McGregor, Douglas M.

McGregor, Douglas M. (Murray) (1906–64) management theorist, educator; born in Detroit, Mich. He taught psychology and industrial management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1937–48, 1954–64) and was president of Antioch College (1948–54). His Human Side of Enterprise (1960) changed American management practices and led to the human potential movement by postulating "Theory Y," a humanistic view of behavior and motivation, in sharp contrast to the traditional "Theory X" view of workers as lazy, unmotivated, and needing strict control.