Discuss the applicability of the scientific approach to management (Frederick Taylor)

Management has the most significant impact on the organization, so it has become an
important part of the organization. In the time of Frederick Taylor, human beings began to
form social organizations to achieve goals and objectives that they could not accomplish such
that management was required to ensure coordination of individual efforts (Taylor, 2004). In
addition, as society continued to rely on the efforts of groups and many organized groups
have become huge, the tasks of managers have become increasingly important and complex,
and management theory has become the key to effective management of complex
organizations (Turan, 2015). According to the definition of Stoner, Edward and Gilbert
(2003), management can be defined as a series of activities including planning, decision-
making, leadership and control to effectively achieve organizational goals. Since then,
management theory has become the key for managers to manage complex organizations. The
first management theory is the Frederick Taylor’s Scientific Management theory also known
as the Taylorism theory (Stoner et al., 2003). However, applicability of the theory to modern
management has been questionable hence this essay provides a discussion of the applicability
of the Frederick Winslow Taylor’s scientific approach to management.

The manifestation of Frederick Taylor's scientific management theory was a step forward in
traditional approach to management. Scientific management is defined as management
theory that synthesizes and analyzes workflows to maximize labour efficiency and
productivity (Bell & Martin, 2012). Frederick Taylor began the era of scientific management
between the late 19th and the early 21st centuries after realising the awkward, unproductive
and ill-directed movements of workers within organisations (Taneja & Toombs, 2011).
Taylor believes that these deficiencies in the workplace could be solved scientifically by
improving management methods, and the best way to improve labor productivity is to
optimize work methods. Hence, Taylor (1911) consistently sought to overthrow management
“by rule of thumb” by “the one best” practice, advocating for systematic training of workers
and even share of workload between the workers and managers (Taneja et al., 2011). The
Taylorism theory is therefore based on four main principles which are to replace working by
“rule of thumb” by the scientific method to study work and determine the most efficient way

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to perform specific tasks, to match workers to their jobs based on capability and motivation
and train them to work at maximum efficiency, to monitor worker performance and provide
instructions and supervision to workers and to allocate work between managers and workers
so that the managers spend their time planning and training, allowing the workers to perform
their tasks efficiently (Taylor, 2004).

Although Frederick Taylor has made great contributions to management science, his
scientific approach to management has also been severely criticized. The focus of criticism is
the fact that Taylor (1911) put human factors in the background. The other reason could be
that a management theory began to evolve gradually leading to the criticizing of the
Taylorism theory such that its role dramatically decreased to to the point where it is argued
whether scientific management still applies (Giannantonio & Hurley-Hanson, 2011).
However, it can still be realized that many of Taylor's insights are still valid in today's
modern management trends for example, the second principle basically stipulates that
workers should be scientifically selected, motivated and trained using scientific methods still
holds (Chen & Miller, 2010). This principle can still be found in today’s world, because in
most organizations, human resource managers are given the task of selecting the right person
for each job and supervising and training them. In addition, Taylor's scientific management
methods are not difficult to identify in modern workplaces such as the military, automobiles
and computer manufacturing plants. According to the research of Chen and Miller (2010),
almost all organizations that apply Taylor's scientific method to management operate more
effectively.

The theory of scientific approach to management has been found to still exist and apply in
modern management as some of the principles are being applied within workplaces. In most
workplaces today, after workers and work processes are in place, it is still found that the
managers of the organizations get involved and provide supervision to each worker to ensure
that the work is done in the best way that suits the organization's goals (Giannantonio and
Hurley- Hanson, 2011). The last principle of Taylor's scientific management states that work
should be divided between managers and workers. This still exists in most organizations
because managers apply management principles to planning and supervising work, whilst
workers are responsible for performing the tasks. Studies such as Chen and Miller (2010) and

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Bell and Martin (2012) found that this theory has been applied in most modern organizations
and has led to an increase in output, reduced pressure on employees, and allowed managers
to continue to supervise employees. This is because without managers being involved in the
tasks and supervision and training the workers, organisational goals may not be attained as
without this type of Taylor’s scientific management, workers may fall back into bad work
habits due to lack of motivation and training. In addition, Taylor (1911) advanced the idea
that employees and managers need to cooperate and this is still relevant and applicable in
modern day workplaces as managers believe in effective communication (Bell & Martin,
2012). Therefore, this scientific management is still applicable as managers of today continue
to believe and acknowledge the role of employee motivation and training in attainment of
organisational goals.

Although it has been found that Taylor’s scientific approach to management as a unique
theory is outdated, most of Taylor’s scientific management principles are still an important
part of today’s human resource management (Giannantonio & Hurley-Hanson, 2011). The
elements of the scientific approach to management still being practiced include work
analysis, synthesis, maximized efficiency, standardization of best work practices, elimination
of waste, selection and recruitment of the best suited candidate, employee training and
motivation, division of labour and work design. According to Turan (2015), recruitment and
selection in today’s human resources management is based on the Taylor’s selection of
workers using scientific methods such as competence determination and personality tests to
determine candidates apt for the job and recruitment interviews are being held through semi-
structured behavioural interview techniques as advocated by Taylor (Turan, 2015).
Therefore, it can be noted that some of the principles of scientific management proposed by
Taylor are still applicable in modern day management.

However, the application of the theory to modern management has been questionable among
scholars where some believed that the approach is partially applicable in almost all
workplaces, whilst others contend that the scientific management approach is mostly
applicable few workplaces such as militaries, car and computer manufacturing workplaces.
Other scholars such as Kulesza, Weaver and Friedman (2011) believe that the Taylorism
scientific approach is mostly applicable in developing economies compared to developed

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ones. Some of the principles have been found not to being practiced in management in the
21st century. As noted by Turan (2015, p.1104), collaboration between the managers and
employees which denotes to the 3rd principle is not being practiced as desired by Taylor in
today’s management which the author described it as the managerial dilemma of the 21 st
century. Hence making the scientific approach to management not perfectly applicable to
management due to the lack of notable and effective collaboration between managers and
employees. In addition, the claim that employees are solely motivated by monetary rewards
has been declared outdated and impractical as there are also non-monetary factors that
motivate employees (Giannantonio & Hurley-Hanson, 2011). Turan (2015) adds that Taylor
believed only in monetary motivation through incentive schemes and not in other forms of
motivation which is not in keeping with present day human resource management. Hence,
this makes the theory irrelevant to modern management.

Furthermore, Turan (2015) states that the 4 th principle which advocates equal division of
workload responsibilities between the managers and employees seems not to be applied in
some workplaces as some managers tend to simultaneously do the work planning alongside
getting involved in the implementation of work and the same for employees. Nowadays
managers believe in involving employees in the planning process hence making the Taylor’s
scientific approach to management inapplicable. In the same thinking, Kulesza et al. (2011)
states that applicability of Taylorism theory in the context of human resource management is
questionable declaring that the theory is not applicable in its entirety in the 21 st century.  The
authors denounced applicability of the theory indicating that although Taylor’s scientific
approach to management eliminated the 'rule of thumbs' and introduced his best production
process including the most efficient production through time study, Taylor (1911)
dehumanized the workers. Kulesza et al. (2011) believe that Frederick Taylor spoiled the
creativity of the workers by making them only responsible for job execution and denying
them participation in the planning process of which employee involvement in work planning
is vital. Hence, the scientific approach to management seem to be not practicable in the
human resource management of modern day.

In conclusion, from the discussion it has been noted that scientific approach management is
still practiced in the 21st century though in partiality. Its strengths in creating a divide

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between management functions and work functions continue to be applied in most
workplaces. In addition its strengths in making organisations efficient through replacement of
“rules of thumb” with scientific fact have insured its widespread application. Taking the
scientific management principles into account, it could be said that they substantially apply to
the modern management. Instead of the rule-of-thumb method which is the first principle,
determining how the work is done better and dividing the work into elements were realized
as performance/job analysis, work study and work design in today’s human resources
management. The second principle which advocates the selection of labour force via
scientific methods, training and developing them is one of the essential functions of today’s
human resources management. However, this approach seem not to apply under some
situations for instance the Taylor’s claims that workers are solely motivated by monetary
rewards seems to be untrue, outdated and impractical. In addition, collaboration between the
management and employees which denotes to the third principle is not an available situation
as desired by Taylor in today’s management. The general conclusion drawn from the
discussion is that although the Taylor’s scientific management approach is not applicable in
its its pure form in most modern organisations some of its principles are still applicable as
they have become deeply ingrained with other management theories applicable and relevant
in the 21st century.

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References

Bell, R., & Martin, J. (2012). The relevance of scientific management and equity theory in
everyday managerial communication situations. Journal of Management Policy and
Practice, 13(3), 1-14.

Chen, M. J., & Miller, D. (2010). West meets East: Toward an ambicultural approach to
management. Academy of Management Perspectives, 24(4), 17-24.

Giannantonio, C.M. & Hurley-Hanson, A.E. (2011). Frederick Winslow Taylor: Reflections
on the relevance of the principles of scientific management 100 years later. Journal
of Business & Management,  17(1), 7-10.

Kulesza, M.G., Weaver, P.G. & Friedman, S. (2011). Frederick Taylor’s Presence in
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of Business and Management, 17(1), 105-119.

Stoner J. A., Edward F. R., Gilbert, D. R. (2003). Management (6th ed). New Delhi: Prentice-
Hall of India.

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), 60-72.

Taylor, F. W. (1911). Scientific management. Happer & Bros. Publishers.

Taylor, F. W. (2004). Scientific management. Routledge.

Turan, H. (2015). Taylor's Scientific Management Principles: Contemporary Issues in