MY DREAM IAS !

FREDERICK TAYLOR

• Frederick Winslow Taylor, a mechanical engineer by training, was regarded as the "Father of Scientific Management" for pioneering work in the study of human being at work;
• Based on extensive studies of industrial work situation, Taylor identified defects in management and proposed a philosophy of management  for industrial efficiency, which was subsequently labelled as "Scientific Management" by Louis Brandies;
• Taylor's Philosophy of scientific management is that there is no inherent conflict in the interests of employee, workers and consumers. Based on this philosophy he developed four principles of scientific management viz., a) development of true science of work; b) scientific selection of work; c) scientific education and development of workers; and d) intimate and friendly cooperation between the management and the men;
• Taylor developed many management techniques like functional foremanship; time and motion study; piece-rate system; standardization of tools; the exception principles; the differential rate system, etc., as application tools of scientific management. The tools, Taylor felt, will help in identifying "one best way of doing things";
• The essence of scientific management, according to Taylor, is mental revoloution i.e. change of attitude on the part of workers and management towords their work and their relationships;
• Both trade unions and managers of the day were very critical of scientific management, through for different reasons. The trade union consisdered the scientific management as anti-labour and anti-trade union, focusing on mechanical aspects of work ignoring the human aspects. The labour organizations protested the "dehumanising" aspect of Taylorism;
• The manager did not appreciate the criticism of rule-of-thumb methds and prescription of technical training to managers to increase efficiency and effectiveness in organizations;
• Taylor's principles and prescriptions were criticised by latter writers for their failure to understand the anatomy of work. Simon and March characterized scientific management as the "psychological organization theory";
• Taylor's work, in spite of limitationsand criticisms, greatly influenced the study and practices of industrial administration in the modern world. Taylor's heritage is visible in many modern management techniques like operation research, method study, Time study, etc. Taylor should be given due credit for laying foundation for the systematic study of work and worker.