Taylorist Techniques and the Scientific Management Movement
Principles versus techniques, functional foremanship and the movement that followed.
Paper I Unit 2 Administrative Thought with a link to Unit 11 Techniques of Administrative Improvement
Principles and techniques are different
Scientific management is a philosophy of investigating and organising work. Time study, task instructions, standard tools and payment systems are mechanisms used within it. Adopting a stopwatch alone does not establish scientific management, especially if the standard is arbitrary and working conditions are ignored.
| Technique | Purpose | Condition or caution |
|---|---|---|
| Time study | Estimate task times under specified methods and conditions. | Compare like tasks and include necessary allowances; fast work is not automatically good work. |
| Method study and standardisation | Examine the method and select suitable tools and working arrangements. | The method may need revision when technology materials or service needs change. |
| Task prescription | Give clear instructions about the expected work. | Instructions must permit handling exceptions and reporting defects. |
| Differential piece rates | Link different payment rates to performance against a specified standard. | This is distinct from a uniform rate per unit or a general bonus scheme. |
| Selection and training | Match competence to work and develop the required skill. | Training is a management responsibility, not merely an employee obligation. |
Functional foremanship
Taylor divided specialist supervision between planning-related and execution-related responsibilities. In the usual presentation, eight functional supervisors replace the expectation that one foreman must possess every kind of expertise.
| Planning related roles | Execution related roles |
|---|---|
| Route clerk determines the sequence and route of work. | Gang boss prepares the job tools and work arrangements. |
| Instruction card clerk specifies how the work should be done. | Speed boss advises on operating methods and speed. |
| Time and cost clerk supports records of time and cost. | Repair boss attends to maintenance and equipment condition. |
| Shop disciplinarian deals with discipline. | Inspector checks quality and conformity. |
The benefit is specialised guidance. The difficulty is conflicting directions. Functional foremanship therefore exposes a tension with the classical principle of unity of command. Specialised expertise and a clear allocation of final responsibility must be reconciled.
From Taylor to a movement
Henry L Gantt developed task-and-bonus arrangements and visual scheduling methods. Frank and Lillian Gilbreth developed motion study and attention to work methods and fatigue; Lillian also brought a psychological perspective. These contributors were not simply repeating Taylor. The scientific management movement contained different techniques and emphases.
Taylor is particularly associated with time study; the Gilbreths with motion study. The techniques later interacted. Keep this distinction without pretending that the study of time and movement existed in complete isolation.
Key works
A Piece-Rate System was presented in 1895; Shop Management first appeared in 1903; The Principles of Scientific Management was published in 1911. Editions and reprints can carry later dates.
What problem does functional foremanship solve and what new problem can it create?
Answer direction Explain specialist supervision, then assess conflicting instructions and how responsibility can be clarified.
Previous: Note 9: Taylor and the Principles of Scientific Management | Next: Note 11: Scientific Management: Criticism and Contemporary Use
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