The derivation of the concept of participative management from a variety of complementary managerial and motivational theories, and its acceptance and use as a managerial technique in library administration are reviewed in detail. The major contributions to the development of the concept of participative management, including Maslow's hierarchy of human needs, Herzberg's categories of job satisfaction, McGregor's theories concerning managerial style and its relation to organizational structure, and Lickert's synthesis of the positions of Maslow, Herzberg, and McGregor are discussed and related to one another. The history of participative management in libraries is examined, and the various analyses of the effectiveness of the technique that have appeared in the library literature are summarized. Questions relating to the usefulness and success of participative management in library administration are then addressed briefly. A table provides a linear relational profile of the managerial and motivational theories discussed and a 27-item bibliography is included. (JL)