Course:

Operation Management OM
Assignment No. 1
Taylorism
Word Count: 1082

Why have scientific management techniques aimed at increasing the efficiency of work
been criticized by many management theorists?
Scientific Management is a method to designing jobs and supervising workers which give
emphasis to the division of labor, the removal of worker decision and the right of
management to make what changes it thinks are necessary for efficient working (Burnes,
2009). Scientific management theory, also known as classical management theory, which
basically entered in the mainstream of early 1900s, having the importance of increasing
worker productivity. Developed by Taylor, the classical theory of management supports a
systematic learning of tasks and the workers responsibilities. In 1856 Taylor was born in
Philadelphia, at that time the city was the industrial heart of America in 1800s. Taylor
become machinist in a firm of engineers where he notices some machinists are working as
hard and as fast as they can, they deliberately worked slowly (Soldiering). Taylor attributed
soldiering to the causes: Firstly, the general belief among workers that if they became more
productive, rarer of them would be desired and jobs would be reduced. Secondly, nonincentive wage systems boost low productivity if the employee will receive the same pay
regardless of how much is produce. Thirdly last but not the least, workers waste much of their
effort by count on rule-of-thumb methods. Taylor observed that unproductive work and
environment existing in company may give big loss or damages. So he took some steps to
increase production by reducing the different systems used by the workers. He proposes that
it will provide both employer and employee benefit by adopting the more efficient work
agreement. Firstly, scientifically select, and train, each worker rather than separation them to
train themselves. Secondly, supervision of each worker in the performance according to its
assigned task/job. Thirdly, divide work equally among managers and the workers, so that
managers can apply scientific management principles to plan the work and in result the
workers actually perform the tasks/jobs. Last but not the least, replace rule of thumb work
approaches with system based on a scientific study of the tasks.
Taylor started to conduct tests to determine best level of performance for certain tasks, and
what was needed to accomplish the performance. Taylor said that the most basic, boring task
is to plan to increase productivity, and that scientific management work was more effective
than the "initiative and incentive" method of motivating workers. The initiative and incentive
method offer an incentive to increase productivity and give/assigning responsibility to worker
to figure out how to do. Taylor also perform tests that called time and motion studies. The
studies were categorized by the use of a stopwatch worker's motions, the goal of determining

the one best way to do a job. Following are illustrations of the time-and-motion studies which
are performed by Taylor, first conducted test is to determine the quantity of resting that was
necessary, the worker's manager could control the ideal time of lifting and resting so that the
worker could move the required 47 tons per day without exhausting. Secondly, in "science
of shoveling the best weight that a worker should carry in a shovel was 21 pounds. There is
inclusive range of raw material, that the shovel should be sized that it would carry 21 pounds
of the material. The firm provides workers with best shovels. The end result was a three to
four-fold increase in productivity and workers were rewarded increase in their pays. Other
perform test focuses on detailed gestures/motions, such as Gilbreth's bricklaying tests that
resulted in affective decrease in the number of gestures/motions necessary to lay bricks.
A basic principle of SM that employees were not very educated and therefore they stayed
unable to perform but the simplest tasks. Present that all employees have familiar awareness
of job circumstances and able to make suitable influences. Rather than brutalizing work and
breaking the work into lesser and lesser units to maximize efficiency without giving assumed
to the job satisfaction of working. Reinforcement of work based teams in which the workers
may donate. Such donations increase worker morale, provide a wisdom of ownership.
Ford criticized the model of scientific management which was presented by Taylor. Fordism
create a work plan that deals with the principles of scientific management and developed the
mechanized assembly line, installation of machines that produce uniform parts instead of HR
because ford mass-produced his new model car in just 93 minutes by using machines and
technology. Ford manage to get the average time of production down to 93 minutes. The aim
of ford to constant improvement and increase control by removing uncertainty. Ford said that
man should be replaced by machines. Ford criticized SM theory because the theory based on
capitalistic. Ford introduce the principle of scientific management by eliminating the
inefficiency. Ford used different tools, heavy machinery, and universal grinding machines. It
covers all parts linking to each. He planned that instead of before bringing up innovation
workers could enhance own speed. It still required 90 minutes to assemble a car. He said that
instead of moving off men towards car built-up place, cars should move headed for men. It
would increase the speed of work and in result it will reduce the time of production. First
automatic conveyor was installed in 1914.
SM values has better productivity and a significant impact on industry, they also double the
work. The main scopes of skill variety, task identity, and feedback all are absent in scientific

management. In many cases the new ways of working were accepted by workers, in some
other cases they were not. The use of stopwatches often was a similar issue and directed
slowdown at one factory where "Taylorism" been tested.
Taylor strategic management theory is criticized as, unnecessary stress on employees to work
faster. Importance was given to efficiency and productivity. This caused in mistreatment of
the employees. Hence, various employees united for trade unions. This results in mis-trust
between management and employees. Taylor used practical foremanship. This interruption
attitude of unity of command wherever the workers have to report to only one head or
supervisor. Lack of unity of knowledge can create confusion and mistake in the company. In
mechanical approach Taylor give too many importance to productivity. He does not consider
the human element. Taylor consider that workers as machines, which can hurry up/speed up
the work at any cost. Importance to Individual performance and not on the collective
performance. On the other hand, the success of organization determines by not only on
individual performance, but also on collective performance of workers. SM can only
functions

when

calculate/measure

the

performance

quantitatively.

It

of

the

applied

individual/collective
only

for

workers

manufacturing

can

be

where

the

individual/collective performance can be measured quantitatively. It cannot be used in service

providing/delivering sector because in these sectors the performance of a person cannot be
measured.

References
Dr Qadar Bakhsh Baloch, Maria Inam, Role of Scientific Management at Work Place:
Perceptions and Misperceptions.
Frederick W. Taylor, The Principles of Scientific Management (New York: Harper Bros.,
1911).
Hutchison, Michael. Big Ideas in U.S. History. Kerry Gordonson, Editor; Dr. Aaron Willis:
(Social Studies School Service, 2005).