Papers on the Science of Administration (1937)

The Papers on the Science of Administration consist of 11 essays, or papers, which reflect the major thought streams of the Committee on Administrative Management, commissioned by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The “Papers” are important as they make the case that effective administrative processes occur in harmony with identifiable management principles, and because of the debate that assumption triggered. Moreover, they are an important reflection of the prevailing management ideals of the time in which they appeared, and for the anagram POSDCORB, which identifies what was seen as the major roles of the executive: planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting, and budgeting.