Research In The Function Of Instrumental Rationality In Modern Management

Rationality’s is a complex process which includes multiple historical stages. In the evolution, rationality gains multiple meanings of ontology, epistemology, axiology and so on. Until now rationality has not formed a common viewed unified understanding and connotative definition in the academic circle. In its original meaning, rationality means seeking truth, goodness and aesthetic meaning which are unified. The content of rational is comprehensive, at the stage of enlightenment rational, due to the intrinsic requirements of the times development and the requirements of cultural spirit of the time, rationality began to differentiate, on the rational content selection and use, people went on a biased way. Especially in the aspect of seeking truth, the biased state reached to the extreme, the goodness, beauty were ignored as the inherent meaning of rationality. Along with the development of science and technology, instrumental rationality gradually acquired the supreme position in modern society, because enormous modern material civilization created by instrumental rationality, the realistic rationality which performed expansion and complacency, caused instrumental rationality “generalization” and “deification”. Because the instrumental rationality excluded the value factors, focused on the reality, fact, pursued science and norm, which lead to the decline and emblem of value rationality, instrumental rationality lacked the foundation of human nature in rationality, the “alienation” phenomenon appeared, and the modernity formed.Looking back on the evolution of modern management thoughts, the instrumental rationality had largely determined the basic connotation and mode of modern management, and guided the development direction of western modern management, and deeply influenced the development trend of modern management. In modern management, the instrumental rationality is characterized by the general procedure, rule, and impersonality, it pursues the standard design and scientific configuration of management process which emphasizes the normative and procedure of management behavior. It is committed to provide the technical, rules and regulations for the purpose of management to find the optimal methods and ways for the management purpose. It is the ideal and performing embodiment of management in modern management. In the modern management, the instrumental rationality has its own special nature on human nature hypothesis, working logic and out patterns, which are the essential characteristic of the times. It has a profound historical and cultural background. The instrumental rationality has achieved the absolute position in the management by the rational design and planning to achieve perfect management effectiveness. The instrumental rationality as a pure technical instrumental is indispensable and plays very important role in modern management, it cannot be replaced. However, with the emergence of human existence dilemma and modern crisis, people began to reflect on the practical problems such as “human nature hypothesis”, “efficiency”, “rational bureaucratic system”, “ultimate goal of management” and so on. As the intellectual and technological science, instrumental rationality has its own limitations, which can not be used to gain insight into the intrinsic value and spirit of management, which can not take into account the multi dimensions and multi perspectives of understanding management, but also can not eliminate the human crisis and ecological crisis.From the historical development of modern western management theory and practice, we can find that the pursuit of the rational trend of management fitting the rationality for scientific development law, to seek the instrumental model and process of the modern management for efficiency is the mainstream of modern management development and law, the change of instrumental rationality in the management transfers among the various levels, and not a simple replacement, each transfer of management focus is based on the new situation and new problems facing the organization, arranging and coordinating at the levels of the technology, system, culture, by constantly adjusting, to promote the rational instrumental’s positive function in management. Management thoughts is a kind of behavior process in specific cultural background, and it is also the inevitable product of the cultural background, so instrumental rationality of modern management plays its due role in the specific social development and historical and cultural background, instrumental rationality theory is constantly evolving under the cultural framework of the specific economic, political, cultural and other aspects.Instrumental rationality has played an important role in the external form of modern management. On one hand, it has brought great material civilization, but on the other hand, it has separated the inner unity of management and human and social development. Without the guidance of value rationality, instrumental rationality in the theory and practice of management slowly goes beyond the bound, instrumental rationality became the instrumental to change thinking framework and the main body consciousness of people to change, giving rise to the realistic crisis and plight on the modern management. In the face of crisis of modern management increasingly caused by the instrumental rationality which is advocated, we need to rethink application space and forms for validation of instrumental rationality in the modern management, and to supply the rational value for correcting the bias of instrumental rationality, making instrumental rationality and value rationality help each other to play their due roles in modern management. Instrumental rationality and value rationality in the process of the development of the modern management should be balanced and benign interaction, neither at the insistence of the instrumental rationality in search of laws of modern management, norm management behavior, improving management efficiency, neglecting or demeaning the value of value rationality in the value purport and the ultimate development goal of modern management. Of course, we cannot criticize and even object the instrumental rationality when we attach importance to and find the vale rationality of social development. In fact, we should adhere to the harmonious unity of the two, to promote the healthy development of modern management, in order to meet the intrinsic goals of modern society development.With the development of globalization, the rise of knowledge economy, the popularization of information technology, the management environment of organizations has changed greatly, the uncertainty and non-rational factors exist generally. The paper argues that, in order to realize the benign development of instrumental rationality in modern management, we must shift the management paradigm to the organism paradigm, the relation paradigm, the complexity paradigm and the network paradigm. We need establish the management ideas of “ecological development” and “sustainable free” management philosophy. From the perspective of management ethics, we can remedy the instrumental rationality, to achieve the value and guidance of the value of the rationality in management, emphasizing the ethical demands of the management system and the need of people. Applying the way of thinking of ecosystem management to recognize and solve the problems in management practice, paying attention to the choice and adaptation between managing ecological environment and ecological organizations, to realize the harmonization and unification of instrumental rationality and value rationality, further to make the instrumental rationality work actively and initiatively, so as to achieve the goal of management efficiency.The author of the paper thinks, the instrumental rationality in China management is completely different from it in western countries on development space, the historical conditions, external environment and internal needs, the instrumental rationality has not been uplifted in China, in other word, China lacks of instrumental rationality, the realistic problems should also be viewed as the problems of instrumental rationality use, instrumental rationality can play its role and exert its strong vitality without the caring and leading of value rationality, thus Chinese management cannot repeat the mistakes of Western management, emphasizing the unity of purpose and rationality of Chinese modern society development, the unity of economy social and social justice, the unity of short-term effect and the long-term interests, the unity of the people and society. In the background of Chinese social governance innovation, we should pay attention to the value aspect in choose the path of instrumental rationality, so as to realize the rational, healthy development of Chinese modern management.