Match the principle of management given in Column - I with its explanation given in Column - II : Column - I : (a) Discipline (b) Unity of direction (c) Order (d) Unity of command. Column - II : (i) There should be one and only one boss for every individual employee in the organisation. (ii) There should be a place for everything (everyone) and everything (everyone) should be in its (his/her) place. (iii) There should be obedience to organisational rules and employment agreement which is necessary for the working of the organisation. (iv) Each group of activities having the same objective must have one head and one plan. Choose the correct option from the following :

Q: Match the principle of management given in Column - I with its explanation given in Column - II : Column - I : (a) Discipline (b) Unity of direction (c) Order (d) Unity of command. Column - II : (i) There should be one and only one boss for every individual employee in the organisation. (ii) There should be a place for everything (everyone) and everything (everyone) should be in its (his/her) place. (iii) There should be obedience to organisational rules and employment agreement which is necessary for the working of the organisation. (iv) Each group of activities having the same objective must have one head and one plan. Choose the correct option from the following :

The correct option is **(D) (a)-(iii) (b)-(iv) (c)-(ii) (d)-(i)**. The correct matches are: - **(a) Discipline → (iii)** obedience to organisational rules and the employment agreement. - **(b) Unity of direction → (iv)** each group of activities with the same objective must have one head and one plan. - **(c) Order → (ii)** a place for everything (everyone) and everything (everyone) in its place. - **(d) Unity of command → (i)** one and only one boss for every employee.

Principles of Management

Principles of Management (Fayol)

Options

(A)(a)-(iii) (b)-(iv) (c)-(i) (d)-(ii)

(B)(a)-(iv) (b)-(iii) (c)-(ii) (d)-(i)

(C)(a)-(iv) (b)-(iii) (c)-(i) (d)-(ii)

(D)(a)-(iii) (b)-(iv) (c)-(ii) (d)-(i)

Official Answer

The correct option is (D) (a)-(iii) (b)-(iv) (c)-(ii) (d)-(i).

The correct matches are:

(a) Discipline → (iii) obedience to organisational rules and the employment agreement.
(b) Unity of direction → (iv) each group of activities with the same objective must have one head and one plan.
(c) Order → (ii) a place for everything (everyone) and everything (everyone) in its place.
(d) Unity of command → (i) one and only one boss for every employee.

principles of managementFayoldisciplineunity of directionorderunity of commandone bossone head one plan

Marking Scheme

11 mark: correct option (D) with all four matches correct.
2No partial marks — all pairings must be correct.

Hint

One boss = unity of command; one head + one plan = unity of direction; a place for everything = order.

Quick Oral Answer

Discipline means obedience to rules and agreements; unity of direction means one head and one plan for activities with the same objective; order means a place for everything in its place; and unity of command means one boss for each employee — so the answer is option D.

Analysis & Explanation

This question tests Fayol's principles by matching each to its definition.

The correct matches

Discipline (a-iii): Obedience to organisational rules and the employment agreement — essential for smooth working; requires good superiors, clear agreements and judicious use of penalties.
Unity of direction (b-iv): One head and one plan for each group of activities having the same objective — ensures unity of action and coordination.
Order (c-ii): A place for everything/everyone and everything/everyone in its place — proper arrangement of material (material order) and people (social order).
Unity of command (d-i): One boss for each employee — avoids confusion and conflicting instructions.

Key distinction to remember

Unity of command = ONE BOSS per employee.
Unity of direction = ONE HEAD and ONE PLAN per set of activities with the same goal.

Why the distractors are wrong

(A): Wrongly matches Order with (i) 'one boss', which is Unity of command.
(B) & (C): Both match Discipline with (iv), which actually defines Unity of direction.

Exam trap: The most common error is swapping unity of command and unity of direction — keep 'one boss' vs 'one head, one plan' firmly separate.

Common Mistakes

1Swapping unity of command (one boss per employee) with unity of direction (one head and one plan per group of activities).
2Matching 'Order' with 'one boss' instead of 'a place for everything and everything in its place'.
3Pairing 'Discipline' with 'one head and one plan', which actually defines unity of direction.

Interesting Facts

Henri Fayol, a French mining engineer, gave 14 principles of management in his 1916 book 'Administration Industrielle et Générale', earning him the title 'Father of General Management'.

Fayol's principle of Order has two parts — material order (a place for things) and social order (a place for people) — mirroring the idea of a place for everyone and everything.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between unity of command and unity of direction?

Unity of command means each employee should receive orders from and be answerable to only one boss, avoiding conflicting instructions. Unity of direction means each group of activities with the same objective should have one head and one plan, ensuring coordinated effort toward a single goal. Command is about one boss per person; direction is about one head and one plan per activity set.

What does Fayol's principle of Order mean?

Order means a place for everything and everyone, and everything and everyone in their proper place. It has two aspects — material order (orderly arrangement of resources and materials) and social order (right person in the right job) — to avoid waste and confusion.