Scientific Management-Pdf 2

Scientific Management Theory
Explained
What is Scientific Management Theory?
Scientific management theory is a method of improving efficiency in the
workforce. As its name implies, this management theory uses scientific
methods to assess work processes.
The scientific method consists of three steps: observation, experimentation,

and analysis. In science, this could mean observing the effects of a
treatment, experimenting with a different treatment, and analyzing the
results. Similarly, managers use scientific management theory to observe
their workplaces, test different methods of completing tasks, and analyze
the effect of the changes.
When properly implemented, scientific management theory improves

productivity. It is an evidence-based method that prioritizes efficiency and
reliability. Having scientifically rigorous work methods in place creates clear
expectations for employees because it establishes a single right way to do
things. It also gives managers a unified standard against which to evaluate
their employees.
Scientific management theory has grown exponentially since its inception.

There are now a variety of management strategies that fall under the
umbrella label of scientific management theory. Each of these strategies has
its own set of strengths and weaknesses. It’s important to do your own
research into scientific management theory to find the best applications for
it in your workplace.
The History of Scientific Management Theory

The history of scientific management theory begins with 20th century
mechanical engineer Frederick Winslow Taylor. In Taylor’s time, America
was on the cusp of industrialization, but management methods had not yet
changed to keep up with changes in technology. While working at a steel
manufacturing plant, Taylor observed several production problems.
For one thing, there was little specialization of labor or tools. Work shifts
were randomly assigned, so inexperienced workers often ended up trying
and failing to complete important projects. Tools were crude, and since
only a small number of tools were used for every task, they wore out
quickly. For another, there was no one single “best” standard for workers to
aspire to. Everyone did their job in whatever way they thought worked best,
regardless of whether it was effective. Finally, managers were completely
disconnected from the workers they supervised. The average manager had
no idea how the workers’ tasks were performed, so they were unable to
provide suggestions for improvement.
Taylor set out to solve these problems. He designed specialized shovels and
other tools. He advocated for workers to be matched to the projects for
which they were most naturally gifted. He trained managers in his methods
so that they could implement scientific management theory in their own
workplaces.
Taylor is credited with revolutionizing productivity in the American

workforce. At his own steel plant, the amount of pig iron the workers could
transport in a day reportedly tripled once they adopted his methods. His
ideas spread rapidly and helped give rise to the Industrial Age. Scientific
management is sometimes even referred to as “Taylorism” in his honor.
Taylorism and Classical Management Theory
When people talk about “Taylorism,” they often mean scientific

management theory as it existed in the early 20th century. This specific
management style is also called classical management theory.
Classical management theory is distinguished by three characteristics:

hierarchical structure, specialization, and financial incentives. In a company
operating on classical management theory, there is a rigid hierarchy.
Business owners are on top, supervisors are in the middle, and regular
employees are on the bottom. Everyone has a specialized, small-scale task.
Anyone who is especially successful is rewarded with financial benefits.
Classic Taylorism does a good job of addressing the physical needs of

workers, but it ignores social needs and creativity. Inflexible hierarchies
make it difficult for talented people to rise the ranks of leadership.
Specialization is efficient, but it discourages people from experimenting,
and therefore prevents the development of new methods. And although
good pay incentivizes good behavior, money isn’t the only thing workers
care about. Employees also want to feel valued and take pride in their work.
Classical management theory is no longer widely followed, but it still has

uses. Since Taylor developed his theory while working in a manufacturing
plant, classic Taylorism is well-designed for manufacturers. It also tends to
function better in small enterprises where everyone knows each other, and
social needs are easy to address.
The Principles of Scientific Management

There are four principles of Taylorism.
1. Choose methods based on science: Use the scientific method to

determine the most efficient way to complete a task. Focus on
increasing productivity and profits.
2. Assign workers to tasks based on their natural skillset: Get to
know your workers, discover what they’re good at, and place them
where their skills will be the most useful.
3. Monitor your workers’ performance: Observe what your workers
are doing while they are on the clock so that you can quickly address
any problems. If some workers are confused or unproductive, it is up
to their managers to step in and fix the issue.
4. Divide workloads appropriately between workers and
managers: Make sure that managers understand how to plan and
train workers and that workers understand how to implement those
plans.
Goals and Objectives of Scientific Management

The primary goal of scientific management is to increase efficiency. When
Taylor began his scientific management experiments, he focused on
increasing efficiency by reducing the amount of time needed to perform
tasks. This was a good first step, but there’s a lot more to improving
efficiency than just decreasing work time. Since Taylor’s time, other
innovators have found more ways to increase efficiency, such as
implementing automation software.
Another objective of scientific management theory is increasing profits. If
everyone is working as efficiently as possible, then they should be able to
produce huge amounts of high-quality products. That translates into more
sales and bigger profit margins.
Real-World Applications of Scientific Management

Theory
Scientific management theory is flexible enough to be applied in just about
any industry. Whether you’re designing software or selling real estate, there
are certain tasks that need to be done regularly. Identifying those tasks and
optimizing them for efficiency is a great way to bring Taylorism into your
workplace. Here’s an example.
Imagine your company has a newsletter mailing list. Every time a new
person wants to be added to the mailing list, they send an email requesting
to be added. An employee then manually adds them to the list.
This is an inefficient, multi-step method of adding newsletter subscribers.

Your employee probably doesn’t get any job satisfaction from typing a
name into a mailing list. Moreover, the time spent manually adding names
is time that could be spent on more pressing projects.
If you were the manager tasked with implementing the principles of

scientific management in this company, you might suggest designing a
system that automatically adds people to the mailing list as soon as they
submit a request. The subscribers get newsletter access sooner and the
employee now has more time to concentrate on important assignments.
Applying Scientific Management Techniques
The theory of scientific management is not perfect. Optimizing efficiency

while trying to maximize profits may not solve all your workplace problems.
Moreover, Taylorism has been criticized as being ineffective for modern
businesses. After all, Taylor was working in a pre-industrial era. He could
not have foreseen how businesses and management styles would change in
the future.
Taylor’s brand of scientific management may not be a perfect fit for
contemporary life. However, the scientific management theory could be a
starting point for designing your own management style. You also can
consider other alternative management styles such as the Great Man
Theory of Leadership and the Contingency Theory of Leadership.

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Scientific Management Theory

The scientific method consists of three steps: observation, experimentation,

When properly implemented, scientific management theory improves

Scientific management theory has grown exponentially since its inception.

The History of Scientific Management Theory

Taylor is credited with revolutionizing productivity in the American

Taylorism and Classical Management Theory

When people talk about “Taylorism,” they often mean scientific

Classical management theory is distinguished by three characteristics:

Classic Taylorism does a good job of addressing the physical needs of

Classical management theory is no longer widely followed, but it still has

The Principles of Scientific Management

1. Choose methods based on science: Use the scientific method to

Goals and Objectives of Scientific Management

Real-World Applications of Scientific Management

This is an inefficient, multi-step method of adding newsletter subscribers.

If you were the manager tasked with implementing the principles of

Applying Scientific Management Techniques

The theory of scientific management is not perfect. Optimizing efficiency

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