The systems management theory is predicated on scientific method, which starts with a hypothesis followed by a controlled experiment in which data is collected and analyzed (ôThe Systems Approach to Managementö). In the systems management approach, managers define the company as a system, establishing system objectivesùperformance criteriaùand then identifying wider systemsùthe environmentùand create formal subsystems that are then integrated with the whole system (ôThe Systems Approach to Managementö). Expectancy theory, or ôthe idea that workers are driven by complex internal processes of motivation,ö is a component of systems management, as is contingency theory, which postulates that ôthere is no single best approach to leadershipö (ôThe Systems Approach to Managementö).

Of the three management styles, the systems management approach is most effective in the criminal justice system, because it promotes unity and cohesiveness within the organization without sacrificing efficiency and effectiveness. Scientific management is te

chnically efficient but too monotonous for most workers to handle, in addition to being too highly specified for criminal justice, which requires workers to make split-second decisions and develop creative responses to unique situations. Human relations management results in an organization that is too lax for criminal justice, where the supervisor is a buddy instead of an authority. Although criminal justice work requires good interpersonal relations like most other work, it cannot be built on informal ôbuddyö connections that could compromise its power and integrity.

McGregor, D., Likert, R. (2004). The Human Relations Movement. Retrieved on January 4, 2006 from: http://faculty.ncwc.edu/toconnor/417/417lect05.htm

A fourth option, the ôpost-managerial style of organization,ö is rapidly coming to the forefront in criminal justice organizations as a more effective approach than any managerial style has previously offered (Raine & Wilson). In post-managerialism, criminal justice is treated more as a regulatory institution than a service industry, increasing the emphasis on crime preventi