Principles of Scientific

Management.

Scientific management, also called Taylorism was a theory of management that

analyzed and synthesized workflows.

Its main objective was improving economic efficiency, especially labour

productivity. It was one of the earliest attempts to apply science to the processes

and to management.

Its development began with Frederic Winslow Taylor in the 1880s and 1890s

within the manufacturing industries.

Introduction

There is a necessity of focusing on training rather than finding the “right man,”

stating “In the past the man has been first; in the future the system must be first.”

Taylor demonstrated that maximum prosperity can exist only as the result of

maximum productivity.

Motion and time study - Taylor noted the enormous saving of time and increase in

output that could be obtained by eliminating unnecessary movements and

substituting faster movements.

"initiative and incentive“.

No room for wastage.

Specialisation (division of work)

Unity of command & direction.

Points to note:

Work study

Differential payment

Reorganization of supervision: (parity between authority and responsibility).

Scientific requirement and training.

Principles of Scientific Management

Efforts to be utilized to the maximum – no room for wastage

Fitting workers to a particular task.

Greater specialization of activities with proper job design and time standards.

Establishment of performance standards.

Use of monetary incentives for increasing the productivity of workers.

Application of Scientific Management

Increase in production and productivity

Reduction in the cost of production

Better quality products

Better utilisation of resources

Better division of labour

Better working condaitions

Increased wages

Gains to consumers

Proper training of workers.

Benefits of Scientific Management

Device to speed up the workers

Monotony

Exploitation of workers

Discrimination between workers

Expensive

Over production

Absence of non wage scheme

“one best way” of doing work

Separation of planning from doing

One side approach

Too much specialization.

Criticism

Although scientific management as a distinct theory or school of thought was obsolete by the 1930s, most of its themes are still important parts of industries and management today. These include analysis; work ethic; efficiency and elimination of waste; standardization of best practices; etc.

Conclusion