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Scientific Management

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1.0 Introduction
To present an analytical account of scientific management, Taylor’s key themes in scientific management will be firstly introduced. Then, definition of scientific management will be presented with points of analysis that surface in response to Frederick W. Taylor’s technique. With supporting sources, criticism of Frederick W. Taylor’s principles will be reviewed with the comparison made between agreements and disagreements. Subsequently, an illustration of a contemporary organization will be presented to further elaborate how Frederick W. Taylor’s concepts influence the managing practices. In conclusion, Taylor’s principles are still widely used in the 21st century organizational management practice.

2.0 Review
In Frederick W. Taylor’s scientific management concepts, Taylor employed scientific method in which to identify the “one best way” for the job to be done. (Taylor, 1912/1970a, p.85) In order to employ the “one best way” which is also a strategy that is strongly agreed by Frank Gilbreth (1923/1970), the key themes must be gathered.
Standardizing the tools and procedures are relatively important in Taylor’s principles for scientific management. To achieve effectiveness and efficiency, standardization with a systematic order and a standard to follow is required. Without standardization, workers would employ their individual methods for the completion of the production. Before Taylorism was invented, all workers have their individual tool box. The tools they were using were decreasing the effectiveness and efficiency, because the correct tools were not employed. (Locke. E, 1982, 15.) Hence, Taylor would enforce the layout, pattern and using of the tools to be standardized to increase effectiveness and efficiency. (Locke, 1982, p.15)
Allocating the task for the right person on the job, and assigning the right quantity of work, tools and equipments, plays an important role in this theory according to Taylor. (Taylor, 1911/1967, p. 120) This theory is not only just task but a goal-setting, and also generally used in the organizations. (Locke, 1982, p. 16) To challenge individual with complexity goals can eventually result to a more highly skilled workmen rather than assigning an effortless task to them. (Locke, 1968; Locke, Shaw, Saari, & Latham, 1981).
The money bonus which is the economic incentive is another key theme in Taylorism. To motivate and encourage the workers, Taylor believed in offering incentive to push them to excel. Motivating the workers with monetary usage has become an argumentative issue. Current books and articles are supporting the monetary usage for driven employees. (Lawler, 1971; Locke, 1975; Vough, 1975) However, Hawthorne’s latest research shown the incorrect way of monetary motivation. (Sykes, 1965; Carey, 1967; Lawler, 1975; Franke & Kaul, 1978)

3.0 Scientific Management
Frederick W. Taylor was one of the first people to invent scientific management by using science to management in the 1880s and 1890s. Taylor observed the regular dissimilarities in the output among the workers, in which are causes by different reasons, which contain talent, capability, or driven by motivations. Taylor is considered the father of scientific management. Hence, another term for scientific management would be Taylorism. Taylor created this theory that is to find out why and how these variations are present and how the finest training could be analyzed and combined so that it could be circulated among the workers through the standardization of procedures. Taylorism is to implement economy efficiency, especially the labour productivity.
Despite many criticisms, arguments and disagreements on scientific management, it is still broadly used and practiced in the 21st century management. Wren (1979) made a splendid presentation on how Frederick W. Taylor’s techniques has made a great impact in both United States and overseas’ management practice. (Locke. E, 1982, P. 15.)
There was a huge growth of organization in the industry employing science to production in the late nineteenth century. These expansions of scientific management were initiated by Frederick W. Taylor (Braveman, 1974, P. 85) and the influential impact on management for the first half of the twentieth century was the development of work design. Therefore, there’s an instant growth in attempting to employ science methods to solve difficulties of controlling the workmen in the industry. (Braveman, 1974, P. 86)

4.0 Criticism
Many argued that in today’s society, people have been educated for their worth. Acceptance of monetary rewards for their assigned task is no longer applicable. To obtain quality productivity from individual workers, it is to believe that employee’s welfare is relatively important in the current organization.
Under scientific management, Taylor claim economics incentives are the only motivation for workers. In majority of the current organization, employees would receive an overtime pay if they work more than their usual working hours to increase the efficiency of the productivity. If monetary incentives are no longer applicable or motivational, what other reason would the employee go for those extra hours? A combination of job assigned and incentive scheme and profitable productivity has shown an effect of an additional 40 percent in a review of four hundred and fifty-three corporations (Fein, 1973). This number surpasses the mutual impact on two other additional lately declared of the enthusiasm strategy, career enhancement and contribution (Locke. et al., 1980). It is to say that the impressive effectiveness of Taylor’s techniques is still applicable in current organization.

The standardized tools and procedures in the principles of Taylorism are often criticized for men being treated as machines. The “one best way” (Taylor, 1912/1070a, P.85) which includes worker following the standard procedures of using the same tools and equipment. Taylor’s concept was not going against for any recommendation or any sharing of improving methods, he want to ensure that the worker practice the best method first. (Locke. E, 1982, P.20)
In addition, Taylor and the Gilbreths design improved equipments to suit the worker instead of forcing the worker to fit the equipments. (Locke. E, 1982, P.20) By redesigning to standardize the machines and equipments, workers will be more skilful in handling their task and would perform better. (Locke. E, 1982, P.20) If there is no standardization, and a procedures to follow, the productivity level would not be constant and efficient.

5.0 McDonald’s
Having the presence of McDonald’s outstanding performance in the restaurant chain, they are the leading globalised food and beverage retailer. McDonald’s are serving approximately of 58 million consumers with 31,000 restaurants and more in 118 nations daily.(www.aboutmcdonalds.com) Scientific management is employed in McDonald’s as a modern organization in the 21st century.
McDonald’s was the first organization to demonstrate the scientific methods in preparing and serving the food. “McDonald’s had attempted to make a science out of the preparation of the one restaurant meal that had mass appeal” (Love, 1987, P. 119). The standardized tools and procedures in the principles of Taylorism are employed. Ritzer (2000) observed that the operators were told that the timing for the preparation of food must be standardized and precise, equipments used must be the same as well. Demonstrating a well-ordered provision for each job and breaking them to the smallest steps are employed in McDonald’s. (Transnational Information Centre, 1987, P.4)
The “task” (Taylor, 1911/1967) of choosing the right person on the job is also employed in McDonald’s. To obtain an employment in McDonald’s, it is important that individual possess the “right attitude” as said by Fred Turner, an ex-CEO of McDonald’s. (Royle, 2000, P.6)
In many customs, McDonald’s is an example of a contemporary organization that employs Taylorism in their production. Accomplishing standardization within this restaurant chain is demonstrated, McDonald’s capability of maximizing their efficiency production of quality food and service has made McDonald’s attaining the title of the largest brilliant restaurant in the food and beverages business. (Peters and Waterman, 1982, P.173-174)

6.0 Conclusion
Frederick W. Taylor’s principles key themes in the scientific management which are standardizing the tools and procedures, allocating the task for the right person on the job and the monetary incentives for motivation is still seen as part of the modern organization in this 21st century, even after 65 years of Taylor’s death.
Despite many arguments and disagreements in Taylor’s work, his techniques and principles was introduced into various industries in America and Europe. (Friedmann, 1967, P.64) Friedmann also stated that “its technicist influence circulates there, under other names, in the shape of all the systems of industrial organizations derived from it” (Friedmann, 1967, P.65). To a great extend, alteration of Taylor’s work can be found nearly in majority of the modern organization in the 21st century. Current organization practices the elements so as to maximize efficiency and effectiveness. It is to say that it is relatively impressive that the effectiveness of Taylor’s techniques is still applicable in current organization, as shown as an example of McDonald’s.

7.0 Reference List
• Braverman, H., (1974). Labor and Monopoly Capital: The Degradation of Work in the 20th century…..New York: Monthly Review Press
• Carey, A. The Hawthorne studies: A radical criticism. American Sociological Review, 1967, 32, 403-416
• Copley, F. B. Frederick W. Taylor: Father of scientific management (2 Vols.). New York: Harper & Row, 1923.
• Fein, M. Work measurement and wage incentives, Industrial Engineering, 1973, 5, 49-51.
• Franke, R. H., & Kaul, J. D. The Hawthorne experiments: First statistical interpretation. American Sociological Review, 1978, 43, 623-643.
• Friedmann, G., (1967). Industrial Society: the emergence of the human problems of automation. New York: Free Press
• Gilbreth, F. B. Science in management for the one best way to do work. In H. F. Merrill (Ed.), Classics in management. New York: American Management Association, 1970, 217-263. (Originally published, 1923.)
• Gilbreth, F. B. Primer of scientific management. Easton, Pa.:Hive Publishing Co., 1973. (Originally published, 1914.)
• Lawler, E. E. Pay and organizational effectiveness: 4 psychological view. New York: McGraw Hill, 1971.
• Lawler, E. E. Pay, participation and organization change. In E. L. Cass & F. G. Simmer (Eds.), Man and work in society. New York: Van Nostrand Rienhold, 1975, 137-149.
• Lewin, K., (1999). The complete social scientist: A Kurt Lewin Reader: Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• Locke. E. A. Toward a theory of task motivation and incentives. Organizational Behaviors and Human Performance, 1968, 3, 157-189.
• Locke. E. A. Personnel attitudes and motivation. Annual Review of psychology, 1975, 26. 457-480.
• Locke. E. A. Feren, D. B., McCaleb, V. M., Shaw, K.M., & Denny, A. T. The relative effectiveness of four methods of motivating employee performance. In K. Duncan, M. Gruneberg & D. Wallis (Eds), Changes in working life. Chichester, England: Wiley, 1980, 363-387.
• Love, J., (1987). McDonald’s: Behind the arches. London: Bantam
• McDonald’s Corporate Careers: AboutMcDonalds.com. (n.d.). McDonald’s – Official Global Corporate Website: AboutMcDonalds.com. Retrieved from http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/careers.html
• Morgan, G., (2006). Images of organization. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications.
• Peters, Tom & Waterman, Robert. (1988) In Search of Excellence. Harper & Row Publications.
• Ritzer, George. (2000) The McDonaldization of Society. Sage Publication Inc.
• Royle, T., (2000). Working for McDonald’s n Europe: the unequal struggle. London: Routledge.
• Sykes, A. J. M. Economic interest and the Hawthorne researchers. Human Relations, 1965, 18, 253-263.
• Taylor, F. W. The principles of scientific management. New York: Norton, 1967. (Orignally published, 1911.)
• Taylor, F. W. The principles of scientific management. In H. F. Merrill (Ed.), Classics in management. New York: American Management Association, 1070a. (Originally published, 1912.)
• Transnational Information Centre, (1987). Working for Big Mac. London: TIC
• Vough, C. F. Tapping the human resource. New York: Wiley, 1964.
• Wren, D. A. The evolution of management thought (2nd ed.). New York: Wiley, 1979.

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