By: Abhay Aggarwal
Introduction
The Scientific Management Theory was introduced by American Mechanical Engineer Frederick Winslow Taylor. As Taylor described it, “Scientific Management means knowing exactly what you want men to do and seeing that they do it in the best and cheapest way.” Often regarded as a pioneering figure in industrial engineering, Taylor conducted significant studies on industrial organisation and management. As an efficiency expert and management consultant with a Mechanical Engineering background, he achieved high productivity by applying his theory at Bethlehem Steel Company. He gained worldwide attention with his book Shop Floor after being dismissed from Bethlehem Steel. Taylor's groundbreaking work, The Principles of Scientific Management, published in 1911, introduced his principles and techniques of Scientific Management.
This article examines the relevance of Scientific Management Theory in contemporary times. It reviews literature from Locke (1982), Vijai et al. (2017), and Taneja et al. (2011) to explore the theory’s history, origin, evolution, and modern applicability. The article also discusses the limitations of the theory and argues that, despite these constraints, it has significantly influenced the landscape of business organizations.
Scientific Management Theory
“The approach of scientific management theory is an attempt to solve the problems of complex organisations that have emerged as a result of the industrial revolution”
-Gull, 2017
The discussed idea is a process of evolution that paved the way for contemporary management as we recognize it today. It is not difficult to find examples of business organizations following and practicing scientific management as a core principle. From the car industry, food giants, airports, supermarkets, and manufacturing plants to Amazon, one can spot the essence of scientific management theory.
Taylor’s time and motion study is used extensively by managers and employees at the burger giant KFC. Unnecessary movements, such as changing positions and lifting, are eliminated to implement and strategically adopt a standardized burger process. Even though organizations do not explicitly adopt the principles, their essence can be noticed. For instance, in the cleaning industry, men are assigned strenuous work while women are allocated lighter cleaning tasks. Taylor’s principles of Scientific Selection, Training, and Development of employees are evident here. (Is Scientific Management Relevant?, 2017).
There are other notable examples where the relevance of scientific management theory is evident. Airports have applied the concept of assembly lines, or ‘Method Study,’ by tagging luggage with barcodes and using conveyor belts to transport bags. Similarly, in car manufacturing industries such as Toyota, assembly line production involves determining the sequence of operations, machines, and placement of personnel and raw materials, all of which are part of the ‘Method Study’. Supermarkets use the idea of specialisation and division of labor, employing different individuals for tasks such as scanning products and stacking shelves (The Impact of Scientific Management in the 21st Century, 2020). In the 21st century, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos has revived management practices by using Taylor’s ‘Time Study’ to measure all worker actions, motivating them to perform beyond industry norms (Taylorism and Amazon, 2019).
Insights from Previous Studies
In “The Ideas of Frederick W. Taylor: An Evaluation,” it is examined that Taylor’s views are both essentially correct and well accepted by managers in the modern world. His ideas and techniques concerning modern management are fundamentally sound and are generally accepted. A detailed analysis of the relevance of principles such as Time and Motion Study, Standardized Tools, and Procedures from the past to modern times reveals that management-labor relations are now far more amicable than they were before Taylor. It is argued that Taylor's principles have had a significant and worldwide influence. (Locke, 1982)
In “Relevance of FW Taylor’s Principles to Modern Shop-Floor Practices: A Benchmarking Work-Study,” the evolutionary process of scientific management theory has been examined. Machines were being rapidly replaced by human power during the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain, which led to the emergence of the discussed theory. Factories were being extensively opened. The main objective was to increase and improve productivity. Productivity could only be enhanced by implementing various strategies, which was the essence of the ideas propounded by F.W. Taylor. The evolution of the scientific theory was so remarkable that various industrialists, academics, and officials were enthralled by Taylor’s hypothesis. (Vijai et al., 2017)
In “Frederick W. Taylor’s Scientific Management Principles: Relevance and Validity,” Taylor introduced the piecework concept and contributed significantly to organizational behavior, industrial efficiencies, work measurement, delineation, and management of tasks. Taylor's contributions were further substantiated by comparing them with those of Gilbreth, Henri Fayol, Henri Gantt, and many other practitioners. His contributions to industrial psychology were also examined. (Taneja et al., 2011). The author feels that labor-management relations are more amicable when the principles of management are put into real practice. The benefits of improved labor-management relations include industrial peace, harmonious relations, increased productivity, and organizational effectiveness, as well as a reduction in industrial actions. The author is confident that it is important for managers to use Taylor’s scientific methods to identify the component tasks associated with a specific job and how long it takes to perform each task.
The scientific management theory began to merge with contradictory ideas. According to Tsukamoto (2008), “A conceptual asymmetry exists in Taylor’s writings regarding the portrayal of the human nature of workers and managers.” Despite considerable progress and developments in scientific management theory, there are certain limitations that critics point out:
a) Taylor viewed the workforce as a machine and focused on the economic and physical needs of the workers. He failed to consider the workforce's social needs and recognize them as essential components of the organization.
b) The differential wage rate system, one of the noted techniques of scientific management, leads to conflict and differences of opinion among workers and increases labor absenteeism. The technique discriminated between efficient and inefficient workers based on standard output.
c) The hired hands and labor unions opposed the theory because they feared unemployment. The scientific methods would increase production but reduce the workforce.
d) There is no scope for workers to exhibit their creativity and imagination to improve and devise their production techniques. The widespread use of standardization and task planning made workers' jobs quite tedious.
e) Scientific management favored the ‘best way’ of doing the job; however, there can never be just one best way due to emerging concepts and theories in contemporary times.
Suggestions and Conclusion
Taylor has earned the moniker "Father of Scientific Management Theory" despite being criticized. According to Vijay et al. (2017), “The evolution of scientific management and its widespread use across different nations is a testament to its effectiveness in resource utilization and higher productivity.” The concept of Scientific Management Theory, also known as Taylorism, may seem obsolete but remains very much alive in contemporary workplace culture. The principles of scientific management are still widely applied in companies, especially in cutthroat industries that need to keep costs and output high to stay competitive.
Organizations, especially multinational corporations, should strategically incorporate scientific management theory to optimize resource use. There should be management training and education for every employee to meet organizational needs. Harmony among employees is essential, and managers should work to share surplus with workers to motivate them towards achieving organizational goals. According to Taylor, “Scientific management has for its foundation the firm conviction that the true interests of the two are the same; that prosperity for the employer cannot exist for a long time unless it is accompanied by prosperity for the employees and vice versa.”
Although the theory has faced criticism, its positive impact on companies outweighs the negatives. Based on the findings and discussions in this article, it can be argued that scientific management has been highly significant for business organizations. It is applied in almost every business organization and continues to be crucial as it supports scientific decision-making, enabling organizations to adapt to the changing business environment.
References
Locke, E. A. (1982). The Ideas of Frederick W. Taylor: An Evaluation. Academy of Management Review, 7(1), 14–24. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1982.4285427
Vijai, J. P., Somayaji, G. S. R., Swamy, R. J. R., & Aital, P. (2017). Relevance of F.W. Taylor’s principles to modern shop-floor practices: A benchmarking work study. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 24(2), 445–466. https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-02-2015-0019
Taneja, S., Pryor, M. G., & Toombs, L. A. (2011). Frederick W. Taylor’s Scientific Management Principles: Relevance and Validity. The Journal of Applied Management and Entrepreneurship, 16(3), 60–78. https://www.proquest.com/openview/a69f6a9311ad1cfbafc7c4f29805a6b2/1?pqorigsite=gscholar&cbl=25565
Tsukamoto, S. W. (2008). Scientific Management revisited: Did Taylorism fail because of a too positive image of human nature? Journal of Management History, 14(4), 348–372. https://doi.org/10.1108/17511340810893108
Gull, R. (2017). Scientific Management; Concept, Principles, And Relevance. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention (IJHSSI), 6(11), 68–70. http://www.ijhssi.org/papers/v6(11)/Version-5/J0611056870.pdf
Is Scientific Management Relevant? (2017). UK Essays. https://www.ukessays.com/essays/management/is-scientific-management-still-relevantanalysis-management-essay.php
Kato, F. (2019). Taylorism and Amazon. StuDocu. https://www.studocu.com/engb/document/university-of-hertfordshire/financial-management/taylorism-and-amazoncourse-work-about-scientific-management/8453706
The Impact of Scientific Management in the 21st Century. (2020). IvyPanda. https://ivypanda.com/essays/scientific-management/#ivy-csf-section
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