See TheoryXxAndTheoryYy, TheoryYy, TheoryZz From http://www.stanford.edu/~krollag/org_site/encyclop/theory_xy.html : Under Theory X, managers assume workers dislike and avoid work if possible, so they must use coercion, threats, and various control schemes to get workers to make adequate efforts against objectives. They assume the average worker wants to be directed and prefers to avoid responsibility, has little ambition, and wants security above all (paraphrase from Mc''''''Gregor p. 33-34) [ISBN 0070450986].