2. Functional Organisation:
F.W. Taylor, who is better known as the father of scientific management developed the concept of ‘Functional Organisation’. As the very name suggests, functional organisation implies that the organisation should be based on various functions. Taylor’s functional approach is mainly based on principle of specialization and tries to bring about organisational balance.
The principle of specialisation embodies the concept that both the workers and the supervisors can develop a higher degree of proficiency by separating the manual from the mental requirements. Taylor recommended that there should be functionalisation even at the shop level where workers have to produce goods. He felt that the usual practice of putting one foreman incharge of some 40 to 50 workers should be avoided.
Taylor’s concept of Functional Foremanship (as he puts it), is a system comprising of eight different foremen discharging different functions. Every worker in the organisation is directly connected with these foremen.
The eight specialist foremen are:
(a) Route Clerk, (b) Instructions Card Clerk, (c) Time and Cost Clerk, (d) Shop Disciplinarian, (e) Gang Boss, (f) Speed Boss, (g) Repair Boss, and (h) Inspector. The first four bosses operate from Planning Department, whereas the other four are known as Executive Functional Bosses. They function in the production department.
A brief explanation of these eight functional foremen is givenbelow:
(a) Route clerk:
He lays down the exact path or route to be followed by raw material transforming it into finished product.
(b) Instruction card clerk:
He prepares detailed instructions to be followed in doing the work as per the route laid down by the route clerk.
(c) Time and cost clerk:
He determines the total time to be taken in the completion of a product and also works out the cost of production per unit and