Importance of Scientific Management Principles to Present Managers - Literature review Example

Importance of Scientific Management Principles to Present Managers Institution: Instructor: Course: Table of Contents Importance of Scientific Management Principles to Present Managers 2 Introduction 2 Technology 3 Remove of time and space barriers 6 Outsourcing 7 Surveillance 9 Working remotely 9 Work life balance concerns 10 Conclusion 11 References 13 Importance of Scientific Management Principles to Present Managers Introduction Frederic Winslow Taylor developed scientific management in the 1880s. Taylor’s main objective was to improve the economic efficiency and workers productivity within the manufacturing industries[Car97]. Boyns (2001), defined scientific management as, a theory of management that examined and integrated workflows in companies. Taylor work was an assay to retaliate the adversarial exertion between management and labour, which was prevalent in the 20th century[Tre01]. In addition, Taylor had observed that workers were applying different methods to ‘under work’, in order to defend their jobs. He recognized inefficiency in labour productivity due to workforce that operated by ‘rule of thumb’ and management mentality of cutting down labour force to increase productivity[Luc10]. Taylor’s main aim was to ensure that, the traditional ‘rule of thumb’ was replaced by a real scientific knowledge. According to Duranti (2010), modern management is a product of technology development, shaped by socio-economical changes in the world’s past events. Boyns (2001) believes that, scientific management has influenced the modern management by continuing to change the way the workplace operates technologically. In addition, aspects of technology have also influenced the modern management in hand with economic downfalls. Modern management has a number of palatable changes that originates from Taylor’s principles, which in turn has resulted to an enormous impact to the current work surroundings. Even though, scientific management is not perceptible in the modern organizations, its technological elements such as rationality, standardization of practices, surveillance, and empiricism have remained relevant to managers by ingraining deeply in all modern organizations. Technology Technology derives from a Greek word meaning arts of scientific methods. Boyns (2001), defines technology as a tool for instrumental operation, which lessens the unsurely in the principle-impact relationships entailed in attaining a wanted results. Basically, technology involves both tangible and intangible products, with the basic part of it being knowledge about methods and processes as cited in the principles of scientific management. Taylor’s posited that for all workers to make the work process standard they must use efficient means. Gronroos (2008) posited that, technology is a critical force, which has emerged to address specific means. In this regard, companies use technological approach in their business strategies and operation to enhance productivity and efficiency[Tre01]. Dean (1997) posited that technology offers the present management with practices and policies that balance operations to create, sustain, and improve the company competitive advantage based on ownership expertise and knowledge. In his observation, Boyns (2001) indicated that technology integrates the present management to plan, develop, and implement models and execute the organization operation and strategic objectives. Nevertheless, technology, has borrowed some elements from the scientific management, such as the first principle ‘rule of thumb’, Taylor formulated an alternative method of this principle to provided managers with a position to analyze organizational problems. In this approach, Taylor formulated procedural systematic experiments, which he believed would offer a solution to the problems facing the management during the process of production. This approach according to Dean (1997), has gained massive popularity, since most organization use in their decision-making process. However, the present companies do not use the systematic experiments to analyze organizational problems; instead, they have adopted new technologies that offer such services such as business process reengineering (BPR) or total quality management (TQM). BPR is a management approach developed in 1990, which aimed at improving the organization performance by means of analyzing and elevating effectiveness in the processes of the organisation. Scholars believed that development of BPR was a rebirth of scientific management[Chr94]. According to Granroos (2008), BPR is a re-animation of Taylor’s principle, which aimed at maximising productivity, regardless of the working environment and workers satisfaction. Duranti (2010) argues that, the primary idea of scientific management was that work could be analyzed scientifically, and information gathered could be utilized to enhance productivity. Boyns (2001) stated that, scientific management was not interested with technology; however, technology has applied scientific principles to improve the productivity of the modern organisations. Nevertheless, scholars argue that, application of Taylor’s principles in technology was applied through concepts that look in a different way presently. In his study, Boyles (2001) claims that Taylor never ignored technology, instead he took it as a crucial supporter to performance management, but due to the rate of development, he never considered it as a crucial change inciter. In this regard, comparing BPR and scientific management they kind of share the same principle and drive towards the same goal. In his critique, Dean (1997) posited that BPR literature offers a harsh review of the continuous implementation of scientific principles in the modern management. Since BPR rejects planning separation and offers strict guidelines in division of labour. In addition, both BPR and scientific management focus on productivity and effective utilization of resources attained through a maximum process design and their succeeding in strategic positioning. Gronroos (2008) posited that, application of process-based organizations is mostly attached to massive layoffs and an accent on managerial controls. For instance, a study conducted by CSC indicated that 73% of companies that implemented BPR decreased their workforce by an average of 21%[Car97]. Through technology, they have managed to remove the barriers of time and space, outsource their services, monitored, and implemented remote working and work life balance concerns. Remove of time and space barriers Technology advancements are beyond the control. Through technologies such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) organization have managed to remove time and space barriers that traditionally slowed down operations in the company[Tre01]. ERP is a technological programme that connects the external and internal management information within the company. The programme provides vital information to the organization such as the key performance indicators that can be utilized by management to improve the overall organization performance and remove barriers that can lower the productivity level[Luc10]. Boyns (2001) asserted that ERP programme uses executive level input and cross-functional teams to analyze and identify the existing processes and promote remote working. This is meant to remove barriers such as communication and overcrowding in the workplace. The modern organization are utilizing the present technologies such as ERP to analyze the existing processes in order to overcome the time and space barriers, and in turn increase efficiency and productivity[Tre01]. For instance, according to Duranti (2010), IBM implemented ERP programme to increase its competitive advantage, speedy operation and to satisfy their customers. After implementation of IBM reduced its employees especially who lacked skills in order to create space for the business expansion and enhance remote working. Communication process in most organisations takes time, hence pulls back the business processes. According to Dean (1997), these impediments motivated a new information revolution that could compress the time and space in the business process. ERP a technological innovation was developed in 1990s aimed at uniting all the organizational departments into a single department to reduce communication time. Basically ERP uses technology via the internet websites to present information to other computers around the world at a speed of light. Gronroos (2008) observed that, technology has made the world a smaller place, whereby information can be shared to millions of persons at the same time. In this regard, Companies have managed to break the time-and space barriers, by using technology to develop and design a product easily, market it, and sell it online. The program shuns the traditional managerial services where companies used to hire persons, train them so that they can advertise and promote the products. Taylor supposition was that managers take workers for granted, treat them like automated machines. In this respect, Gronroos (2008) argued that scientific management has made jobs disappear, since workers demand for high remuneration has seen them replaced by computerized automatic machines such as ERP. In addition, most companies are presently focusing on customers, and implement any form of technology that will see a reduction of labour cost and increased customer satisfaction. Outsourcing Duranti (2010) defines outsourcing as practice of searching resources outside the organization structure for technology function. Duranti (2010) observes that most organizations are using IT outsourcing to facilitate, improve performance and reduce operation costs. In a survey conducted by Gartner in 2007, it was observed that, 41% of Europe companies outsource to improve the performance and increase the business outcomes[Chr94]. Consequently, Boyns (2001) posited that, outsourcing benefits modern organizations primarily in reducing or controlling costs. Increased application of outsourcing strategies have been observed in most Europe and America organization. According to Dean (1997), the main aim of outsourcing is to focus on the core competencies, by stretching auxiliary services to other companies. Traditionally, outsourcing entailed services such as cleaning, auditing, maintenance and finances[Tre01]. However, with advancement of technology, outsourcing has been injected to the organization core activities such as assembling cars using parts manufactured from different companies to form a complex supply chains[Chr94]. Critically, Gronroos (2008) laments that, through outsourcing most unskilled people have been left jobless, since companies are using technology to replace workers. Boyns (2001) posits that companies are applying Taylor’s first principle of increasing efficiency and productivity through outsourcing. Scholars consider this as substantial shortcomings that have increased demand for employment[Luc10]. Several authors have argued that automation, computerization of works and outsourcing is a barbaric involvement of scientific management models being practiced by most companies[Chr94]. Outsourcing has involved the growth of autonomous companies, which specialises in a specific core of activities. This has formulated a platform for workers professionalization and formal working conditions, which in turn automatically make unskilled workers, lose their jobs[Tre01]. In addition, Gronroos (2008) believes that outsourcing was established to reduce production time due to heightened competition, customer needs and lower economic margins. For instance, in February 2012, IBM laid off 800 workers across US, this was meant to target the cut operation cost by outsourcing some of its service and offshore workers[Jul12]. It is worth noting that most companies apply Taylor’s principles of increasing efficiency and productivity and reducing costs by layoffs. Surveillance Taylor recommended that workers behaviour, activities, or other changing information should be monitored in order to pinpoint workers who take advantage of others by under working[Car97]. However, the modern organizations use technology to monitor their employees, unlike traditional means where a supervisor was employed to perform the task[Luc10]. Technology has led to development of various surveillance appliances and software’s such as, email scanning where all outgoing and ingoing emails are scanned to identify contents that can violate the company policies, video surveillance such as CCTV, in which employees activities are monitored[Luc10]. This has positioned employees under increased strain instead of motivation. A recent survey conducted by, RES research council found that, 50% of employees are unhappy when their managers use surveillance technology to keep a log on their jobs[Luc10]. This constants monitoring leaves workers exhausted, anxious and unmotivated, this in turn, has decreased performance of the workers. Duranti (2010) posited that managers are using surveillance technology to ensure their workers hit the performance target. In this regard, the company productivity may increase, but in turn, employees are left exhausted and morally damaged. In the survey, Duranti (2010) found out those companies that use technology to monitor employees there was 7.5% increase in work related strains. According to Taylor, to increase productivity workers should be monitored to ensure they do not under work, but perform accordingly. This ideology is being applied in the modern organizations[Chr94]. Working remotely Technology has done wonders in the world of business, development of laptops, smart phones and iOS have changed how people work. In this regard, employees who wish to work from remote or houses and not at the office requires some skills as cited in Taylors principles. Skill is a crucial requirement in the world of technology; hence, no company can risk employing an individual with no technological skills pertaining to work remotely[Tre01]-. Technologically, employees have managed to work remotely; enhanced by designing of remote web workplace, virtual private network and log Mein. Managers use IT to connect with their employees simultaneously irrespective of their location. To be capable to utilize such technology academic skills as cited from Taylor’s principle are required; hence, individuals short of skills remain isolated by technology[Tre01]. In a survey conducted by seventh, sense Research found that 60% of employees prefer working remotely, as compared to 20% who preferred working from the office, the remaining percentage prefer working from their homes. For those who prefer working remotely, asserted that the main reason they do not like working from the office is monitoring, harsh policies and poor rewarding system under the performance management. In addition, companies save an average of $20000 annually for each worker who works remotely and the productivity of the company increases by 22%[Chr94]. Mathematically, it is logical to that technology favours both the worker and employer, unlike Taylor’s principle that favours only the employers. Work life balance concerns Work life balance robs an enormous bite out of company revenues than any other issue affecting company investment in the modern world[Car97]. Taylor posited that the fate and future of the company depends on the skills of the employees hired, developed and retained. Gronroos (2010) posited that work-life balance is not an issue to be resolved, but a problem to be managed. It is worth noting that work-life balance is not same for every individual, hence managers should formulate a policy using the available technology to manage it. In a recent survey conducted by Gallup poll, it was observed that half of the total employees working presently would fire their managers if they had the power to do so. The survey noted that most mangers lack knowledge on how to manage issues facing both them and employees[Chr94]. Most managers’ lack respect for workers, and they fail to realize the workers have a life to live. Gallup noted that, it is not that are not interested with employees life, but because they are untrained. In this regard, Taylor’s principle of training unskilled workers unveils in this situation, where managers through training they can manage to choose and challenge themselves[Luc10]. Conclusion Conclusively, it is logical to utter that scientific management is still relevant to the modern management but not to the employees. Even though, technology has led to development of new management concepts, the principles of scientific management have played a vital role in the development of these new management approaches. Consequently, the modern technologies such as BPR and ERP, applied in the modern management are infants of Taylor’s first principle. In addition, the recruitment of skilled labour force and monitoring of the workers originate from Taylor’s second and third principle respectively. However, despite the advancements brought about by Taylorism, employees have become slaves of technology, whereby they are laid off, monitored, or the untrained managers violate their work-life balance. References Car97: , (Dean, 1997), Tre01: , (Boyns, 2001), Luc10: , (Duranti, 2010), Chr94: , (Gronroos, 2008), Jul12: , (Bort, 2012), Read More