Adam Smith: managerial insights from the father of economics (2024)

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George R. Crowley (Department of Economics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA)

Russell S. Sobel (Department of Economics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA)

Journal of Management History

ISSN: 1751-1348

Article publication date: 28 September 2010

3447

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to apply the ideas found in the paper of Adam Smith, the pre‐eminent eighteenth century economist, to the field of management.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper provides a brief biography of Smith, summarizes his main contributions, and then applies them to contemporary management practices.

Findings

Adam Smith was the first person to identify specialization and the division of labor as the main drivers of productivity. He also conceptualized the “invisible hand principle” which explains how, under the proper set of incentives, self‐interested individuals are directed to pursue activities that benefit the whole of society. Both ideas are of utmost importance in the field of management. Specifically, successful managers are those who are able to create good “rules of the game” which align the incentives of labor with the goals of the firm.

Practical implications

Smith's contributions provide a foundation for the division of labor and demonstrate the importance of establishing the right “institutions” within a firm.

Originality/value

The paper arrives at practical implications for managers from the paper of an eighteenth century economist.

Keywords

Citation

Crowley, G.R. and Sobel, R.S. (2010), "Adam Smith: managerial insights from the father of economics", Journal of Management History, Vol. 16 No. 4, pp. 504-508. https://doi.org/10.1108/17511341011073979

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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Adam Smith: managerial insights from the father of economics (2024)

FAQs

Adam Smith: managerial insights from the father of economics? ›

He also conceptualized the “invisible hand principle” which explains how, under the proper set of incentives, self‐interested individuals are directed to pursue activities that benefit the whole of society. Both ideas are of utmost importance in the field of management.

What is managerial economics Adam Smith? ›

written by Scottish scholar Adam Smith in 1776. The theory holds that rational self interest. pursued by individuals and businesses in a free market society leads to optimal economic. conditions.

What was Adam Smith major contribution to economic theory? ›

Adam Smith is regarded as the father of modern economics thanks to his development of a multitude of foundational economic theories and concepts on which the discipline was built. Some of his most influential contributions include division of labor, gross domestic product (GDP), and the theory of the invisible hand.

What is the theory of management by Smith? ›

Adam Smith was opposed to central direction of the economy, but he recognized certain functions that must be served by govern- ment: defense, justice, public works, and education. Under Smith's theory, the scope and expense of these functions would increase with the development of society.

What are three reasons why Adam Smith is the father of economics? ›

Why Is Adam Smith Called the Father of Economics? Adam Smith is called the "father of economics" because of his theories on capitalism, free markets, and supply and demand.

What is Adam Smith's theory in management? ›

The key insight at work in Smith's theory is that a free market aligns the. incentives of a self-interested individual with the objectives of society. Specifically, anyone who earns money from his or her labor can do so only by offering a good or. service valued by someone else.

What is the main idea of Adam Smith definition of economics? ›

This definition was given by Adam Smith. He is also known as the 'father of economics. According to this definition, economics is a science of the study of wealth only. It deals with production, distribution, and consumption. This wealth-centred definition deals with the causes behind the creation of wealth.

Who is the father of managerial economics? ›

Joel Dean was the father of managerial economy in 1951. In his writing he reflected on the economic decisions of business managers.

Which of these were Adam Smith's major contributions to management? ›

Specialization and division of labor were Smith's major contributions to management thought.

What was Adam Smith's perspective? ›

Smith argued that by giving everyone the freedom to produce and exchange goods as they pleased (free trade) and opening the markets up to domestic and foreign competition, people's natural self-interest would promote greater prosperity than could stringent government regulations.

What was the theory of Adam Smith? ›

Smith claimed that an individual would invest a resource—for example, land or labor—so as to earn the highest possible return on it. Consequently, all uses of the resource must yield an equal rate of return (adjusted for the relative riskiness of each enterprise). Otherwise reallocation would result.

Which economic concept is Adam Smith known for? ›

Much of modern economic theory is rooted in Smith's ideas; he's often known as the father of economics. In one of his most famous concepts, the invisible hand theory, Smith argues that individuals looking out for themselves (rather than government) ends up doing a better job deciding what people should produce.

Why is Adam Smith important to economic thought? ›

For example, Smith argued that the wealth of a nation was not calculated by how much money you had in the bank but is instead derived by how value is created and then 'flows' through society. This flow or journey is now central to economic thought, but Smith was the first to recognise its importance.

What is managerial economics in simple words? ›

Managerial economics is a branch of economics involving the application of economic methods in the organizational decision-making process. Economics is the study of the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.

What is managerial economics best defined as? ›

Managerial Economics can be defined as amalgamation of economic theory with business practices so as to ease decisionmaking and future planning by management. Managerial Economics assists the managers of a firm in a rational solution of obstacles faced in the firm's activities.

What is the concept of economic man by Adam Smith? ›

The economic man theory assumes that all humans are motivated solely by self-interest, which means they will always try to maximize their wealth. It was first introduced by late economist Adam Smith.

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