Download I slamic Management System Past, Present, Future

Islamic Management System
Past, Present, Future
Ms.FatemehNasri1 and Mr.MohammadNazemi2
Mailing address: Pooya Co.,13th .St., Jahad Blvd., 7619833118, Kerman, Iran.
Tel:09133434044
Fax: 00983412726878
About one and half thousands years ago Muslim community started its organizing procedure and
introduced a kind of management style called Islamic management. Considering the strong effects of
Roman and Persian empires management styles in that era, the importance, effectiveness and
capabilities of Islamic management is understood. In this paper, first, a brief history of Islamic
management is presented and then the weakness and strength factors of Islamic Management, in
comparison with western management pattern, are discussed. It seems that Islamic Management
style has to be updated and proportional with requirements and needs of 2lst century if it wants to be
an outstanding pattern in the world’s management systems. For meeting this aim, there are some
issues that must be solved by scientifically applied modeling, theory making, analyzing and…
provided by professional experts both in management field and religion field.
Field of Research:
Management
Introduction:
The manhas always needed management methods; from the early days of human
life on the earth to the time of flourishing civilizations in ancient age and to the
unbelievable developments in recent century. Like other aspects of human science
and knowledge, management science and art, has developed a lot.
Now, the man is seeing future needs and requirements to equip himself for meeting
future challenges. That is why the management and administrative experts are to
design new styles of management for the challenges that are faced with in upcoming
century.
1
2
-M.A.Student of Islamic Azad University ,Rafsanjan branch([email protected])
-M.A.Student of Islamic Azad University,Rafsanjan branch([email protected])
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Although there are many Islamic countries with different levels of development in the
world but still there is no worldwide accepted Islamic management system that can
be used in Islamic organizations and countries. Checking the principles and
elements of western style of management which is used word wide and the
management rules and elements in Islamic style of management, one may see they
are almost the same. The only difference is ultimate stress on moral and humanity in
Islamic management- although this matter has been paid a lot of attention in western
stylerecently.
Past:
The first days of forming Islam community were simultaneous with flourishing
empires in Persia, Greek andRome, the empires that, in fact, were presenting a
multination organization with a strong and effective style of management in that era.
So, it is a kind of simple-mindedness if one assumes that domination of Islamic
civilization over these empires and replacing a kind of Islamic management pattern
in their territory was just an accident! Whether it was so, it could not be continued.
To understand the management situation in that time, consider that Koorosh in
Persia had established a kind of federalized organizational system managing the
whole organization, the empire, along with handling and managing each province or
state as well (SeyedJavadin,2009)
When Islamic management overwhelms such arrangement and management, it
must have had norms and standards at least around the standards of that style of
management. It must be noted that after conquering these empires, Islamic
management system used and mixed their managerial methodswith its own one, and
this was an advantage for Islamic management.
Anyhow, the management system that was initiallyestablished by prophet of Islam
enhanced its enrichment, little by little, after its establisher and then many Islamic
scientists focused occasionally on management from Islamic point of view in their
books-mainly in Arabic. Here are some cases:
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Abu yusof, who is one of the first scientists of Islamic school, discusses the methods
of governing in his book, Al-Kharaj, around 770. He concentrates on public financial
policies, taxing system and criminal courts (Steven Ott and Shafritz)
Farabi Abu Nasr, about 300 years after beginning of Islam, has some ideas about
management and organization. He says humankind needs anideal society in which
the relations between its members are on base of justice and an ideal governor rules
it. He presents the principles of his ideas in the book "Ahle-Al-MadinatolFaazele"- the
word Al-MadinatolFaazele means Utopia in Araic. Then he recommends a deserved
leader who has humanity characteristics, to take the responsibility of governing this
Utopia. Seemingly, this has been taken from social order recommended by Plato,
Utopia, which is the most complete form of society in which individuals are
cooperating in different affairs to achieve prosperity (Taghavi, 1989).
EbneKhaldune, around 950, discusses the rules of governing and methods of
handling and managing different communities from habits, behavior and civilization
point of view. He says people in any society need a ruler or sovereignty that prevents
them from violation and aggression (Taghavi, 1989).
Avesina, 550, is a well-known scientist. Although he had worked as a manager in
ministerial positions, but he does not have any books that shows his ideas about
management and leadership. There is only an article, KetabolMajmoo, in which he
presents the fundamentals of government and styles of management. In his idea, the
most important criterion for classification of governments is the pattern of
management and the method of selecting or appointing the manager. Then, he
identifies four styles of governments including democracy, totalitarian, oligarchy and
a kind of government that is governed by thehumblest person (Motahari, 1997).
There are many other examples that are not to be discussed here buttwo main
points are seen in all of them: first, management, its elements and improvements
have been under close attention of almost all Islamic scientists specially those who
were interested in social science. This has been done from Islamic point of view
although pre-Islam ideas and philosophy have playedan important role in forming
Islamic management ideas. Second, as there were only a few organizations in that
era, they have all considered country, state and territory as organizations and rulers,
governors and army commanders as managers.
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This procedure of development continues to the time of Industrial Revolution in
Europe, or better to say, a little before this event. It seems that from this point of
time, the body of research, theorizing, modeling and improving Islamic management
system among Muslim experts falls asleep and the clue of actions and studies falls
into the hands of western and European scientists. They make a great and fast
progress in this field while having the previous possessions mostly presented by
Muslim scientists. It seems that the amount of work done in west during one and half
century is much more than the work done in about a thousand years in Islam.
Regardless of where the foundation and base of this management system was and
who established this foundation, it must be said that study, research, theory making
and development in management, like other fields of science, during this one and
half century is much more than research, theory making and development madein
the past, though having much more time- about one thousand years, from Islam
introduction to Industrial Revolution.
Present:
There is no doubt that the dominant tendency in all countries of the world is
development and progress. Those that are being developed now tend to reach the
state of post development, post industrialization and post modernization; those that
are developing tend to be developed and the others tend to start developing. Again
there is no doubt that the methods, patterns and systems of organization and society
management, both in public and private affairs, determine the level of
successfulness of countries. Briefly, the managerial reflection of countries shows the
possibility of successfulness. There are also some countries in the world tending to
achieve their goals using a kind of management pattern called Islamic management
system (IMS). Malaysia is a good example of these countries that achieved a good
result under leadership of President Mahathir Mohammad. Also, Iranians attempt to
find a kind of managerial pattern which is both Islamic and scientific, is another
example.
Scientific management style of present world is almost western, or at least it is not
Islamic. If we are to know whether IMS is helpful for progress of countries or not,
there are some requirements that must be satisfied first:
1- The need to present a worldwide accepted description of Islamic
management, it's fundamentals, models, elements, …
2- The need to identify the requirements of present organizations and
humankind-at least in Islamic countries or in Islamic countries that tend to use
IMS.
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3- Finally, matching and adopting these requirements inside the frame of IMS.
It must be specified that what the term "Islamic management system" means. Does it
mean a management system that is based on rules and principles of Islamic religion
or a system that is used in Islamic countries to progress better? The purpose of this
question is first to know that if there must be a managerial frame that it's limitations
and boundaries are limitations of religion and then study and analyze this frame
inside the limitations to evaluate its feasibility or there must be a managerial frame
that is not necessarily inside religious limitations but inside circumstances and
cultural boundaries of Islamic communities. In the second case, a kind of managerial
system is designed, ignoring some minor religious principles, for Muslim
communities that are matched with thesecommunities' values and attitudes- which
are increasingly being adjusted with the values and standards of today's world. Of
course, there can be a third approach: whatever we have now of management is the
translation and interpretation of management science which has developed a lot in
west. It means that if studies and researches have been done in Muslim countries,
they have been done on this kind of management. Also, the needs and values of
present human race, regardless of some religious or national values, are almost the
same. So, the future life style that is desirable for a Muslim in Iran or Malaysia is not
differed from the life style that is desired by a person in Washington D.C. or Europe.
Here rises another question: can we satisfy the managerial requirements of
todayMuslim communities, consider the stress on the word today, by means of an
Islamic management pattern?
If the elements and principles of present management science are compared with
those of Islamic management-although there is still no worldwide accepted
description- there won't be any outstanding differences. There is the same emphasis
on planning, organizing, controlling, supervising, budgeting … in Islamic
management as there is in western management. The note is that there has been a
strong emphasis on justice, humanity and human values in Islamic kind of
management from the beginningof itsformation. If the Islamic management approach
was considered at the starting point of change and transition of management
science, the time between1911-1930; about 19 years could be saved! 19 years from
presenting scientific management theory by Fredrick W. Taylor to presenting
behavioralapproach theory by Elton Mayo in which human values were somehow
introduced. Human values are something that has been suggested to be considered
strongly in management from the first days of Islam.
Nowadays the circumstances are not in favor of revolutionarily shifting of
management methods to Islamic ones. The circumstances are the same as a car
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racing match in which a team or driver decides to change the car or the route, during
the race! It has a serious risk for the racer. So, the job is very important, crucial and
risky. Understanding the present needs and conditions is of a great value. The least
thing that seems to be done now is to start studying, Researching, analyzing and
presenting a kind of management on the base of Islamic principles, which are all in
line withhuman welfare and perfection, in parallel with using and employing western
kind of management. Having a glance on moral principles of modern world, one can
judge that they all have been presented in rules, policies and orders of 1300 years
ago, in Islam, or at least that they are not in inconsistency with Islamic rules. While
we have had them since a thousand years ago, so, why we retreated and entrusted
them to the others in west to employ in their management system? Why we
remained a watcher during last two centuries?
Future:
Globalization, worldvillage, Democracy, modernization and growth are the terms and
concepts that have attracted and occupied the minds of managers, politicians and
even the individuals of all countries. There is no sign of old community- the
command and the tradition-any more (Soltani, 2009).
Now, everyone speaks about rationality, science-centrism and law- centrism.
Everything will rely on creativity and innovation and these are relying on science and
knowledge in turn.
Whatever the future is going to be, surly, it will have "the change", "the flexibility",
"humanity" and "morality" along with its way. The boundaries of countries will
probably stay only on maps and they will be practically omitted from the map of
world's managerial considerations and relationships. This leads to unificationGlobalization. European Union, African union, Persian-gulf council … are the signs
of future unification. The countries that avoid the globalization gain nothing but
failure- poverty. The more they try to go toward global commerce and competition,
the more flourishing their economy will be (Fried man, 1999).
If Islamic management system wants to be successful and effective in future, it must
take all this predictions and factors into consideration and try to include them in its
description, models and patterns. This kind of environment will never be formed
unless the experts both in management and religious field come together and create
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an atmosphere for more researches, studies, theory making and co
apprehensiveness. The good news is that none of above mentioned factors and
predictions, related to future of management and administration, has inconsistency
with Islamic principles. Here are some more statements that can be helpful for
modeling of IMS:
If an administrative theory wants to qualify the facts, guide the administrative actions
and explain the legal and legitimate administrative objectives, it must be necessarily
initiated from cultural values that are guiding social intercourses and dominating the
inter-organizational and outer-organizational relationships (Biur and zomorrodian).
…They say that cultural values of any countries differ from those of other countries
and the values of western secular communities are no longer acceptable in other
countries (Heady, 1996).
Managers need to improve a kind of global perspective in their minds. Cultural
differences surely affect the methods and behavior of managers in planning,
organizing, controlling and human resource management (Weihrich and Koontz,
1993).
…but there is the possibility of introducing new approaches [rather than development
approach] to eliminate the hard and unpleasant conditions in which the majority of
people of the world are living. There is also a hope to compile strategies to continue
the way toward progress (Mittleman).
…Public opinions in developing countries are to welcome a pattern other than
adopted pattern from industrialized developed countries. There is the likelihood that
developing countries leave the pattern of pioneer countries in development and even
figure it as an anti- development pattern! (Heady, 1996).
The future administration will be very flexible. Rigidity was a specification of
traditional administration to ensure equity and this would lead to dullness and make
the organization incapable of being adjusted with variable environment (Soltani,
2007).
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Well, everybody, even one with little knowledge about Islam, agrees that the above
mentioned suggestions have no disagreement with Islamic rules and the kind of
management we name Islamic management. There is only a little problem with
"flexibility" from some directions. Because some religious experts believe that Islamic
rules are rigid, while others believe that in some cases they are flexible. This is a
topic that needs more discussion.
The word "change" is a puzzle. Some, optimistically, believed that change goes to
perfection in future, or they, at least, suppose a hope that change will bring positive
development in future. There are some anticipations which are challenge rising and
see the future pessimistically. An example of this group is Huntington, 1993, who has
brought it in his paper "clash of the civilizations". He believes the main source of
conflict in the new world will be the cultural conflict… the clash of the civilizations will
affect the world policy. The boundary lines of the civilizations will change to war lines
between them in future. Then, he anticipates violent clashes that may lead to a world
war. Huntington believes that the main conflict is between the west and many Islamic
countries (Huntington, 1993).
First, this predication is a pessimistic one. Second, presenting a complied Islamic
management system can convert the clash to a competition, an administrative
competition, or at least Islamic counties may pick a competition rather than conflict.
There are some signs that one source of conflict between Islamic countries and
west, if any, may be the copied western management system that they apply in all of
their organizations and the cultural conflicts that it brings to the users. Applying IMS
in Islamic countries will reduce the conflicts, especially cultural ones. So, the
possibility of clash, at least from one side, is reduced.
As a result, beside some cultural and ideologicaldifferences, there is no difference
between the principles and elements of Islamic and western management systems.
Fortunately Islam has put high amount of emphasis on moral and humanity factors in
management and this is something which has been considered by almost all
administrative experts, all over the world, to be an important factor especially in
upcoming century. Also, all researches, studies, developments and up and downs of
western management are in access. They will be very helpful for fast and accurate
compilation and presentation of an Islamic management system that can satisfy the
managerial needs of the world, or at least Islamic countries, in future.
Finally, the word "Islamic" in this kind of management system necessitates that
religious scientists interact with managerial experts. The holiness of Islamic rules
prevents some people to work and theorize a management system on them. It needs
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a little more tolerance, understanding, braveness and hope. Let's have a little faith! It
must be started someday, somewhere, anyhow.
Conclusion:
Studying the history of Islam makes it obvious that Muslims, at the beginning, had a
kind of management system, at least, as effective as the management systems of
Greek, Rome and Persia empires and civilizations.TheMuslim scientists have also
worked on IMS since the early days of Islam but this work has been almost
stoppedbeforeIndustrial Revolution in Europe. Western management style has
developed surprisingly during only one century and this style is now used all over the
world. Identifying the managerial requirements of up-coming century encourages us
to be hopeful about establishing a world-wide accepted style of management on
Islamic base. Fortunately, there are some factors, like human values, that seem to
be highly influential in future world order and world management systems that have
received a lot of stress from the early days of Islam. If world have got them now,
Muslims have had them since thirteen centuries ago!
Establishing a world wide accepted Islamic management system is not possible in
one or some papers. It needs extensive work, study and co-operation of many
experts both in management and religion field. Countries are going to be globalized.
Islamic countries may also form an Islamic countries union under IMS in a near
future, so why not?
Reference:
1- Biur and Zomorrodian, Toward Indigenous Theories of Administration,
pp: 397-400.
2- Chavoshi, Kazem, 2009, Analyzing Islamic Management Perspectives
3- Friedman T.L., The lexus and the olive tree, NewYork, 1999, pp: 8-9.
4- Foreign Affairs 72, No.3 (summer1993) pp: 22-49.
5- Heady, Ferrel, Public Administration: A comparative perspective,
1996, 5th edition, CRC Press, 3rd section.
6- Huntington,Samuel, the clash of civilization?,1993.
7- Motahari,Mortaza, Islam and Iran Counter Services,1997, 8th. Edition, p:
548.
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8- Mittleman, out from under development, p: 138.
9- Seyedjavadin, Reza, human resources management, negahedanesh,
5th. Edition, 2008, p.p:52-53
10- Shafritz Jay M. and J Steven Ott, Organization Theory,translated by
Parsaeian, Ali, 2002, p: 17.
11- Soltani,Simin, Development Management,2009. Ostadi publishing, p: 24,
5th edition.
12- Taghavi, seyed Reza, A review of Islamic management, 1989, the
organization for Islamic propaganda, p: 28.
13- Weihrich and Koontz, a global perspective, NewYork, McGrawHill, 1993.
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