Talk Icon

Practice 100+ speaking topics!

Star rating icon

4.2

1M+ Installs

Get App

leap-scholar-logo
hamburger-menu

Father of Modern Management Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test

updated at

Updated on Jul 15, 2024, 10:48

The IELTS Reading section is a pivotal assessment, evaluating your capacity to grasp and interpret academic texts effectively. It features three passages of differing complexities, each accompanied by questions that gauge your comprehension abilities. You'll need to pinpoint crucial details, discern the author's viewpoints, and derive logical conclusions from the texts presented.

 

 

Explore how the groundbreaking theories of the "Father of Modern Management" revolutionised global business practices. These principles are indispensable for navigating the demanding IELTS Reading section, providing not only strategic insights for practice questions but also practical applications in real-world contexts.

On this page

Arrow right
Slider image

1. Father of Modern Management Reading Passage

You should spend approximately 20 minutes answering Questions 1 - 14 based on the Reading Passage below. This approach can help manage time effectively during a reading comprehension activity or exam.


 

Slider image

2. Father of Modern Management Reading Questions & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Father of Modern Management Reading Question & Answers

More for you

Boost your IELTS Reading score

Book Free Reading class arrow right

See how to score 8+ in Speaking. 

 

Get proven strategies to ace your IELTS Speaking test.

Learn More arrow right
3/3
1.

Father of Modern Management Reading Passage

General Information

  • Read Instructions: Understand each question before answering.
  • Manage Time: Spend about 20 minutes per passage.
  • Skim and Scan: Quickly get the main idea and find specific information.
  • Highlight Key Info: Underline essential words or phrases.
  • Answer All Questions: Attempt every question; no penalty for wrong answers.
  • Stay Focused: Avoid distractions and keep your attention on the task.
  • Check Spelling: Ensure correct spelling and grammar.
  • Transfer Answers Clearly: Write answers neatly on the answer sheet.
  • Don’t Dwell: Move on if stuck and return later.
  • Review: If time allows, review your answers.

 

 

 

 

Father of Modern Management Reading Passage

 

 

Paragraph A: 

 

Peter Drucker was one of the most important people to think about management in the last 100 years. He wrote about 40 books and thousands of articles, and he never stopped trying to show the world how important management is. "Management is a part of institutions. It is the part that turns a group of people into an organisation and turns human effort into performance." Did he do well? It was amazing how far his influence went. Drucker's ideas can be found wherever people try to solve hard management problems. This includes big and small organisations, the public and private sectors, and, increasingly, the nonprofit sector.

 

 

Paragraph B: 

 

Winston Churchill liked his first two books, The End of Economic Man (1939) and The Future of Industrial Man (1942), but academic critics didn't like how they covered so many different topics. Still, the second of these books got people's attention because it argued passionately that businesses had a social purpose as well as a financial one. The Concept of the Corporation, his third book, was an instant hit and has been in print ever since.

 

 

Paragraph C: 

 

The two most interesting arguments in The Concept of the Corporation had very little to do with the decentralisation trend. They were going to dominate his work. The first one had to do with "empowering" workers. Drucker thought that workers should be seen as resources rather than just as costs. He was a harsh critic of the assembly-line system of production, which was the most common at the time. This was partly because assembly lines moved at the speed of the slowest worker and partly because they didn't use the creativity of individual workers. The second point had to do with the rise of knowledge workers. Drucker said that the world is moving from an "economy of goods" to an "economy of knowledge" and from a society ruled by the industrial proletariat to one ruled by brain workers. He insisted that this had huge implications for both managers and politicians. Managers had to stop treating workers like parts of a big, cold machine and start treating them like brain workers. In turn, politicians had to realize that knowledge, and therefore education, was the most important resource for any advanced society. Yet Drucker also thought that this economy had effects on knowledge workers themselves. They had to accept that they were neither "bosses" nor "workers," but something in between entrepreneurs who had to develop their most important resource, their brainpower, and who also had to take more control of their careers, including their pension plans.

 

 

Paragraph D: 

 

But his job was also hard in some ways. Drucker came up with "management by objectives," one of the most successful ideas from the rational school of management. In 1954's The Practice of Management, one of his most important books, he talked about how important it was for managers and businesses to set clear long-term goals and then turn those long-term goals into more immediate goals. He said that companies should have an elite group of general managers who set these long-term goals, and then another group of more specialised managers. For his critics, this was a change from the way he used to talk about the human side of management. Drucker thought that everything fit together perfectly: if you put too much faith in empowerment, you risk anarchy, and if you put too much faith in command and control, you lose creativity. Managers should set long-term goals but then let their employees figure out how to reach those goals. Drucker may have helped make management a global field, but he also pushed it outside of business. He was a thinker about management, not just business. He thought that management is "the organ that defines all modern institutions," not just companies.

 

 

Paragraph E: 

 

Drucker's work is often criticized for three reasons. The first is that he focused on big companies instead of small ones. In many ways, The Concept of the Corporation was a tribute to big organisations. Drucker said, "We know now that in modern industrial production, especially modern mass production, the small unit is not only inefficient, it can't produce at all." The book helped start the "big organization boom" that dominated business thinking for the next 20 years. The second complaint is that Drucker's enthusiasm for management by objectives led the business down a dead end. They prefer that ideas, including ideas for long-term strategies, come from the bottom and middle of the organisation, not from the top. Third, Drucker is criticised for being an outsider who is getting left behind as his field becomes more strict. There is no area of academic management theory that he made his own.

 

 

Paragraph F: 

 

The first two arguments have some merit. Drucker never wrote anything else as good as The Concept of the Corporation about how entrepreneurs start businesses. Drucker's work on "management by objectives" doesn't fit well with his earlier and later writings on how important knowledge workers and self-directed teams are. But the third argument is short-sighted and unfair because it doesn't take into account Drucker's role as a pioneer in creating the modern profession of management. He made one of the first organised studies of a big company. He was the first person to suggest that ideas can help companies get going. The biggest problem with judging Drucker's impact is that so many of his ideas have become common knowledge. He is a victim of his success. His writings about the importance of knowledge workers and giving people power may sound a bit boring now. But they weren't boring when he first thought of them in the 1940s or when they were first used in the Anglo-Saxon world in the 1980s. In addition, Drucker kept coming up with new ideas until he was in his 90s. His work on how to run non-profit organisations remained at the cutting edge.

2.

Father of Modern Management Reading Questions & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Father of Modern Management

Questions and Answers 1-6

  • Reading Passage 1 has six paragraphs, A-F
  • Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list below.
  • Write the correct number, i-xi, in boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet.

 

 

List of Heading

 

I.   Finding fault with Drucker
II.  The popularity and impact of Drucker’s work
III. Government regulation of business
IV. The impact of economic globalisation
V.  Drucker’s rejection of big business
VI. Early publication of Drucker’s
VII. Drucker’s view of balanced management
VIII. The changing role of the employee
IX.  An appreciation of the pros and cons of Drucker’s work


 

Father of Modern Management Reading Answers with Explanations (1-6)


 

Type of Question: Heading Matching 


 

These types of questions involve choosing the right heading based on the given 

paragraph. 


 

How to best answer: 


 

  • Understand whether you need to match paragraphs to headings, sentences to headings, or other types specified.
  • Quickly skim through all headings or options to get a sense of what they cover.
  • Match by Meaning: Match the heading that best summarises the main idea or theme of the paragraph or sentence.
  • Ensure each heading is used only once and there are no leftover headings.
  • Look for keywords or phrases in the paragraph that match the essence of the headings provided.


 

1. II


 

Reference: From Paragraph A, "Drucker's ideas can be found wherever people try to solve hard management problems." 


 

Explanation: Paragraph A highlights the extensive reach of Peter Drucker's ideas in transforming management practices globally. It underscores how his concepts are applied across various sectors, including both large and small organizations, as well as in public, private, and nonprofit sectors. This demonstrates the profound impact of Drucker's theories on modern management practices worldwide.


 

2. VI

 

 

Reference: From Paragraph B, "Winston Churchill liked his first two books, The End of Economic Man (1939) and The Future of Industrial Man (1942), but academic critics didn't like how they covered so many different topics." 


 

Explanation: Paragraph B discusses Winston Churchill's positive reception of Peter Drucker's early works, despite academic criticism regarding the broad scope of topics covered. This reflects how Drucker's writings initially resonated with influential figures outside the management field, contributing to the early recognition and popularity of his ideas.


 

3. IX


 

Reference: From Paragraph C, "Drucker thought that workers should be seen as resources rather than just as costs." 


 

Explanation: Paragraph C introduces Peter Drucker's viewpoint on the role of workers within organisations, emphasising their value as resources rather than mere costs. Drucker's critique of assembly-line production and advocacy for empowering workers underscore his belief in maximising human potential to enhance organisational effectiveness. This perspective influenced a shift towards recognising employees as crucial assets in achieving operational success.


 

4. VII


 

Reference: From Paragraph D, "Drucker came up with 'management by objectives,' one of the most successful ideas from the rational school of management." 


 

Explanation: Paragraph D discusses Peter Drucker's concept of 'management by objectives,' highlighting its significance as a pivotal management philosophy. By advocating for clear, measurable goals aligned with organisational strategies, Drucker emphasised the importance of goal-setting in fostering productivity and aligning employee efforts with long-term business objectives. This approach remains influential in modern management practices, contributing to organisational clarity and performance improvement strategies.


 

5. I


 

Reference: From Paragraph E, "Drucker's work is often criticised for three reasons. The first is that he focused on big companies instead of small ones." 


 

Explanation: Paragraph E critiques Peter Drucker's emphasis on large corporations, suggesting that his management theories may not fully address the operational dynamics of smaller enterprises. This viewpoint reflects debates over the applicability of Drucker's concepts across diverse organisational scales, highlighting a perceived limitation in his broader management framework.


 

6. V


 

Reference: From Paragraph F, "The first two arguments have some merit. Drucker never wrote anything else as good as The Concept of the Corporation about how entrepreneurs start businesses." 


 

Explanation: Paragraph F evaluates Peter Drucker's impact on entrepreneurial studies, acknowledging his seminal work in defining the role of entrepreneurs within corporate structures. By focusing on 'The Concept of the Corporation,' Drucker elucidated key principles on business startup dynamics, influencing the subsequent discourse on entrepreneurial management and organisational innovation. His insights continue to shape entrepreneurial theory and practice today.


 

IELTS Reading Tips & Tricks 2024: Techniques for Band 9

Questions and Answers 7-10
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage?
In boxes 7-10 on your answer sheet, write

  • YES if the statement agrees with the information given
  • NO if the statement contradicts the information given
  • NOT GIVEN if there is no information about this

 

 

7) Drucker’s work on management is out of date in modern days.

8) Drucker support that workers are not simply put themselves just in the employment relationship and should develop their resources of intelligence voluntarily.

9) Drucker believed that employees should enjoy the same status as the employers in a company.

10) Drucker argued that managers and politicians will dominate the economy during a social transition.


 

Father of Modern Management Reading Answers with Explanations (7-10)


 

Type of Question: Yes/No/Not Given


 

These types of questions in the IELTS reading section involve finding whether the given statement is Yes/No/Not Given based on the given paragraph. 


 

How to best answer: 


 

  • Pay close attention to the question and the text provided.
  • Look for exact matches in the text for Yes/No questions.
  • If the information isn't directly stated or implied in the text, it's Not Given.
  • Be cautious with answers that only partially match the question; it might still be Not Given.
  • Focus on keywords in the question and scan the text for these keywords to find your answer.



 

7. No

 

 

Reference: From Paragraph F, "His work on how to run non-profit organisations remained at the cutting edge." 

 

Explanation: Paragraph F indicates that Drucker's ideas continued to be innovative and influential even into his 90s, demonstrating that his work on management is not out of date but remains relevant and impactful in modern times.

 

 

8. Yes

 

 

Reference: From Paragraph C, "Managers had to stop treating workers like parts of a big, cold machine and start treating them like brain workers." 

 

Explanation: Paragraph C supports that Drucker advocated for recognizing workers as intelligent resources who should develop their skills and take more control over their careers, rather than merely fulfilling employment roles.

 

 

9. Not Given

 

 

Reference: From Paragraph C, "They had to accept that they were neither 'bosses' nor 'workers,' but something in between." 

 

Explanation: While Paragraph C discusses the changing roles of workers, it does not explicitly state that employees should enjoy the same status as employers, leaving this information unspecified.

 

 

10. Not Given

 

 

Reference: From Paragraph C, "Managers had to stop treating workers like parts of a big, cold machine and start treating them like brain workers. In turn, politicians had to realize that knowledge, and therefore education, was the most important resource for any advanced society." 

 

 

Explanation: Paragraph C mentions the roles of managers and politicians in adapting to the knowledge economy but does not specifically argue that they will dominate the economy during social transitions, leaving this point unaddressed.

Questions and Answers 11-14

  • Choose TWO letters from A-E
  • Write your answers in boxes 24 and 25 on your answers sheet

 

 

(11 & 12) Which TWO of the following are true of Drucker’s views? 

 

  1. High-rank executives and workers should be put in balanced positions in management practice.
  2. Young executives should be given chances to start from low-level jobs
  3. More emphasis should be laid on fostering the development of the union
  4. Management should facilitate workers with tools of self-appraisal instead of controlling them from the outside force
  5. Leaders should go beyond the scope of management details and strategically establish goals.

 

(13 & 14) Which TWO of the following are mentioned in the passage as criticisms to Drucker and his views?

 

  1. His lectures focus too much on big organisations and ignore the small ones.
  2. His lectures are too broad and lack precision and accuracy in the facts.
  3. He put a source of objectives more on corporate executives but not on average workers.
  4. He acted much like a maverick and did not set up his own management groups.
  5. He was overstating the case for knowledge workers when warning businesses to get prepared.


 

IELTS Academic 2024 Reading Resources



 

Father of Modern Management Reading Answers with Explanations (11-14) 


 

Type of Question: Multiple Choice Questions


 

These types of questions in IELTS reading involve identifying the right choice from the given options using the given paragraph. 


 

How to best answer: 


 

  • Understand what the question is asking before you read the answer choices.
  • Quickly scan the relevant part of the text to get an overview.
  • Cross out options that are clearly incorrect based on your understanding of the text.
  • Pay attention to keywords in the question and the answer choices.
  • Select the answer that most accurately and fully addresses the question based on the text provided.



 

11 &12. A and E

 

 

Reference of A: From Paragraph C, "They had to accept that they were neither 'bosses' nor 'workers,' but something in between entrepreneurs who had to develop their most important resource, their brainpower, and who also had to take more control of their own careers, including their pension plans." 

 

 

Explanation of A: Paragraph C indicates Drucker’s view that workers should develop their intellectual resources and take control of their careers, suggesting a balanced position in management.

 


Reference of E: From Paragraph D, "Drucker thought that everything fit together perfectly: if you put too much faith in empowerment, you risk anarchy, and if you put too much faith in command and control, you lose creativity." 

 

Explanation of E: Paragraph D supports Drucker's belief that management should help workers with self-appraisal tools rather than external control, highlighting the need for strategic goal setting and a balance between empowerment and control.

 

13 & 14. A and C

 

 

Reference of A: From Paragraph E, "In many ways, The Concept of the Corporation was a tribute to big organizations. Drucker said, 'We know now that in modern industrial production, especially modern mass production, the small unit is not only inefficient, it can't produce at all.’

 

Explanation of A: Paragraph E criticizes Drucker for focusing too much on big organizations, ignoring smaller ones, showing a bias in his views.

 

Reference of C: From Paragraph E, "The second complaint is that Drucker's enthusiasm for management by objectives led the business down a dead end. They prefer that ideas, including ideas for long-term strategies, come from the bottom and middle of the organization, not from the top." 

 

Explanation of C: Paragraph E also critiques Drucker for placing too much emphasis on top executives for setting objectives, rather than involving average workers, indicating a perceived misalignment in his management approach.

 

Read more: 

 

ielts logo

Get the IELTS Prep App

Star rating icon

4.2

1M+ Installs

app download banner image

Get the app link on your phone

+91

Or download app from

google play storeapp store

Next Up

IELTS Reading Practice Test

Read Now Read now

IELTS Speaking Practice Test

Read Now Read now

IELTS Practice Test

Read Now Read now

IELTS Listening Practice Test

Read Now Read now

IELTS Writing Practice Test

Read Now Read now

Top Reading Samples with Answers

IELTS Important Information

Read More about IELTS Practice Test

IELTS Accepting Universities

IELTS Test Centre and Dates in India

IELTS Accepting Countries

FAQs

Q. How can I manage my time effectively during the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. To manage time effectively, start by allocating 20 minutes per passage. Quickly skim the passage to get an overview, then tackle the questions, focusing on easier ones first. Don't spend too long on any single question; if stuck, move on and return later if time permits. Regular practice under timed conditions can help improve your pacing.


 

Q. What are some good sources for practice materials for the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. Good sources for practice materials include the official IELTS website, Cambridge IELTS practice books, British Council's resources, and online platforms like IELTS Liz and IELTS Simon. These sources provide a range of practice tests and sample questions to help you prepare effectively for the test.

Q. How can I improve my comprehension skills for the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. Improve comprehension skills by regularly reading a variety of texts, including newspapers, magazines, and academic journals. Practice summarizing paragraphs, identifying main ideas, and noting key details. Additionally, taking practice tests and analyzing your mistakes can help identify areas for improvement, ensuring better understanding and accuracy during the actual test.