Research Paper on Management: Scientific Management and Frederick Taylor

Having published his work on the principles of scientific management in the year 1911, Frederick Winslow Taylor since then has become an important person in issues regarding management most so in the industrial sector. He had exemplary innovations that were mostly used in the engineering sector. In particular, the innovations were made to be efficient in time and speed hence improving productivity. However, his controversial figure later came back with several setbacks; many point fingers at him for destroying how work was performed earlier and a further extent of dehumanizing men to be seen as automations (Spender & Kijne, 2012).

In management systems, the factories were run under Taylors system, scientific methods were largely employed. The scientific method use in the factories became more prevalent since the scientific management book was published. The scientific management employed the use of functional time studies to increase the productivity in the factories. To ensure that there was high productivity, high performance devices were made and allocated to men who would later be given bonuses in accordance to their performance. To manage the mechanisms that Taylor had in the factories, he had to come up or formulate the following principles.

True science nurturing and improvement

The ability to select the working staff scientifically

How the selection of the working staff will be improved through education

A close tie and agreement between the working staff and the management.

Taylors emphasis to the managers in the factories was to ensure that there is commitment in the duties by the workers. They could also attempt to make change in the system by ensuring that there was gradual acquisition of knowledge that will be implemented in the course of time. In his descriptions, Frederick Taylor described change to be a complete transformation in the mind and the general behaviors of both the working staff and their management (Taneja, Pryor & Toombs, 2011). The change behavior earned fewer points on Taylors side and he therefore shifted to the use of scientific analysis that can be used to maximize work efficiency.

The main idea in Taylors scientific management that has attracted much negativity was the perception of task allocation. Task allocation involved the breakdown of task into smaller groups so as to come up with a faster means for task completion. Usually, the head in an organization is responsible for task allocation. The head has to ensure that it is more economical and time saving. Taylors perception towards the notion of subdivision of work is that it hinders the working staff ability to excel. To him, if a worker is allocated a specific task, he/she has already known the specifications, the operations and the exact duration for the completion of the work, this, thus makes one not to think further.

Scientific management belief is that two individuals opinions are one and they have the same point. This is attributed to the success of the employer and the employee. If a manager succeeds, the working staff should equally celebrate the success at the same time. In his attitude towards the workers, he was seen to have more negativity. The scientific method of management that Taylor used was to be of much concern to those people who lacked knowledge. The examples are well noted in his book and they clearly show a barbarous behavior to the workers (Spender & Kijne, 2012).

In his book, Taylor dedicated most of the time in explaining soldiering. This is because of his experiences in inefficiencies when he was dealing with the steel workers. Soldiering is deliberately having a good operation below ones capacity (Taneja, Pryor & Toombs, 2011). The soldiering in the steel workers were caused by the following reasons

In the working staff, the more productive they become the fewer number of workers will be needed therefore loss of jobs.

In wage systems that are non-incentive, the employees will be paid the same amount regardless of their productivity.

Workers failure relied on optimal work methods.

To improve effectiveness, Taylor conducted experiments with the aim of opposing soldiering. These experiments include; bricklaying, the act of shoveling and pig iron.

In Taylors idea concerning scientific management, we see that he advocates for justice in both teams (employer and employee). It does not tolerate employers that abuse the workers with an attempt to make them work harder and in return, they get a low pay. It replaced its management from the thumb rule to a management that can be studied and analyzed scientifically. There should be cooperation with the working force to ensure that the duties carried out follow the science principles.

Scientific Management Limitations

Frederick Taylors scientific management for sure improved the production in the industries. Despite bringing up the productivity, work became monotonous. Identification of task, its significance, feedback and the core skills in the job failed to take part in scientific management. Some workers accepted Taylorism but most workers had to rebel because they felt they were being dehumanized (Grachev & Rakitsky, 2013). The complaints made the government to take the lead in investigations. After receiving complaints, scientific management changed the work forms and in fact some people still use it to date.

References

Grachev, M., & Rakitsky, B. (2013). Historic horizons of Frederick Taylor's scientific management. Journal of Management History, 19(4), 512-527.

Spender, J. C., & Kijne, H. (Eds.). (2012). Scientific Management: Frederick Winslow Taylors Gift to the World?. Springer Science & Business Media.

Taneja, S., Pryor, M. G., & Toombs, L. A. (2011). Frederick W. Taylor's scientific management principles: Relevance and validity. Journal of Applied Management and Entrepreneurship, 16(3), 60.