What is the difference between management as a science and as an art?

Management is both a science and an art. It is a science because it has a systematised body of knowledge, principles developed through observation and experimentation, and a cause-and-effect relationship, though as a social science its principles are flexible, not exact like physics. It is an art because applying that knowledge requires personal skill, creativity, and practice; two managers using the same principles can get different results based on their judgement. So the theory (knowing the principles) is the science, and the practice (applying them skilfully to real situations) is the art. The widely accepted conclusion is that management is both: it has the systematic knowledge of a science and demands the personalised, skilful application of an art. Many also call it a profession because of its growing body of knowledge, training, and ethical codes.