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In 1909, Frederick Winslow Taylor, the theorist, published his book, ‘The Principles of Scientific Management,’ where he proposed that productivity can be increased by simplifying and optimising jobs. He also provided a scientific logic that productivity can be increased if there is a cooperative relationship between workers and managers.
Before this theory was published, the work culture and work differed in business sectors. For example, the factory managers had minimal contact with workers; there was no motivation and standardisation in the working culture. So, there was no incentive and efficiency to work. But Taylor was very interested in motivating people and reducing inefficiency.
This article will briefly discuss Taylor’s theory of scientific management and Taylor’s scientific management principles. It will also focus on using technology in Taylor’s management theory and its criticisms.
Definition of Taylor’s Scientific Management
The concept of scientific management was developed by FW Taylor, who implemented the technique and scientific methods such as logic, observation, combination, and analysis to study working conditions and management to develop the functional level in factories and production units. The scientific management concept helps improve productivity, effectiveness, and efficiency in the organisation through scientific principles and methods.
Taylor was an American mechanical engineer who proposed and presented the concept of the scientific method in management through technical support. He is also known as the father of scientific management. In his working experience and observation, he noticed various factors that lead to low productivity and inefficiency.
Some of them were:
- Poorly designed personal tools for production
- Inefficiency in working-level and unorganised training
- Inefficient hiring procedure
- Lack of proper planning, working, and improper management
He criticised the management of companies and created a method-based theory for developing efficiency and productivity in workers.
Taylor’s Theory of Scientific Management for Workers
Taylor believed that workers could be motivated by money, and therefore, he promoted the idea of the “a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work” concept. If a worker does not work well in a day, he won’t be paid his money for the day. Taylor’s theory depends on four basic principles, which state replacing the regular working habits, also known as the ‘rule of thumb.’ It simply means to include scientific methods to implement in the working culture and perform innovative work rather than hard work.
Rather than assigning workers for any job, it is better to recruit employees according to their job field and efficiency to motivate workers and keep them interested in the work process.
Monitoring the working is also a part of scientific management. Allocation of work between managers and workers is also a part of the principle. It will divide work according to responsibility, allowing the manager to create a proper plan to execute the overall working process.
Taylor’s Scientific Management Principles on the Management Process
Taylor proposed the following scientific management principles:
- Science, Not Rule of Thumb
Managers make decisions based on their judgments as a rule of thumb. Taylor claims that even minor industrial activities may be organised appropriately. This will assist in saving both time and human energy. Decisions must be based on scientific research that includes cause and effect linkages.
- Harmony, Not Discord
Taylor underlined the need for total harmony between staff and management. Any dispute between them harms either the employees or the management. Both management and employees must recognize the value of the other.
- Mental Revolution
The Mental Revolution approach entails a shift in the attitudes of staff and supervisors toward one another. Both parties must recognize the value of the other and act in tandem. Both management and employees should strive to raise the organisation’s revenues. Workers must make reasonable efforts to ensure that the firm profits and management share a portion of the earnings with the workers. As a result, mental revolution necessitates a total shift in both management and labour mindsets.
- Cooperation, Not Individualism
This idea, which is an outgrowth of the concept of ‘Harmony, not Discord,’ emphasises reciprocal collaboration between employees and management. Cooperation, mutual trust, and a spirit of generosity should exist among managers and employees. The goal is to replace internal rivalry with collaboration.
- Individual growth to achieve maximum efficiency and profitability
To a large part, the efficiency of every organisation is determined by the talents and competencies of its people. As a result, providing workers with training was deemed necessary for them to understand the best way established via a scientific methodology. To achieve efficiency, actions should be made, beginning with the personnel selection process. Workers should be chosen using scientific methods.
Taylor’s Technique of Scientific Management
Fedrick Winslow Taylor imposed various scientific management techniques to enhance workers’ productivity and the functioning of organisations. These techniques were mainly proposed for the manufacturing and production industry. Let’s learn about these techniques in detail.
- Functional Foremanship: Taylor believed that to improve operational activities, it is necessary to have tactical skills, intelligence, knowledge, education, energy, leadership, honesty, and good health. He knew that it is difficult for an individual to possess all these skills at a time.Therefore, he divided managerial activities into two parts, i.e., planning and production. Moreover, he suggested obtaining four clerks under each in charge who hold expertise in their respective areas so that charges are not overburdened.
- Work-study: The work-study was proposed to analyse the details of human work and investigate various factors like time study, motion study, fatigue study, and method study.
- Standardisation of tools and Equipment: Taylor suggested improving the standardisation of tools and couplings to reduce production costs and enhance material quality in the production process.
- Scientific task setting: Taylor felt the need to introduce a scientific task setting to decide a payday’s work for a worker. Eventually, the method can help prevent the workers from performing functions, not in their capacity.
- The scientific setting of wage rates: Fedrick Winslow Taylor suggested fixing workers’ wages to produce the standard output. Therefore, he gave an idea to introduce a different piece wage system.
- Scientific selection and training: A systematic selection procedure should be done so that the organisation can get its potential workers. It includes the employee’s selection, training, experience, and efficiency.
- Differential piece-rate plan: The different piece-rate plan was suggested to attract the workers to contribute to the organisation. Taylor suggested paying wages to the workers based on their capability and the amount of production done daily.
Conclusion
While working in a steel manufacturing company in the US, F.W Taylor experimented with the workplace environment and determined the optimal performance level. By working on the project for several days, he designed his theory and thus developed the best way to complete a task. In addition, his theory has provided various aspects of technology and scientific methods to engage employees with the company and increase their productivity and efficiency.
