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PPA_Unit2 SMT by Taylor

F.W. Taylor's Scientific Management Theory (SMT) aimed to create a systematic approach to management through principles and techniques that enhance efficiency and productivity. It emerged in response to the complexities of the Industrial Revolution and emphasized scientific methods over traditional practices, advocating for better worker management and cooperation. Despite its initial success, SMT faced significant criticism for its mechanistic view of human behavior and resistance from workers and trade unions, leading to a decline in its application.

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12 views

PPA_Unit2 SMT by Taylor

F.W. Taylor's Scientific Management Theory (SMT) aimed to create a systematic approach to management through principles and techniques that enhance efficiency and productivity. It emerged in response to the complexities of the Industrial Revolution and emphasized scientific methods over traditional practices, advocating for better worker management and cooperation. Despite its initial success, SMT faced significant criticism for its mechanistic view of human behavior and resistance from workers and trade unions, leading to a decline in its application.

Uploaded by

Rashi Gupta
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Scientific Management Theory by F. W.

Taylor
Introduction
FW Taylor wanted to create a systematic body of knowledge with principles and techniques
to achieve E3 on a sure, sustainable and replicable basis

Conditions before SMT


● Rule of thumb
○ was used but due to renaissance, the condition changed
● Soldering
○ Both Workers and Managers responsible for Soldering

NATURAL SYSTEMATIC
(inherent in human behaviour) (deficiencies in system)
→ use carrot & stick approach → identify root cause
a) Fear of job loss
b) Unscientific approach by Mng

○ To counter capitalism, workers came up with Systematic Soldiering. They


started to avoid work and deliberately took more time to finish it.
○ There was neither scientific recruitment nor scientific training to improve their
efficiency

● Lazy Manager Philosophy


○ Trad mngmt practices put too much responsibility on worker- initiative &
incentive mngmt → here, go work, no guidance→ inefficiency

● Thinkers before taylor:


Charles Babbage, Henry Metcalf gave ideas before Taylor; but sporadic & disjointed
‘Initial mngmt. theories were organisational theories & also administrative theories’
Background of SMT’s Emergence
● Enlightenment: social/pol mobilisation, monarch was questioned
● Industrial Rev: new machine or technology came, resulting in increase in prodn

Both these dev. led to transformation of both pvt. & gov. organisations in terms of their-
1. Size : small to large
2. Scale of operation: simple to complex
3. Nature of Activity
● Urgent demand for Science of management:
Many studied why failed and how to correct. All theories - diff views, but all agreed to one
aspect:
“Science of management should replace rule of thumb”.

F. W. Taylor: life and philosophy may or may not include


Assumptions of SMT
● Organisation functioning can be improved by application of scientific methods.
● Good worker accepts orders of management
● Every worker is motivated by money factor.
○ Taylor defined rationality in terms of economic rationality. Taylor believed
humans are motivated by money. It is the most important factor that
influences their work, that is, they are willing to work more provided they are
paid more.

Principles of SMT
● Science, not the Rule of Thumb
○ Develop a science for each element of a man's work instead of traditional
ways. By this "one best way" of doing a task can be found and standard
operation can be determined.
● Scientific selection & training
○ Scientifically select, train, teach and develop workmen by determining initial
qualifications and future potential for development i.e. earlier workers chose
his work and trained himself.
● Mental Revolution: Cooperation not individualism
○ involves a shift of attitude of management and workers towards each other.
○ Both should understand the value of each other and work with full
participation and cooperation
○ Aim - to improve and boost the profits of the organisation.
○ both should have a sense of togetherness.
● Uniform division of work bw W & M
○ Equal division of work and responsibility between management, workers.
Earlier workers had more responsibility. Management should take over all
work for which they are better suited. In the past all the work and the greater
part of responsibilities was thrown on the workmen
None of these principles work in isolation.

Techniques of SMT
● Functional Foremanship
○ He discussed nature of supervision here
○ 'Unity of command '(ye pehle tha) - one person one boss; where a
subordinates gets command from only one supervisor—> should be replaced
with functional foremanship which involves multiple supervision instead of
specialisation

● 8 supervisors = 4 planning (RITS)+ 4 execution(RIGS)

● Work Study
Used to identify the best way of doing a job.
1. Time : To determine standard time for completion of work
2. Motion : To determine a preferable work method
3. Fatigue
4. Method

● Differential piece rate system


○ Worker - rational economic man; if wages increase, he will work more
○ Higher wage(ind. goal) ; Higher org. productivity(org. goal):
■ Not antagonistic, it is synchronised - AUTO GOAL CONGRUENCY
○ Pay for performance, not for position
○ Two types of wage rate system- i) extraordinary wr ii) ordinary wr

● Principle of exception
○ Manager should not interfere with foreman except:
■ Prod is very high
■ Prod is very low

Criticism and Opposition


● ignored the psychological and sociological aspect
○ criticised as a mechanistic theory of organisation.
● Rigid & static
○ Universal design theory
○ One size fits all approach
● Wrong assumption about human motivation
● Kills individual initiative
○ Managers decide, workers follow

● Resistance from trade unions

○ Exploited workers
○ Machine man
● Resistance from workers
○ Superhuman expectations
○ Demanding & exploitative
● no space for collective bargaining
○ Coz classes within the workers increased,
collective bargaining goes down
○ But trade unions support it and hence,
“Taylorism and Unionism can never go hand in
hand”

Within a short period of time, there was too much opposition to Scientific Management
Procedures(SMP) within the industrial organisation all over the USA. The opposition was so
severe that the American Congress was forced to pass a law banning the use of SMP in all
organisations.

Relevance of SMT
Contextual theory- well suited to the needs of that time.
He did first things first: improved org efficiency, improved workers(fair wages, training)
● DRUCKER Claims
○ Drucker argues that the central theme of Taylor's work was not efficiency but
the need to substitute industrial warfare by industrial harmony through…

● SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT MOVEMENT


○ A theory —--> mass mov
○ After 1912, taylorism became unstoppable
○ Widespread global acceptance
■ spread beyond the borders of USA; England, france, Italy, Germany,
etc: to solve industrial problems
■ In Russia, after revolution of 1917, Lenin] referred Taylor sys as
“subtle brutality of bourgeoisie exploitation”
● Usage across all org. Types
○ Gov, business, NGO, etc
● Inspirational role and seminal relevance
○ “Sower of seeds”
■ managerialism , 1990
■ Reinventing gov
■ Neo taylorism (NPM)
● Legacy still continues:
○ McDonld’s one best way to; Hamburger university
■ Precise cooking times. Fixed temp
■ French Fries be cut in particular way
■ Complete uniformity across the world

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