizational contexts:
Knowledge Work & Innovation
Follett’s emphasis on creativity, integration, and participation aligns with the needs of knowledge-intensive organizations that depend on innovation and collaboration.
Networked Organizations
Her focus on relationships and “power-with” anticipates the needs of contemporary networked, decentralized organizational forms.
Diversity & Inclusion
Follett’s integration principles provide frameworks for leveraging diversity and creating inclusive organizational cultures.
Complex Problem-Solving
Her approach to constructive conflict and integration offers methods for addressing complex, “wicked” problems that require multiple perspectives.
Conclusion: Follett’s Enduring Legacy
Mary Parker Follett’s work represents a paradigm shift in administrative theory—from viewing organizations as mechanical structures to understanding them as dynamic social systems. Her emphasis on relationships, integration, and participatory processes anticipated key developments in organizational theory by decades.
In an era of increasing complexity, rapid change, and knowledge-intensive work, Follett’s ideas about constructive conflict, shared power, and situational authority offer valuable insights for creating more adaptive, innovative, and humane organizations. While implementation challenges remain, her vision continues to inspire efforts to build organizations that harness human creativity and collaboration for shared purposes.
Key Takeaway: The most enduring organizations may not be those with the most perfect structures, but those with the most adaptive processes for integrating diverse perspectives and transforming conflicts into innovations.
