Taylor's Scientific Management - Term Paper Example

 Taylor’s Scientific Management Table of Contents Table of Contents 1 Taylor’s Scientific Management 2 Introduction 2 Scientific Management 3 Principles of Scientific Management 6 Problems in Scientific Management 6 Application for Improvement of Quality in Health Service 9 Conclusion 11 Taylor’s Scientific Management Introduction Scientific management by Fredrick W. Taylor got enough reputation in terms of a management theory. Scientific management circulates around the concepts of productivity and work of labourers. According to Taylor, the productivity of work can be improved and made better by following scientific methods. Taylor emphasizes that instead of making use of “the rule of thumb” for working, the scientific methods should be employed for work. According to scientific management, the workers are in need of encouragement and motivation, which can be provided to them win form of incentives. Taylor emphasizes that man is in need of monetary gains only so the encouragement should be in form of incentives. This principle has worked successfully in many places but the critics have differing views in relation to scientific management. It is said that human beings should not be considered as machines and also that they are not only governed by means of incentives. According to critics, there can be many other ways of encouragement. They also state that Taylor’s theory of scientific management also dehumanizes human beings. For the improvement of health service, the application of scientific management is very significant. The implementation of the theory and principles of scientific management is able to improve and make better the performance of workers associated with health services on the basis of the principles of the scientific management proposed by Fredrick W. Taylor. Scientific Management Scientific management can be defined as a theory of management which evaluates and synthesizes the procedures of workflow in order to make better the production of labour (Taylor 1985). The basic elements of the theory of scientific management were presented by Fredrick W. Taylor. According to Taylor, instead of making use of rule of thumb, scientific methods should be employed for managing factories (Taylor 1985). Scientific management is also termed as Taylorism on the basis of its attachment to Fredrick W. Taylor. According to Taylor, a developed criterion methodology should be adopted for the performance of the jobs. The labourers that are suitable for a job and have the qualities in relation to the wanted job should be adopted for the task (Taylor 1985). The labourers should be trained on the basis of the standard methodology for the respective tasks (Abbott 1988). The workers should be helped for arrangement of their tasks and for eradicating the unwanted intrusions. Taylor also informs that the workers of a job should be facilitated with incentives and bonuses when the output of a task is up to the mark or increased then expectations (Kanigel 1999). By constructing a theory with the title, scientific management, Taylor has certain objectives in his mind. First of all, Taylor was interested in developing a scientific method that contained the ability of taking the place of the “rule of thumb” employed for management tasks (Kaufman 2004). Taylor emphasizes that according to the scientific management, the workers and the training that they should receive should not be left on the workers’ will, it should be adjusted according to the scientific selection procedure, the training that they have received and the improvement that they gained in terms of their experience with a job (Furnham 2005). The scientific management also kept an objective of increasing the collaboration between the workers and the management so that the tasks can be performed according to the scientific procedures defined by scientific management (Taylor 1985). The last objective of scientific management is to divide the procedures in equivalent ratios between the management and the workers (Child 2005). According to scientific management, for the performance of different tasks, there must be group formation that should be formed according to their respective skills in relation to the tasks. Taylor constructed the basic elements of scientific management while working in US steelworks. He was able to be a manager after his struggle. Initially, he started as a labourer. With this promotion in his life, he noticed that workers are in need of monetary gains as a sort of the appreciation for their performed work (Abbott 1988). According to Taylor’s assumptions, man is more concerned about his/her economic gains and also about how he/she can make his economic status better (Furnham 2005). He also informed that people may work in groups but they require individualistic benefits in terms of their done effort. Taylor also regarded human beings as standardized machines as he claimed that human beings can be treated as regulatory machines. According to the perceptions of Taylor and his experience as a worker, workers require to be motivated and encouraged by means of monetary gains (Abbott 1988). Taylor emphasizes that for the output of a task that is well done, the workers should be awarded likewise. The application of the scientific management is claimed by to affect the work performance of workers as well as management. According to Taylor, the productivity of labour can be improved by means of the theory of scientific management if applied (Child 2005). Taylorism or scientific management is attached with Fordism on the basis of some similarities that are found in both the theories. Fordism can be defined as a theory according to which, thousands of workers are appointed for working with specialized machines so that a huge quantity of a product can be obtained. For this purpose, the output should be one product only (Child 2005). The mass production can be considered a similarity between Fordism and scientific management as both the theories are concerned with increase in productivity. With repetitive tasks, workers show slow performance and this, needs to be resolved (Kanigel 1999). The slow performance of work is called soldering. According to Taylor, the problem of soldiering can be controlled by paying higher incentives for positive performance of workers. According to Taylor, workers that work efficiently can replace a number of workers (Abbott 1988). Taylor identifies that the productivity of workers slows down on the basis of non-incentive based working. When the worker will get a fixed pay for whatever he/she done for productivity, the work performance will be affected negatively (Kaufman 2004). Taylor identifies that workers’ efficiency is affected negatively due to their consideration of the rule of thumb (Child 2005). According to Taylor, the work performance of workers needs to be monitored and arranged according to scientific methods designed under scientific management in place of following the rule of thumb. For the solution of the problem of soldering, the work processes should be incentive based as it encourages the workers to come up with better results (Kanigel 1999). The theory of scientific management circulates around the concepts of development of a scientific procedure for management tasks, selection of workers or employees on the basis of science, the development and training by means of scientific methodology and a collaborating relationship between the management and the taskforce for increased productivity. Principles of Scientific Management Scientific management has four principles (Taylor 1985) that are The old methodology adopted for management, “the rule of thumb” should be replaced by means of scientific methods of management. The workers should not be given the opportunity to train themselves for their selected procedures but they should be selected, trained and developed by scientific methods. There should be collaborative linkage between workers and the management in order to make sure that scientific methods of scientific management are followed by the workers. The work should be divided equivalently between the management and the workers. The workers should not be fully responsible for the work. For task performance, groups should be formed that can perform the tasks according to their relevant skills. Problems in Scientific Management Taylor’s scientific management neglects the differences that people can have. Human beings are not machines and cannot be encouraged or motivated to perform efficiently in a single manner (Nelson 1980). Monetary benefit cannot be regarded as the only encouragement for the employees to work (Child 2005). No one can deny the fact that motivation by means of monetary gains plays an effective role but for every individual, this principle does not work. Because of scientific management, the productivity of work has increased but because of application of this theory, there are also many problems faced by people (Furnham 2005). The tasks assigned to people have become monotonous and repetitive. The workers enjoy no autonomy in order to select the task that they like. The skills that are varied and different are not required but only one skill that is suitable for the job (Abbott 1988). Taylorism or scientific management is also regarded as dehumanizing because the human beings that are considered as workers have no autonomy to choose a work of their choice and have no freedom to exercise variety due to which, a monotonous environment is created (Nelson 1980). Workers cannot be considered as machines only because they are living beings and have their own choices. According to Taylor, man can be regarded as a machine that is only motivated and encouraged by monetary gains or benefits (Abbott 1988). This view of Taylor is negated and criticized by people as he in this conception is dehumanizing the workers. Human needs cannot be satisfied with only monetary gains, there can be many other means of encouragement and motivation (Kanigel 1999). Taylor’s scientific management emphasizes that the head of the organization or the administrator should not be the only person to manage the whole organization. In his place, there should be many people who can divide the task into many chunks so that all the tasks can be performed easily (Child 2005). The tasks can also be divided into many parts and can be performed by especially skilled people. According to Taylor, if the allocated task is divided into chunks, the determination of a solution to the task becomes easy (Furnham 2005). This view of Taylor is also considered criticisable by the people. The division of task and the expected output to be the same is kind of dehumanizing the workers. The workers are given no time to ponder over the work assigned to them. They are given a task and a time for its performance. For time fixity, stop watches were asked to be provided to the workers (Abbott 1988). The workers according to Taylor’s scientific management should be trained about how to perform a work and after it, they must be provided with the stopwatches along with a fixed time (Nelson 1980). This whole mechanism of working dehumanizes the workers as they have no autonomy to perform according to their own will and decision. According to scientific management, the workers are considered as machines that have duties to perform for which they are trained (Furnham 2005). Incentives were considered the only motivating or encouraging principle for Taylor, which is a wrong conception for human kind (Child 2005). The human beings are in need of many other motivations such as promotions, appreciations and many others, which are neglected in scientific management. The fact cannot be negated that monetary gains also play an encouraging role but sometimes, they are not enough as human beings need more kinds of encouragement and support from their heads (Kanigel 1999). Taylor’s methodology of scientific management is also criticized that it aims only on uneducated and unskilled people. It does not keep into focus the people that are education and qualified (Furnham 2005). This fact is prominent by Taylor’s consideration that workers can be made to work what the management likes. Therefore, the theory of scientific management cannot be applied on all people because it shows concern towards a restricted number of people. Critics also disapprove of the application of techniques of the theory of scientific management on the basis of no fixed philosophy behind it (Kanigel 1999). It is said that Taylor may be wrong in his consideration of the needs and requirements of the workers and also he may be wrong in his description of the reasons behind soldiering (Furnham 2005). The workers according to scientific management are considered as common people who can only do simple tasks but no big task (Child 2005). There is no thought process involved in the performance of works according to Taylor and the workers are required to follow the instructions and their training within the time limit that is given to them (Nelson 1980). Application for Improvement of Quality in Health Service In health service department, the application of the theory of scientific management will bring improvement according to the benefits given by Fredrick W. Taylor. There are many elements in the scientific element that can be termed as significant in bringing improvement to certain working environments. The evaluation of the scientific management done by many critics describe that scientific management is successful in increasing the productivity at various workplaces. The criticisms that are done against the scientific management do not inform that scientific management has not increased the productivity but they inform that scientific management has come up with successful results in terms of productivity of work (Abbott 1988). As far as the health service is concerned, when the people will be trained fully about the health needs and what are the measures that can be performed when someone faces health problems, the trained people will be able to help the people. For different health problems, people will be trained differently. For one health problem, there will be separate people and for the other, people will be different due to which, the problem of different health problems can be fully resolved by the help of trained individuals. The health service can also be made better when one individual will be given training about what he/she should do in a certain problem. This training will bring perfection to the person due to which, the results will be according to the health service department needs. When people will be trained according to their skills that what can be done when there is a specific problem, the people with health problems can be dealt properly. With the principles of scientific management, the workers associated to the heath service will not be allowed to select the work according to their own will but they will be selected according to the scientific methodology adopted by the management of the health service. The employees of health service will be selected according to their skill and the training that is given to them. After this selection, the employees that will be selected will be trained fully and suitable for their respective jobs because they have gained training for particular jobs. Because according to the theory of scientific management, the employees are able to get training in relation to specific health services, their performance is improved as compared to those workers that are not skilled. Training plays a crucial role for the employees because after obtainment of training, they are able to perform better and also their skills are polished (Kanigel 1999). Another significant feature of scientific management that can bring improving results for the health service is the collaboration between the management and the workers. With the collaboration between management and the workers, management is able to understand the problems of the workers and can help the employees in understanding of the assigned tasks and their performance (Kanigel 1999). When the tasks will be divided equally between the management and the workers, the performance of the workers associated to health service will be made better and improved. For improved performance, the workers should be awarded with incentives so that their performance gets better and they are able to increase the productivity. The workers associated to heath service will be able to show efficient working and improved performance when they will be given incentives for their good performance due to which, they will be encouraged and motivation. This encouragement and motivation will help to improve the health service. Therefore, it is quite clear that with the application and implementation of scientific management in health service will come up with improvement and betterment of health service. Conclusion The scientific management is a theory that is considered very significant on the basis of its principles that are concerned with productivity and workforce. According to Taylor, the rule of thumb should be replaced with the scientific methods. He also adds that there should be a collaborative link between the management and the employees so that the management can keep a check on the workers in order to check whether they are working according to the scientific methods or not. He wants the management to select the workers for a task in terms of scientific methodology, development and training that should be given to the employees. The employees should not be given a right to choose for themselves. There are many problems with the scientific management as it is claimed to dehumanize the workers and to snatch the freedom of workers in terms of selection of a job for themselves. Taylor also regards incentives as the only encouragement strategy that can be adopted by the management. Health service can be improved by the application of scientific management. The principles of scientific management if applied on health service, its quality can be improved to great extent. References Abbott, A 1988, The System of Professional: An Essay on division of expert labour, University of Chicago, Chicago. Child, J 2005, Organisation, Blackwell, Oxford. Furnham, A 2005, The Psychology of Behaviour at Work, Taylor and Francis, Hove. Kanigel, Robert 1999, The One Best Way: Frederick Winslow Taylor and the Enigma of Efficiency, Penguin Publishers, London. Kaufman, Bruce E 2004, The Global Evolution of Industrial Relations: Events, Ideas and The IIRA, ILO, Geneva. Nelson, Daniel 1980, Frederick W. Taylor and the Rise of Scientific Management, University of Wisconsin Press, Madison. Taylor, Frederick W 1985, Principles of Scientific Management, Hive, Easton. Read More