Which statement is a Management Principle?

• A. Respond to customer needs, and create new customers.
• B. Contribute to society, make it better, set it in motion by acting on good ideas.
• C. Maintain your autonomy, and never let any other company take control.
• D. Look reality straight in the eye, adapt to the times, and actively evolve.

Answer: (C)

A management principle is a guiding rule that shapes how decisions are made and how the organization is governed. The statement about maintaining autonomy and not letting another company take control expresses a clear, enduring rule: preserve decision rights and independence so the organization can steer its own course without external domination. This kind of rule defines how authority is exercised and kept within the firm, which is at the heart of a management principle. The other statements describe goals or desirable directions—meeting customer needs, contributing to society, or adapting to change—but they are not the governing rule for how management operates.