Specific features of the development of management thought in Russia in the first half - mid-18th century

Abstract

The formation and development of management thought in Russia is a direction of historical research that is currently in its infancy. Studying individual stages of the development of management thought and identifying general trends in its evolution allows us to understand the logic of this process, the trends and schools that have developed in it, and thereby form the foundation for the study of modern management thought. Sources and methods. The article presents the views on public administration of the largest statesmen of Russia in the first half of the 18th century: Peter I, F. Prokopovich, V.N. Tatishchev, P.I. Shuvalov. The article identifies the conditions and factors that influenced the development of management thought in Russia in the first half of the 18th century. The study of management documents and the first theoretical works in the field of management thought was carried out using methods of systemic, textual, documentary and semantic analysis. Analysis. The key conditions for the evolution of Russian management thought in the first half of the 18th century were formed in the political and sociocultural spheres. These include the structural transformation of the management system of the Russian state; new principles for the formation of the managerial elite; the impact of European management thought; analysis of management practices of the new Russian bureaucracy. Conclusions. The study showed that, at this time, Russian management ideas were based on the concept of a regular state, within the framework of which the pan-European idea of the “common good” was transformed into the idea of “state good”. The will of the sovereign must set in motion the state apparatus, consisting of representatives of the “state class” – the nobles. The main management tool in this system is the consistent regulation of all aspects of management activity, the transition from management “by tradition” to management “by law.” In the second quarter and mid-18th century russian public thought has come close to developing specific measures to improve management at the civil service level, despite the fact that many conceptual issues of public administration related to the approval of management principles and the development of mechanisms for solving management problems have not yet been posed.