“Shoot him!”
Do you want to hear that from your subordinates because of your ineffective management? Just like Frederick Taylor was threatened with a shoot by his colleague during his management.
Frederick Taylor started as an ordinary worker at Midvale Steel Company and was promoted to a patternmaker, supervisor, and chief engineer. He suffered conflict with his co-workers and decreased company output during his reign. He tried to do everything within three years to have a peaceful workplace and produce more output. It seemed to be a failure, but he did not give up on finding some remedies. At last, he created principles that led him to become a father of scientific management.
Seventy-five percent science and twenty-five percent common sense described his principles. Scientific management is a theory that includes studying and testing different working methods to choose the most efficient and effective way to complete a certain job. His principles are the following: develop a science for each element, carefully select and train potential workers, cooperate with them, and have shared responsibility between the management and its subordinates.
Principles of Scientific Management
1. Science, not Rule of Thumb
The first is to develop, analyze, and determine the best way to do a certain task. Before Taylor did not try to step on the worker’s foot, so he did not experience how tiring it was. So, following it, the company gave them a series of breaks to get some rest.
2. Harmony, Not Discord
The second is to carefully select and train the workers. Before Taylor chose a worker to train based on his favorites which was prejudicial to some workers. Applying the principle, he thoroughly selected and chose a worker who deserves and could unleash his/her to do more output.
3. Cooperation, Not Individualism
The third is to cooperate with employees. Between 1893 and 1904, the number of labor strikes against the companies doubled because of being overworked and underpaid. Taylor observed that the two parties had the same interests and should interact with each other. Workers wanted their wages to increase so companies should the workers’ requests. In exchange, the company wanted an employee to be more productive and efficient to obtain a lower cost.
4. Development of Workers to their Greatest Efficiency and Prosperity
The fourth is an equally shared responsibility between management and workers. Before, workers alone were responsible for their performance and productivity. Applying the principle, Taylor stated that every action of a workman should precede one or more preparatory acts of the management. Management should monitor their performance and give some motivating feedback to them (Williams, 2007).
Above all, scientific management principles can help companies to grow together with their employees. As Edward Locke, a management scholar said, “The point is not, as is often claimed, that he was ‘right in the context of his time,’ but is now outdated, but that most of his insights (Frederick Taylor) are still valid today.”
Works Cited
Williams, C. (2007). Management Fourth Edition. Canada: Thomson South-Western.
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