Taylorism and Scientific Management - Essay Example

?Taylorism and Scientific Management Mankind has been in voyage towards improvement regarding the activities of social nature. In this pursuit it has managed discovering many fronts. All these endeavors are motivated by one cause- ease and improvement. The management field is no exception and it has undergone many changes to stand at point where it stands today. Objectives: The objective of this paper is to look into one particular process that was undertaken in the field of management and the benefits that were derived through it. Scientific management concept is being brought to focus in this regard, its nature, impact, and path forward is being examined. Historical background: The journey of products and services manufacturing can be traced back to primitive days in mankind’s history. While at one time, the focus of ability was manual methods and horticulture, with time it transformed into less manual and more machine enabled functions. The industrial revolution gave it further acceleration. With advancements in science and technology, the need was felt to make use of it in the managerial field. As a result scientific tools were brought into action to utilize all the benefits possible. The dilemma: With scientific approach adaptation comes useful and smart work concept. It is a tool which can help improve excellence by many proportions, at the same time it can result in resources wastage if not brought into use in a proper manner. The way out: While scientific methods are in practice all over, it is the management and wise moves that can convert the ordinary into extra ordinary. Management is the man’s ability to make use of the technologies to the desired output. This is possible by studying the scientific management in its due manner. For example if it is sought to know how scientific management differs from others, a comparison can be drawn to know the difference. The differentiating factors can be determined only if the two parallels are compared. For this the scientific and non scientific methods are being brought under scrutiny to gauge the difference. This is followed by the addressing of the question that what possible difference could an individual make to a particular position or how much does the top management influence the lower unit and how well and integrated does it keep it. Pre industrial and pre scientific era: Prior to the advancements that took place in form of industrial development and scientific advancements. Manual methods and large number of man power was the order of the day. The number of personnel a particular company possessed, the more it was termed as self sufficient and powerful in the field of manufacturing. It is often termed as era of ordinary management. That epoch of managerial journey was marked by generalized functioning of the members, with lack of any documented procedures and activities. The professional traits were being transferred to individuals through pedigree of field experience from one generation to another. That particular era was alien to the concept of technical, written methods. The specialization of tasks and knowledge area of individuals enabled more productivity and less hassle. What was done with hundreds of members was made possible through only tens of them through the art of specialization and division according to the nature of work. The fruit of specialization are derived in a multi fold manner. Not just the output activity has gained from it, rather the individuals as well who have to undergo less yet accurate physical processes to reach to a desired output. Under the umbrella of scientific method and specialization, the scope and domain of performing a task is not just limited to one aspect, rather a task can be done in multiple ways each striving to outsmart the other and providing an edge over the other. In other words, the scientific applications provide array of options for implementing the tasks in different ways. The methods at the same time have seen improvement as they were transferred and imparted from one generation to another and improvements being delivered along with. Managerial role: The old concepts of managing and deputing revolved around managerial abilities terms of bringing the best out of the workers. This was done so through the concept of incentive initiation and getting the outputs based on those incentives. The incentive approach had risks attached to it, for the output may not be yielded as desired. This was one of the weak links in the traditional mode of business undertaking activities. To the utter contrast, the scientific approach is based on sheer synchronous working with each expected to deliver and each provided with incentives accordingly. The scientific approach does not disown the concept of initiatives, for they are integral part of any task and it is in line with the human emotions and sense of encouragement, but the two differ in the mode in which the initiatives are being offered. In the modern outlook, the managers have a greater responsibility and onus upon them, not just in terms of their own task, rather managing the members underneath them and creating coherence in the overall established setup working for a single cause of product or service delivery. In a loosely termed manner, scientific approach is all about knowing what to do, when to do and how to do. This is undertaken in a multi tier approach vis a vis: Replacing the conventional and stereo type methods Introducing the concept of training and development of individuals through different methods which were totally alien to the earlier modes of business operations A more cooperative and integrated and participatory approach Finally, the distribution of work load on equal proportions without overburdening a single pillar (Braverman). These are the four basic tenets of scientific approach, their predecessor mode may depict few of the aforementioned factors however they are not well integrated nor do they utilize them in the manner desired. As the name would imply, the latter approach is based on more rules, formulation and documentation which brings about more standardization and uniform pattern in the manner in which the overall approach is being undertaken. The element of planning: More vigorous planning is part of scientific approach; as a result each task is undertaken with more consideration. The tool of planning enables equipping oneself to the demands of scientific advancements in managerial field. Critical View: A thought has it that the overall approach is aimed at benefiting the capitalist mindset than truly empowering the labor in their own right and as a result the degradation of the work in the previous century. Scientific approaches and case of Pig Iron: One of the examples coined is that of pig iron, which was dealt with on purely manual basis in earlier days and it sought extensive labor. Bethlehem Steel manufacturing agency is a prominent name in this regard who have travelled a distance and adopted measures dealing with the pig iron and its intensively labor seeking nature. Its usage came in handy and peaked up in a war where heavy machinery was being employed and as a result both the company and pig iron gained from it. The incumbent was made to pass through a scientific mode with aim to increase the productivity. Since large numbers of personnel were employed, it served as a good pilot study to determine what exactly would change in the overall outlook of iron handling by such a giant organization. A questionnaire and survey based approach was adopted in order to determine the exact nature of overall situation with the workers being questioned relevant to the four points which form the cornerstone of scientific approach(Gordon, 151). The outcome derived is the fact that even the basic tasks have scientific element and applicability to it and if the scientific methods are implemented, they can enable yielding more output than can be done so through manual methods which is more labor seeking and burdensome(Stalker & Burns). Scientific adaptation in a lexical approach: The core focus of scientific approach was that of utilizing the underutilized and wasted factor- labor utilization. The need was felt first by the economic proponents who realized that more could be derived. Andrew Ure and Charles Babbage come as two of the prominent figures in this regard. However the ice was broken by the able head of Fredrick W. Taylor who in modern times is known as the founder of the idea of scientific principles aimed at improving the overall outlook of industries. His contributions came at a time when the intense First World War was engaged and the industries were blossoming in full strength. In simple words the scientific approach is aimed at using of science and its methodologies to bring the best out of situations. The quest began in the last two decades of 19th century and by beginning 20th century it had spread its web to all the states that were engulfed into the industrial functions. Taylorism was based on cashing in more on the working hours of the labor and making sure that the eight hours are utilized in its due manner (Davis). This trend can be discouraged by rewarding those who show excellence in their fields and contribute in a more zealous manner. The outcome: Planning, specialization of work and workers, improved working situation and more machinery than man are few of the gifts of scientific management techniques introduced by F.W.Taylor. References: Braverman, Harry. Labor and monopoly capital: the degradation of work in the twentieth century. Monthly Review Press,, 1998. Davis, Gerald Fredrick. Organizations and Organizing: Rational, Natural, and Open Systems Perspectives. Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007. Gordon, Jack. The Pfeiffer Book of Successful Leadership Development Tools. John Wiley & Sons, 2007. STALKER, G. M AUTOR and TOM AUTOR BURNS. The Management of Innovation. Oxford University Press, 1994. Read More