Is Management an Art or a Science?

Is Management an Art or a Science is the most debatable topic to come across. You would see various viewpoints coming from the experts of management concerning this particular topic. Well, the controversy regarding management as a science or an art is unending. Just the way, we have to understand the characteristics of leadership vs management, in the same way, we have to decode the features of management to understand this topic better.

This blog covers all the key points about management, how doing PGDM will help you in analysing this topic and whether management is an art or a science or both.

What is Management?

Management can be defined as the process of getting an assigned task or work done effectively and efficiently to achieve the goal an organisation has set. The main functions of the management process include planning, organising, staffing, directing and controlling. Decision-making in Management is one of the key features that you learn in management. If any problem or conflict arises, how to resolve them, the work needs to be done at a given time with the minimal possible cost incurred in it.

Management is defined in different layers in an organisation but a team leader is someone who has to take care of the task given to the subordinates. He is answerable to the upper management - hence, the process of handling the team members and achieving the objective with a planned process is what management is all about. Now that you are aware of what management is, you need to understand whether management is an art or a science.

PGDM Course for Management

Post Graduate Diploma in Management or PGDM is a post-graduate program in management. It is a 2-year diploma course that is considered equivalent to an MBA degree. Candidates with degrees in management are preferred but any individual from any stream can opt for a PGDM course. The syllabus is similar to MBA, hence, if you pursue PGDM from an Association of Indian Authority-approved college, then you don’t need to pursue an MBA degree.

PGDM Course Detail Overview

Full Form	Post Graduate Diploma in Management
Course Level	Post Graduate
Eligibility	Bachelor’s degree in any stream
Duration	2 years
Admission	Direct admission or Entrance exam based
Entrance Exam	CAT, MAT, GMAT, CMAT, XAT, NMAT, ATMA
Course Fee	₹ 3-12 Lakhs
Top Colleges	SPJIMR, IIM Kolkata, NMIMS, XLRI, MDI, IMI New Delhi etc.
Average Salary	₹ 4-10 LPA
Career Options	Marketing Executive, Human Resource Manager, Business Consultant, Finance Manager, Administrative Officer, Public Relations Officer
Top Recruiting Sector	Entertainment portals, Marketing agencies, Banks, Educational institutions, Market research companies, Law firms,

Admission Process

• A bachelor’s degree is required from a credible university with a CGPA of 50%
• For PGDM degree, MAT, XAT, NMAT, ATMA, CAT, GMAT, CMAT are the entrance exams that are accepted. 
• The average fees can vary from ₹ 3-12 lakhs depending on the college that you are opting for.
• Even if you achieve a 99% CAT score, it is recommended to choose the best business school for the PGDM course.

PGDM Course Syllabus

The PGDM course is for 2 years - therefore, the syllabus is divided into four semesters.

First Year PGDM Course Syllabus

Semester 1	Semester 2
Human Resource Management	Quantitive Techniques for Managers
Management Functions and Behavior	Operations Management
Introduction to Information Technology	Strategic Management
Economic and Social Environment	Marketing Management
	Managerial Economics

Second Year PGDM Course Syllabus

Semester 3	Semester 4
Insurance Management	International Business
Marketing Management	Management Information System
Financial Management	Business Law and Corporate Governance
Human Resource Management	Research Methodology
International Business	Project Work
Information System
Operations Management

Is Management an Art?

If you are familiar with Art word then, you know the technicalities and the practical knowledge you need to have in it. Because of this factor, people are confused about whether management is an art or a science. Art involves creativity and real-life knowledge, just like we need in management. Hence, certain points validate management as an art.

Characteristics	Description
Practical Knowledge	Here, you need practical knowledge in management to be a good manager. Until and unless you are in corporate handling people, you won’t be able to be a good manager.
Learns Through Practice	You need to practice understanding people and how they work in a corporate. You cannot just use theoretical knowledge to manage people.
Based on Personal Experience	The implementation varies from person to person, every art is about the personal experience. Same way, you learn management through personal experience, with time and with the people around you.

Is Management a Science?

Just the way Science is based on principles, facts and universally accepted truth, these are similar characteristics one can find in management as well. It is mostly based on theories and experiments performed. Hence, certain people conclude that Management is a pure Science that one follows.

Characteristics	Description
Validity and Predictability Testing	The time you test valid and predicted principles, the results remain constant. It may be any place or any situation, the result doesn’t change. The same goes for management, certain principles and theories are effective at any moment in time.
Cause and Effect Relationship	For various theories and principles, just like Science, management even shows that cause and effect relationship is a part of it.
Application of Principles	Principles are applied everywhere, and even in management, you need concepts and theories to work with.

Is Management a Science or an Art or Both - Explain

The pointers mentioned above conclude that Management is an Art and a Science. It consists of mixed characteristics, as Management needs theoretical and practical knowledge simultaneously. It cannot just work on theory until and unless one has applied the same principles in real-life situations. The task of the management is to consider real-life circumstances and apply theories learnt over the period.

For example, a cricketer may learn enough tricks and techniques theoretically, but he won’t be able to perform well until he practices them on the pitch. The same applies to teachers who learn well, but until they are before students, passing on the same knowledge accurately, they won’t be able to be a good representative of knowledge.

Now that you are familiar with whether management is art or science, you should consider pursuing a PGDM course from one of the colleges powered by Sunstone. If you happen to choose one, you get 70+ training and development sessions from industry experts and IIM professionals. Sunstone also helps you to build a professional portfolio of the work done that attracts top recruiters and schedules guaranteed-interview for you.