Scientific Management - for a Different Time and Place

Scientific Management Introduction Scientific Management was first described by Frederick Taylor in the late 19th century. Its relevance to modern day management is widely debated in academic circles. In this essay, I will address the question of whether Scientific Management has a place today, in a 21st Century Knowledge Economy, or whether it belongs to a ‘different time and place. I will argue that much of modern management practice is derived from Taylor’s theories and that in this sense his work is very relevant. Next, I will examine the context in which Taylor developed his principles and contrast this with the contemporary context. Then I will evaluate the relevance of each of Taylor’s 4 Principles to today, with help from a†¦show more content†¦From this comes the argument that today we have moved into a knowledge economy and a new style of management must replace the now obsolete Scientific Management which was designed for standardized physical tasks. Gary Hamel terms this new st yle ‘Management 2.0’. Taylor developed SM to counteract phenomenon of soldiering which he encountered in the steel industry. The reasons for soldiering were as follows: â€Å"1. The almost universally held belief among workers that if they became more productive, fewer of them would be needed and jobs would be eliminated. 2. Non-incentive wage systems encourage low productivity if the employee will receive the same pay regardless of how much is produced, assuming the employee can convince the employer that the slow pace really is a good pace for the job. Employees take great care never to work at a good pace for fear that this faster pace would become the new standard. If employees are paid by the quantity they produce, they fear that management will decrease their per-unit pay if the quantity increases. 3. Workers waste much of their effort by relying on rule-of-thumb methods rather than on optimal work methods that can be determined by scientific study of the task.† (NetMBA, Business Knowledge Center) Soldiering is not a common practice in knowledge economies. The problem that Taylor developed his principles around are from aShow MoreRelatedCharacteristics of Scientific Management1674 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Scientific management can be defined from a broad sense as the endeavors made in order to come up with suitable systems in the sector of industrial production and organization. In a narrower sense, it refers to the specific principles that were championed by Fredrick Taylor who was an engineer before the First World War. Taylor focused on ways of increasing productivity and reducing waste that resulted from management controlling the labor process. 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