What was Douglas McGregor's contribution to management theory in the 1960s?

Douglas McGregor's significant contribution to management theory in the 1960s was the identification of Theory X and Theory Y management behaviors. This framework offers insights into how managers perceive their employees and, consequently, how they will approach leadership and motivation within an organization.

Theory X posits that employees inherently dislike work, are unambitious, and require close supervision and control. Conversely, Theory Y suggests that employees are self-motivated, enjoy work, and seek responsibility. This dichotomy fundamentally influences management style, organizational culture, and employee engagement. By framing these two perspectives, McGregor challenged managers to reflect on their assumptions about workers and encouraged a shift toward more humanistic and participative management strategies.

The other choices relate to important concepts in management but are not directly credited to McGregor. Management by Objectives is associated with Peter Drucker, Transformational Leadership is a concept developed by others later in the 20th century, and Equity Theory has its roots in the work of John Stacey Adams. Thus, McGregor’s identification of Theory X and Theory Y remains a key framework in understanding management and employee behavior in organizational contexts.