Sabahat Shireen (Numl-S20-22198)

Bushra Ameer (Numl-S20-11087)

Muhammad Shujaat Hussain (Numl-S20-22769)
Assignment
Scientific Management Theory
MPhil 1st Semester
27-March-2020

Dr. Saira Nudrat

Fundamentals of Education administration and Leadership Techniques
Department of Education
National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad
 Scientific Management
Frederick W. Taylor
Frederick Winslow Taylor, (born March 20, 1856, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.—died March
21, 1915, Philadelphia), Taylor was an American manufacturing manager, mechanical engineer,
and then a management consultant in his later years. He is often called "The Father of Scientific
Management."
Historical Perspective
Its development began in the United States with Frederick Winslow Taylor in the 1880s
and '90s within the manufacturing industries. Its peak of influence came in the 1910s by the 1920s,
it was still influential but had entered competition and syncretism with opposing or complementary
ideas. His approach is also often referred to, as Taylor's Principles, or Taylorism. It was one of the
earliest attempts to apply science to the engineering of processes and to management.
He started the Scientific Management movement, and he and his associates were the first
people to study the work process scientifically. They studied how work was performed, and they
looked at how this affected worker productivity. Taylor's philosophy focused on the belief that
making people work as hard as they could was not as efficient as optimizing the way the work was
done.
In 1909, Taylor published "The Principles of Scientific Management." In this, he proposed
that by optimizing and simplifying jobs, productivity would increase. He developed the main
theory of scientific management in (1880s and 1890). In his book on scientific management it’s
was principles of scientific management. After publication of this book researched and study start
on this topic by his follower frank and Lillian Gilbreth. He also advanced the idea that workers
and managers needed to cooperate with one another. This was very different from the way work
was typically done in businesses beforehand. A factory manager at that time had very little contact
with the workers, and he left them on their own to produce the necessary product. There was no
standardization, and a worker's main motivation was often continued employment, so there was
no incentive to work as quickly or as efficiently as possible.
Frank Gilbreths met Frederick Winslow Taylor and became an admirer of the Taylor
System of time study. The Gilbreths became deeply involved in scientific research and Frank was
instrumental in creating the Taylor Society. In 1912, the Gilbreths left construction and focused
their attention on scientific management consulting. They broke with Taylor in 1914 and formed
their own form of scientific management.
Frank Gilbreth (1868-1924) is best known for his work with construction workers on the
efficiency of motion. He developed many of the concepts and applications that are now part of
modern management techniques. Frank and Lillian Gilbreth pioneered the field of motion study
engineering which began in Frank's early days as a brick layer. He studied the motions that
bricklayers made and found a way to reduce the number of movements to lay one brick from 18
down to six. At a time when an expert bricklayer was laying 125 bricks an hour, Gilbreth was able
to lay 350 using his methods.
Definition
“Scientific management means knowing exactly what you want men to do and seeing that they do
it in the best and the cheapest way.”
Frederick W. Taylor
Concept
A term coined in 1910 to describe the system of industrial management created and promoted by
Frederick W. Taylor (1856– 1915) and his followers. The thought was led by Fredrick W. Taylor,
and he enunciated the principles of scientific management in 1911 after experimenting on the shop
floor of a steel company as a supervisor. also called Taylorism, it was a theory of management that
analyzed and synthesized workflows. Taylor was very interested in efficiency, main objective was
improving economic efficiency, especially labor productivity. It was one of the earliest attempts
to apply science to the engineering of processes and to management. While advancing his career
at a U.S. steel manufacturer, he designed workplace experiments to determine optimal
performance levels task. As such, he found that by calculating the time needed for the various
elements of a task, he could develop the "best" way to complete that task.
Taylor examined various kinds of manual labor. For example, most bulk materials handling
was manual at the time; material handling equipment as we know it today was mostly not
developed yet. He looked at shoveling in the unloading of railroad cars full of ore; lifting and
carrying in the moving of iron pigs at steel mills; the manual inspection of bearing balls; and others.
He discovered many concepts that were not widely accepted at the time. For example, by observing
workers, he decided that labor should include rest breaks so that the worker has time to recover
from fatigue, either physical (as in shoveling or lifting) or mental (as in the ball inspection case).
Workers were allowed to take more rests during work, and productivity increased as a result.
Taylor became interested in improving worker productivity early in his career when he observed
gross inefficiencies during his contact with steel workers.
Soldiering
Working in the steel industry, Taylor had observed the phenomenon of workers' purposely
operating well below their capacity, that is, soldiering. He attributed soldiering to three causes:
1. The almost universally held belief among workers that if they became more productive, fewer
of them would be needed and jobs would be eliminated.
2. Non-incentive wage systems encourage low productivity if the employee will receive the same
pay regardless of how much is produced, assuming the employee can convince the employer that
the slow pace really is a good pace for the job. Employees take great care never to work at a good
pace for fear that this faster pace would become the new standard. If employees are paid by the
quantity they produce, they fear that management will decrease their per-unit pay if the quantity
increases.
3. Workers waste much of their effort by relying on rule-of-thumb methods rather than on optimal
work methods that can be determined by scientific study of the task.
To counter soldiering and to improve efficiency, Taylor began to conduct experiments to
determine the best level of performance for certain jobs, and what was necessary to achieve this
performance.
The following are examples of some of the time-and-motion studies that were performed by Taylor
and others in the era of scientific management.
Carry Iron Block Experiment: In 1898, Taylor carried out an experiment in iron handling at
Bethlehem steel. When he was in management research, he saw that the company was doing a lot
of work, with 75 porters in charge of the work and moving iron pieces to the train. Each iron block
weighs more than 80 catties, and the distance is 30 meters. Although each worker works very hard,
the work efficiency is not high, and the average person can only carry 12.5 tons of iron. After
careful observation, Taylor calculated that a good porter should be able to carry 47 tons of iron a
day and not be harmful to health. Taylor science selected workers and training, he picked a strong
worker, using money to motivate the worker, according to the regulations of the Taylor, a good
approach to handling iron, Taylor’s assistant accurately record the worker when transporting iron
the time spent on each movement, such as lift iron, stepping out, rest, put down the iron and so on.
After a long experiment, the average worker's daily workload surged from 12 tons to 48 tons a
day, and wages increased by 70 percent. The rest of the workers also asked Taylor to instruct them
to use the new work method, and since then, the daily workload of carrying the iron has increased
to 47.5 tons. Based on the experiment of moving iron blocks, it can be concluded that workers are
carefully selected, and workers know that working hard not only does not harm them, but also gets
a lot of salary. Train and help the workers to master the scientific method of work and have the
skills to complete the work quota. The experiment helped workers increase their daily workload
by almost three times, and workers' wages has increased, laying the groundwork for a reasonable
work quota.
Spade Experiment: Earlier the workers to work in the factory is himself with a shovel, the size
of each are not identical, but on different raw materials are used in the same shovels, so when you
shovel coal, it's just right, but it's too heavy when you shovel iron. Taylor's study found that when
a worker's average load was about 21 pounds per shovel, it was the most productive. So instead of
letting the workman bring a shovel, he prepared some different shovels, using different shovels for
different ingredients, each carrying a weight of 21 pounds. The experiment will introduce the
experimental method into the management field, developing the potential of people and things, let
people do their best is the best way to improve efficiency.
Metal Cutting Experiment: At Midvale steel Works, Taylor studied metal cutting in order to
solve the problem of worker sabotage. At this time, Taylor had the knowledge about metal cutting,
so he conducted experiments on the efficiency of the lathe operation, which was expected to take
six months. In the use of lathe, drilling machine, planer and other machine tool cutting metal,
whenever must decide to apply what kind of tool, how much cutting speed, in order to obtain the
best metal processing efficiency. The experiment was so complex and difficult that it was expected
to take 26 years and cost a huge amount of money, consuming 800,000 tons of steel. In the end,
great progress was made with the help of a dozen experts like Bath and White. The result of this
experiment has formed the work specification of metal processing, and found the high speed tool
steel which can greatly improve the efficiency of metal cutting, and obtained the data of cutting
dosage standard and so on (Su, Taylor Scientific Management Theory Carding and Significance
of Organization Management , 2017).
 Spade Experiment Carry Iron Block Metal Cutting Experiment
Experiment
*The means of experiment *Train and help workers get *The experiment was
shall be introduced into the enough skills. complex and difficult; it took
field of operation and *Let the workers learn the 26 years.
management. benefits of doing so and let *It took a huge amount of
*Let people do their best is the them accept the new money and spend more than
best way to improve approach. 800,000 tons of steel.
efficiency. *Select workers carefully. *Formed the work
*Standardized management. specification of metal
processing.

Principles of Scientific Management

1. Science not Rule of Thumb
Scientific investigation should be used for taking managerial decision rather than basing decision
on opinion or rule of thumb. While rule of thumb emphasizes mere estimation, scientific method
denotes precision in determining any aspect of work.
This should be done with the help of careful scientific investigation. So, he suggested complete
removal of the thumb rule, which was a traditional and outdated method, based on intuition, trial
and error and hit and missing technique. He favored scientific enquiry, analysis and understanding
to find out one best method of doing job. Such method would help in reducing wastage of material
and human efforts and the energy so saved can be used for other productive purposes.
2. Harmony, Not Discord
Harmony means that a group should work as a unit and contribute to the maximum. In
organizations all the work usually performed in groups within it there should be mutual give and
take situation and proper understanding. All the people involved in a group must work in harmony
with one another other than discord (between management and worker). The feeling of mutual
understanding as well as give and take must be encouraged among the members. The management
should share gains with the workers and workers must work to bring change for good of the
company.
3. Co-operation, Not Individualism
Scientific management suggests that all individual should work in cooperation with one another
and it requires that parts of industrial body cooperate with each other, scientific management is
based on mutual confidence, co-operation and goodwill. Taylor believed that the basic interest of
worker and management is the same and there should be Equal division of work and responsibility.
It requires a complete mental revolution on the part of both workers and management
4. Development of every person to his/her greatest efficiency and prosperity
Scientific management stood for worker development. Efficiency in an organization depend upon
the caliber of the employees. The employee must be scientifically selected, and they must be given
the jobs according to their competencies, physical abilities and intellectual capabilities. Which
mean that “Right men should be engaged in the right job”. Once they are appointed, they must be
trained let them equip according to the expectation of the organizations. This will improve the
efficiency level. Worker should be scientifically selected.
Once they are appointed, they must be trained let them equip according to the expectation of the
organizations. This will improve the efficiency level.

Techniques of Scientific Management

Taylor Advocated the following elements of scientific management.
1. Functional foremanship
Foreman represents the managerial figure with whom the workers are in face to face contact
on a daily basis. Functional Foremanship is an extension of the principal of Division of Work or
specialization to the shop floor.
Taylor advocated separation of planning and execution functions.
Foremen should have intelligence, education, tact, grit, judgement, special knowledge, manual
dexterity and energy, honesty, good health.
Since all these qualities cannot be found in a single person so Taylor proposed eight specialists.

Those involved in planning are:

(i) Route Clerk – to lay down the sequence of operations.
(ii) Instruction Card – Clerk lay down the exact method of doing the work.
(iii) Time and Cost Clerk – to keep records of time spent by different workers on different jobs
and prepare the cost sheets.
(iv) Shop Disciplinarian-to deal with cases of breach of discipline and absenteeism.

The foremen involved in actual implementation of work are:

(i) Gang Boss – to assemble and set up various equipment’s and tools.
(ii) Speed boss – to ensure that machines are run at optimum desired speed.
(iii)Repairs boss-ensure regular cleaning, servicing and repair of machines.
(iv) Inspector-to ensure that the workers perform their work as per desired quality.

2. Standardization and simplification of work

Standardization of tools and equipment was an important element of scientific management.
Taylor wanted to use only ‘the best way of doing the work. Proper tools and equipment are
essential for increasing the efficiency and speed of work. Standardization refers to the process of
setting standards for every business activity. It is a means of achieving economics of production. It
implies the physical attitude of products should be such that it meets the requirements & needs of
customers. Taylor advocated that tools & equipment’s as well as working conditions should be
standardized to achieve standard output from workers.

The Objectives of Standardization are:

1. To reduce the given line or product to fixed and predetermined type, form, design, size,
weight, quality etc.
2. To ensure the manufacture of identical parts and components.
3. To ensure that the quality & standards of excellence have been maintained.
4. Standard of performance are established for all workers and machines at all levels.

Simplification is method of eliminating unnecessary diversity of products. It results in saving of

cost of labor, machines, tools etc. Simplification aims at eliminating extra varieties, sizes and
dimensions, sizes while standardization implies devising new varieties instead of existing one.

3. Work Study
Work study is a term used to embrace the techniques of method study and work measurement
which are employed to ensure the best possible use of human and material resources in carrying
out specified activity in simple words, this technique determines the best way of doing the job.
There are various methods of doing the job. To determine the best way there are several
parameters. Right from the procurement of the product to the final delivery of product to the
customer every activity is a part of method study and work study is related to analyzing the work
to be performed by eliminating unnecessary operations and finding out the quicker way of doing
it. Work study eliminates wasteful and unnecessary operations, reduces effort and increases
productivity.
F.W Taylor conducted several experiments in various areas of production, viz method study,
motion study, time study and fatigue study.
a. Motion Study (Given by Frank and Lillian Gilbreth)
In this study, movement of body and limbs required to perform a job are closely observed. In other
words, it refers to the study of movement of an operator on machine involved in a particular task.
The purpose of motion study is to eliminate useless motions and determine the best way of doing
the job. By undertaking motion study an attempt is made to know whether some elements of a job
can be eliminated combined or their sequence can be changed to achieve necessary rhythm. Motion
study increases the efficiency and productivity of workers by cutting down all wasteful motions
(Caramela, 2018).
Example: It is possible to find out:
Motions that are productive.
Motions which are incidental.
Motions which are unproductive.
Taylor used stopwatches and various symbols and colors to identify different motions.

b. Time study
It is a technique which enables the manager to ascertain standard time taken for performing a
specified job. Every job or every part of it is studied in detail. This technique is based on the
study of an average worker having reasonable skill and ability. Average worker is selected and
assigned the job and then with the help of a stopwatch, time is ascertained for performing that
particular job.
Taylor maintained that Fair day’s work should be determined through observations, experiment
and analysis by keeping in view an average worker.
Standard Time × Working Hours = Fair Day’s Work
Example: Based on several observations it is determined that standard time taken by the worker to
make one cardboard box is 20 minutes. So, in 1 hour he / she will make 3 boxes.
Assuming that a worker has to put in 8 hours of work in a shift and deducting one hour for rest
and lunch, it is determined that in 7 hours a worker makes 21 boxes @ 3 per hour. This is the
standard work a worker has to do.

c. Fatigue Study
A person is bound to feel tired physically and mentally if he / she does not rest while working. The
rest intervals will help one to regain stamina and work again with the same capacity. This will
result in increased productivity. Fatigue study seeks to determine the amount and frequency of rest
intervals in completing a task.
Example: A plant, work takes place in 3 shifts of 8 hours each. Even in a single shift a worker has
to be given some rest interval for their lunch and some other small pauses from the work.

4. Differential piece wage system

 Taylor put forward the "Difference piecework system" in 1895. He believed that workers are
primarily motivated by pay, and probably just pay alone so he promoted the idea of "a fair day's
pay for a fair day's work." So, Taylor for the first time advocated an incentive wage system in the
form of differential piece wages instead of time wages. Under differential piece system two wage
rates are prescribed, i.e. one lower and the other higher. Those who are unable to perform standard
work within standard time are paid wages at lower rate per unit. On the contrary, those who attain
standard or even more within the standard time are paid wages at higher rate per unit. Thus, there
is considerable difference in wages between those who attain and those who do not attain
standards. This technique of wage payment is based on efficiency of worker. The efficient workers
are paid more wages than inefficient one. On the other hand, those workers who produce less than
standard number of pieces are paid wages at lower rate than prevailing rate i.e. worker is penalized
for his inefficiency. This system is a source of incentive to workers who improving their efficiency
in order to get more wages. It also encourages inefficient workers to improve their performance
and achieve their standards. It leads to mass production which minimizes cost and maximizes
profits (Su, Taylor Scientific Management Theory Carding and Significance of Organization
Management, 2017).
“what the workmen want from employers beyond anything else is higher wages: what employers
want from workmen most of all is low labor costs in manufacture”.
Frederick Taylor
“In our scheme, we do not ask the initiative of our men. We do not want any initiative. All we
want of them is to obey the orders we give them, do what we say, and do it quick”.
Frederick Taylor
5. Scientific Selection, Placement and Training
The efficiency and quality of work is linked to the kind of persons selected for taking up different
jobs. Taylor wanted a radical change in the methods and procedures of selecting workers. Workers
should be selected by considering their education, experience and attitude towards work. The
placement of workers should be such that only the most suitable persons are assigned the work.
Placement should be on the basis of merit rating which indirectly implies, ‘round pegs in round
holes. Workers should be given training to make them suitable for the jobs. Orientation training
should also be imparted to prepare them to meet new challenges (Turan, 2015).

6. Introducing Costing System

Another important technique of scientific management is the introduction of efficient system of
cost accounting. It is a technique used to calculate cost per unit and total cost of production.

As a tool of scientific management cost accounting serves the following purposes:

To present costs for cost reduction and cost control.

To enable estimation of costs and preparation of budgets.
To increase efficiency and reduce wastages.
To help channelize production on right lines.
CHARACTERSTICS OF SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT
There are some essentials of Scientific Management prescribed as under:
1. Discard Traditional Management: The approach of scientific management fully discards the
traditional management. It calls for the discarding of old techniques and to adopt new and modern
techniques and ways to manage the business activities with the purpose to improve the efficiency
of employees. This is nothing but the outcome of complete change in attitude.

2. Requires Strict Observance of Rules: Scientific management requires strict observance of

Rules because the rules are formed only after the process of due analyses and these are not
erroneous and are almost authentic. Unless the rules are followed strictly the scientific tinge given
to management may fade away making it no different from the traditional management.

3. Improves the Efficiency of Workers: The main purpose of scientific management is to

improve the efficiency of employees. This is done through conducting various kind of studies such
as time study, motion study and fatigue study. This make scientific management as a tool to
enhance the efficiency of employees who’s benefit ultimately goes to the organization itself.

4. Gives due Weightage to Specialization: Scientific management involves dividing each work
into various small parts, each part being allotted to the person who is an expert in it. Right Men
for Right Work, Placement of right persons on the right jobs through scientific selection and
training of workers. This results in better and more work being performed in much less time.
Hence, it can be said that scientific management gives due weight age to specialization.
Undoubtedly, the force of specialization washes away all the dirt and wastage generated by the old
and traditional management. The obvious advantages are the better performance and still better
result (Waring, 1994).
5. Useful for Large Organizations: It is pertinent to mention here that the scientific management
method is quite expensive if it compares with the old traditional method, so it can be said that this
method is only useful for the larger organizations but costly for the small organizations.
6. Higher Productivity: Increase in the rate of production by use of standardized tools,
equipment’s, methods and training of the workers.
7. Cost Reduction: Reduction in the cost of production by rational planning and regulation, and
cost control techniques.
8. Quality Control: Improvement in the quality of output by research, quality control inspection
devices.
9. Attempts to Minimize Wastes: Absolutely, the purpose of scientific management is to
minimize the wastage of time, machines and material etc. Indeed, this is very essential to achieve
higher level of performance and easy and quicker way to achieve the goals.
 Drawbacks

• Taylor's theory is narrow in scope having direct application to factory jobs at the Shop Floor
Level and this theory concentrated attention on improving efficiency of workers and machines,
So Scientific management is therefore restricted Industrial Engineering or Industrial
Management, rather than a general theory of management.
• Scientific management ignored human side of organization. Taylor viewed on average worker
as a machine that could be motivated to work hard through economic incentives.
• It is focused on specialization and repetition of jobs to increase the productivity which reduces
innovation and creativity and promotes monotony.
• It is clear that severe pressures were put on the employees to perform as fast as possible – like
machines, or specifically in Taylor’s view – like cogs in the industrial machine.
• Taylor advocated excessive use of specialization and separation of planning from doing.
Excessive division of labor had disastrous consequences in the form repetitive and monotonous
jobs and discontent among workers.
• The theory requires an investment of huge capital and consider as a costly system. The
establishment of work study, planning department, training of workers, and standardization
requires more money.
• Management takes control: The management takes complete responsibility related to the
control and planning of workplace activities. Since the managers take up control of the
employees, they lack creativity.
• The negligence of social values/human factor because it motivates workers to work for
monetary benefits rather than human resource development and resources.
• There is no scope for creativity of employees because they are developed by manager which
promotes frustration.
• Focus only on operational level not managerial level.
• Increased monotony of work which in result of lack of interest.
• Highly autocratic.

Implementation of Scientific Management in our Education system

Scientific Management theory in its pure form cannot be applicable in modern
organizations however, some elements of it are so relevant that they need to be adopted by
organizations with other theories mixed and matched.

If we able to apply the scientific management in education, then we need to divided tasks
into several sub-tasks to increase productivity while focusing on specialization of employee, since
the change in structure ,allows them to divide the tasks of the whole organization into manageable
sub-tasks and allocates them to organizational units that are responsible for their
completion. Appoint teachers based on their capabilities in special department like if teacher
specialized in math’s then she/he needs to teach math’s only, not other random subject or any other
tasks as this practice is common in our schools. And in our system, we over- burden teachers with
many other tasks besides teaching which result in poor productivity.
Taylor also suggest in this theory that employers are motivation by money. Hence, he
advocated that productivity improvements should result in improved pay. So, we can include this
as incentive, Workers should be paid according to their productivity in a set period of time. As a
result, workers can be encouraged to work hard and maximize their productivity. If one teacher
performance is better than other teacher, management should give high pay to more productive
teachers.
Another principle which basically stated that scientific selection of the worker of
organization should be: select, train, teach and develop the most suitable person for each job
scientifically, rather than passively leaving them to train themselves, so we can apply this in our
education system for the mangers or senior employees to select the right people for each job .We
can train our teachers and other employee in education department, train each to be ‘first-class’ at
some specific task to achieve the best results and work and responsibility to be divided equally
between workers and management cooperating together in close interdependence.
According to this theory the managers of the organization stay involved and provide
supervision to each worker to ensure the job is done in the best way to meet the organization goal.
This is very important. Just because a department is designed to be efficient does not prevent
workers from falling back into bad work habits. So, in our education system it is very important to
keep an eye, supervise them regularly, if they are achieving the set goals or not.
In another principle Taylor’s state that work should be divided between managers and
workers. The mangers apply management principles to planning and supervising the work, and the
workers carry out tasks. This theory has been utilizing in most educational institutions and has led
to an increase in production and also takes some of the pressure off the workforce but allows
managers to stay involved in the daily processes of the department but in this case creativity of
employee can decrease.
Although, the works of Taylor led the standardization of work and put the concepts of
productivity and efficiency into practice. Labor productivity, no doubt, increased but scientific
management also create boredom and dissatisfaction in workers, due to several reasons including
the problem, exploitation of laborers, negligence of employee union as well as human values,
problem of time constraint and mere focus on economic motives and negligence of social values.
Thus, the best management system for education is the combination of all theories like
classical, neo- classical and environmental management theories. With classical management style
or theory all the work perform in education will be Hierarch ally structure. Give training to the
teachers to improve their skills and assign task according to their capacities. Increase teachers
wages on the basis of their performance and student’s achievement. By applying neo classical
theory look after the behavioral and human relation perspectives in education system. For example,
provide top management authorities collaborate with employee to listen their problems and also
involved them in decision making /rules development process. By applying environmental theory
in education. Government should provide good infrastructure to schools, provide all facilities in
which teaching learning process is effective. Do not create the environment of pressure by
increasing duties. Give doable duties to employees so they cannot feel pressure.
References
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https://www.business.com/articles/management-theory-of-frank-and-lillian-gilbreth/

Su, Y. (2017). Taylor Scientific Management Theory Carding and Significance of Organization
Management. Research Gate.

Su, Y. (2017). Taylor Scientific Management Theory Carding and Significance of Organization
Management . Science Publishing Group.

Taylor, F. W. (1919). The principles of scientific management. Harper & Brothers.

Turan, H. (2015). Taylor’s “Scientific Management Principles”: Contemporary Issues in Personnel

Selection Period . Journal of Economics, Business and Management.

Waring, S. P. (1994). Taylorism Transformed. PAPERBACK ISBN.