Drucker’s three management tasks
Drucker described management through managing the business, managing managers, and managing workers and work. The business task concerns purpose, customers and results; managing managers includes objectives, responsibilities and developing management capability; managing work and workers concerns productive work and people’s contribution. The tasks are connected and do not mean an organisation needs exactly three management posts.
Worked example
A manager clarifies the customer outcome the business should achieve, establishes meaningful responsibilities for team leaders and improves the resources and working arrangements needed for staff to deliver it.
Common mistake
Do not reduce Drucker’s contribution to a biographical label or confuse these three tasks with Mintzberg’s three categories of managerial roles.
Where it appears in your exams
| Qualification | Exam | Relationship | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACCA | BT | Direct | September 2026–June 2027 |
| FIA | FBT | Direct | September 2026–June 2027 |