SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT

Frederick Winslow Taylor (March 20, 1856 - March 21, 1915) commonly known as
‘Father of Scientific Management’ started his career as an operator and rose to
the position of chief engineer. He conducted various experiments during this process
which forms the basis of scientific management. It implies application of scientific
principles for studying and identifying management problems. His approach is also
often referred to as Taylorism.
According to Taylor, “Scientific Management is an art of knowing exactly what you
want your men to do and seeing that they do it in the best and cheapest way”. In
Taylor’s view, if work is analysed scientifically it will be possible to find one best way to
do it.
Hence scientific management is a thoughtful, organised dual approach towards the job
of management against hit or miss or Rule of Thumb- (a rule of thumb is a
principle with broad application that is not intended to be strictly accurate or reliable
for every situation; or a rough and useful principle or method, based on experience
rather than precisely accurate measures.)
Taylor argued that the principal object of management should be to secure the
maximum prosperity for the employer, coupled with the maximum prosperity for each
employee. He also showed that maximum prosperity can exist only as the result of
maximum productivity. He argued that the most important object of both the employee
and the management should be the training and development of each individual in the
establishment, so that he can do the highest class of work for which his natural abilities
fit him.
Taylor was writing at a time when factories were creating big problems for the
management. Workmen were quite inefficient. According to Taylor, there were three
reasons for the inefficiency. They were the:
i. deceptive belief that a material increase in the output of each man or each machine
in the trade would throw people out of work;

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ii. defective management systems, which made it necessary for each workman to
soldier, or work slowly to protect his own best interests-this loafing or soldiering
proceeds from two causes: first, from the natural instinct and tendency of men to take
it easy, which may be called natural soldiering; second, from more intricate second
thought and reasoning caused by their relations with other men, which may be called
systematic soldiering; and
iii. inefficient rule of thumb methods, which were almost universal in all trades, which
cost much wasted effort.
According to Peter Drucker, the core of scientific management is the organised study of
work, the analysis of work into simplest elements and systematic management of
worker’s performance of each element. Scientific management includes adoption of
scientific principles to all the activities and business related problems instead of own
principles and methods being adopted in the performance of activities. Hence, it can be
described as the process of directing human efforts which employs scientific methods
for getting highest productivity based on the scientific selection, training and placement
of workers aiming at achieving cooperation between workers and management.
Scientific management includes the following:
 scientific study and analysis of work;
 scientific selection, training and placement of workers;
 standardisation of all other resources including raw materials, machinery,
equipment, tools, etc. and providing proper working conditions;
 scientific way or manner of performing each and every work and ensuring that there
are adequate scientific reasons behind the performance of each work.
PRINCIPLES OF SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT
Taylor’s scientific management is based on the following principles-(the first four being
Taylor’s original principles):

1. Replacement of old Rule of Thumb method- decisions should be made on the

basis of facts as developed by the application of scientific methods, thus;

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a. this principle suggests that work assigned to any employee should be observed,
analysed with respect to each and every element and part and time involved in it.
b. this means replacement of odd rule of thumb by the use of method of enquiry,
investigation, data collection, analysis and framing of rules.
c. under scientific management, decisions are made on the basis of facts and by the
application of scientific decisions;

2. Scientific Selection, Training and Development of Workers- scientifically

select the right type of workers for the right job and teach them the right methods
of work, thus;
a. there should be scientifically designed procedures for the selection of workers.
b. physical, mental and other requirement should be specified for each and every job.
c. workers should be selected and trained to make them fit for the job.
d. management has to provide opportunities for development of workers having better
capabilities.
e. efforts should be made to develop each employee to his greatest level, efficiency
and prosperity;

3. Co-operation between Labour and Management (Harmony not Discord)-

the organisation should encourage cooperation between workers and management
so as to create mutual faith and understanding along with goodwill to maintain
cordial relations between them, thus;
a. co-operation and not individualism through change of mental attitudes.
b. only through co-operation can the goals of the enterprise be achieved efficiently.
c. there should be no conflict between managers and workers.
d. interests of employers and employees should be fully harmonised so as to secure
mutually understanding relations between them;

4. Equal Division of Responsibility- there must be proper division and distribution

of responsibilities among the workers and managers, thus;

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a. determine the concrete nature of roles to be played by different levels of managers
and workers.
b. management should assume the responsibility of planning the work whereas
workers should be concerned with execution of task.
c. planning is to be separated from execution;

5. Maximisation of Output- management and workers should try to increase

productivity at minimum possible cost, thus;
a. aim of scientific management is to see maximum prosperity for employer and
employees.
b. It is important only when there is opportunity for each worker to attain his highest
efficiency.
c. maximum output and optimum utilisation of resources will bring higher profits for
the employer and better wages for the workers.
d. there should be maximum output in place of restricted output.
e. both managers and workers should be paid handsomely.
To sum up, Taylor laid emphasis on the following:
 Scientific study and analysis of work, ie. science not rule of thumb;
 Scientific selection, training and placement of workers;
 Standardisation of all other resources including raw materials, machines, tools and
equipment, etc.;
 Scientific way or manner of performing each and every task and ensuring that there
are adequate scientific reasons behind the performance of each work;
 Harmony in group action, rather than discord;
 Development of all workers to the fullest extent possible for their own and the
organisation’s prosperity;
 Maximum output and not restricted output.
ELEMENTS/TECHNIQUES OF SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT
Taylor suggested the following techniques:

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 Scientific Task Setting- it is essential to set standard tasks for every worker
through scientific investigation, which Taylor referred to as a ‘proper day’s work’.
 Work Study- the systematic, objective and critical examination of operational
efficiency in an organisation. The main objectives of work study are:
i. Method Study- whose objective is to know the best method of doing a job;
ii. Motion Study- involves study of the movement of workers and or machines;
iii. Time Study or Work Measurement- art of observing and recording the time
required to do a particular job/task so as to fix a standard time for doing a job
under given conditions;
iv. Fatigue Study- helps in diminishing fatigue among workers on account of
overwork, stress and strain whether physical or mental;
 Differential Piece Wage (Rate Setting)- Taylor recommended the differential
piece rate system based on a fixed standard daily output of a worker consisting of
two piece rates;
 Task Planning- the planning department should prepare detailed instructions and
information relating to production of quality goods;
 Standardisation- the setting up of standards relating to every phase of business
operation by providing workers with standardised working environment and
methods of production;
 Scientific Selection and Training- based on the principle of right workers for the
right job. Right placement of workers improves efficiency and reduces wastage,
whereas training imparts knowledge to workers about the right methods of work;
 Specialisation- basically the division of labour.

AIMS/OBJECTIVES OF SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT

 To ensure higher productivity;
 Elimination of wastage at all levels of works;
 Better workforce through proper selection and training;
 Standardisation of tools, equipment and work methods;
 Incentive wages to the workers for higher production;

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 Better utilisation of resources;
 Continuous improvement of the workers.

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