designated these two groups as Theory X and Theory Y. Essentially, Theory X and Theory Y represent the polar extremes of managerial perceptions of an organizations' human resources. In actual practice, most leadership styles likely fall at some point between the two extremes (Sisk, 1992, p. 244).
Theory X is a work centered approach. Thus, as a leadership style, it may be said to be task oriented. There are three essential assumptions which are implicit in Theory X. These assumptions are as follows (McGregor, 1960, pp. 32 34):
1. The average human being has an inherent dislike of work, and, where possible, in organizational environments, will attempt to avoid work. This assumption causes most administrators with an extreme Theory X orientation to be authoritarian, and to presume that an adversarial relationship exists between management and subordinates.
2. Because most humans dislike work, most people must be coerced, controlled, directed, or threatened with punishment, in order to cause them to expend the effort required to attain organizational objectives. Administrators holding such an assumption tend to create highly centralized organizations.
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