Henri Fayol’s Centre for Administrative Studies

Abstract

Henri Fayol is undoubtedly best known in the English‐speaking world for his book Administration Industrielle et Générale. His subsequent activities in promoting the development of management studies and education as a a means of improving both industry and public service performance are less well known. One of his more significant initiatives in this area was to establish the Centre for Administrative Studies (CAS) in 1917. Relates the founding of the CAS to Fayol′s activities at the time, identifies its goals and activities, summarizes some of his contributions to the development of what ultimately became the formalization of management studies in both Europe and North America and notes the Centre′s demise almost concurrently with Fayol′s death. Reveals Fayol′s own reasons for delaying the publication of parts 3 and 4 of Administration Industrielle et Générale.