A scientific approach to managerial decision making

University Degree Business and Administrative studies

Scientific management is defined as ‘the use of a scientific fact-finding method to determine empirically the right ways to perform tasks’ (Wren, 1994, p. 109). In this scientific management philosophy, Taylor had different types of process to manipulate the weaknesses of the industries during his time. They were ‘task management system, time study, standardised tools and procedures, individualised work, management responsibility for training, scientific selection and shorter working hours and rest pauses’ (Locke, 1982, p. 14-17). However, many of his contemporaries had objected his ideas and the purpose of this essay is to identify Taylor’s scientific management process and the criticisms that were given to him.

Taylor’s first step was to develop a scientific approach to managerial decision making, which was ‘intended to contrast with the unscientific approach in traditional management such as rule of thumb, guesswork, precedent, personal opinion or hearsay’ (Locke, 1982, p. 14). Taylor applied his time study theory for his first step, towards scientific management. His solution to the tradition management problem was to ‘break down the work task into its constituent motions; to eliminate wasted motions so the work would be done in the one best way’ (Locke, 1982, p. 15). Taylor’s time study system involved two phases – analytical and constructive. For analytical phase, ‘each job was broken into as many simple elementary movements as possible’ (Wren, 1994, p. 109). This meant that the time study was to enable each worker to have their small contribution to the work; which would mean less tedious job rather than in the traditional management, where each worker’s job was tough and tedious, leading to more fatigue. Another phase was the constructive phase, where it ‘involved building a file of elementary movements and times to be used wherever possible on other jobs or classes work’ (Wren, 1994, p. 110). With this constructive phase, it enabled Taylor to further consider developing a theory of enhancing the usefulness of tools, procedures and machines. The theory was called standardised tools and procedures process, where it was to solve great inefficiencies of usage of tools and procedures during working hours as ‘proper tools were not always used or even owned’ (Locke, 1982, p. 15).

The second step by Taylor was to ‘scientifically select and then train, teach, and develop the workman, whereas in the past workers chose their own work and trained by themselves as best he could’ (Freeman, 1984, p. 35). He attempted his system called the task management system, in which ‘each worker each day was given a definite task with detailed written instructions and an exact time allowance for each element of the work based on time study, and methods, tools, and materials were standardised’ (Wren, 1994, p. 113). This task specifies not only what is to be done but ...

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Taylor’s third step was to ‘heartily cooperate with the men so as to insure all of the work being done in accordance with the principles of the science which has been developed’ (Freeman, 1984, p. 35). According to Locke (1982, p. 16), Taylor’s money bonus system stated that each individual worker should be paid according to the orders being carried out by their supervisors or employers or leaders. This included paying extra wages for them if their work performance was better than expected. Taylor stated that there were two ways of differential payment rate: ‘those who did not meet the standard received an ordinary rate of pay and those who did attain the standard received extraordinary pay’ (Wren, 1994, p. 111). This was to heartily cooperate with the workers so that they could overcome soldiering and had more individualism in terms of wages paid to them for their effort, not their status; in terms of lower-class workers or first-class workers.

The fourth and last step in Taylor’s scientific management was to have ‘an almost equal division of the work and the responsibility between the management and the workmen’ (Freeman, 1984, p. 35). In the past almost all of the work and the greater part of the responsibility were thrown upon the men. The money bonus system, according to Taylor, had three aims to his system; each worker should be given according to their ability, each worker should produce the maximum amount of work in which a first-rate man of his class can do and thrive and the worker should be paid 30 percent to 100 percent according to the amount of work he had done, beyond the average of his status (Wren, 1994, p. 112).

Taylor had many critics among his fellow contemporaries. During his time, the socialist Upton Sinclair had claimed that Taylor’s scientific management system was exploitative to workers because of workers’ wages increased by a lesser amount although the productivity had improved by 100 percent; in which he argued that the workers’ wages should be increased according to the amount of production increase (Locke, 1982, p. 20). In those days, the supervisors and top managers’ groups had opposed to Taylor’s task management system because ‘it contracted their authority and range of activities,’ resulting in the intention to ‘strip authority from the general manager to place it in the hands of specialised, lower-level managers’ (Wren, 1994, p. 115). This would mean that their orders and positions weren’t as very important as before, although the groups of managers and supervisors still had the upper hand.

In conclusion, Frederick W. Taylor was the utmost figure in the formulation of scientific management theory. Through his research studies of scientific principles and operations in manual working environment, he was regarded as the father of scientific management. His theory contained ‘more advocacy than fact, and was more reform minded than scientific’ (Wren, 1994, p. 131). However, his view and systems are being applied to management but with many changes as Freeman (1984, p. 42) stated that ‘part of scientific management's longevity is due to the improvements that have been made over time, thereby encouraging its widespread use and international acceptance.’

REFERENCE LIST

Freeman, Michael, (1984), ‘Scientific management: 100 years old; poised for the next century,’ SAM Advanced Management Journal, Vol. 61, Issue 2, pp. 35-42

Locke, A. Edwin, (1982), ‘The Ideas of Frederick W. Taylor: An Evaluation,’ Academy of Management Review, Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 14-24.

Wren, A. Daniel, (1994), The Evolution of Management Thought (4th Edn), John Wiley & Sons, Inc.