FW Taylor Principles of Scientific Management - Principles of Scientific Management by Taylor: F.W. Taylor or Fredrick Winslow Taylor is also known as the ‘father of scientific management’ proved with his practical theories that a scientific method can be implemented to management. Taylor gave much concentration on the supervisory level of management and performance of managers and workers at an operational level. Let’s discuss in detail the five(5) principles of management by F.W Taylor.

1. By:
Smt.UMA MINAJIGI REUR
HEAD, DEPT. OF COMMERCE & Management
Smt. V G Degree College for Women, Kalaburagi
Part 8
Evolution of Management
Frederick Winslow Taylor & Scientific Management

2. FW TAYLOR PRINCIPLES OF SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT
Principles of Scientific Management by Taylor:
F.W. Taylor or Fredrick Winslow Taylor is also known as the ‘father of
scientific management’ proved with his practical theories that a
scientific method can be implemented to management. Taylor gave
much concentration on the supervisory level of management and
performance of managers and workers at an operational level.
Taylor defined scientific management as, “Scientific management is
concerned with knowing exactly what you want men to do and then
see in that they do it in the best and cheapest way.”

3. FW TAYLOR
ELEMENTS AND TOOLS OF SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT
Taylor conducted many experiments at his work places to find out how human
beings could be made more efficient by standardising the work and better method of
doing the work.
These experiments have provided the following features of scientific management:
1. Separation of planning and doing
2. Functional foremanship
3. Job analysis
4. Standardisation
5. Scientific selection and Training of workers
6. Financial Incentives
7. Economy
8. Mental Revolution

4. SEPARATION OF PLANNING AND
DOING
 Talylor emphsised the separation of planning aspect from
actual doing of work. Earlier, a worker used to plan about
his work and equipment's required for his work. He was put
under a supervisor known as Gang Boss. The supervisor job
was to check the performance of his workers.
 Taylor emphasised that planning should be done by the
supervisor and the worker should emphasise only
operational work.

5. FUNCTIONAL FOREMANSHIP
 Functional foremanship is an administration of the factory system
that supports for possessing numerous foremen in separate and
variant functional roles. In earlier days, factories had just one total
manager who would manage the entire operations. This manager or
the foreman was the only point of contact for factory employees.
Frederick Winslow Taylor, the distinguished engineer who
transformed scientific management in the late 19th century,
discovered a significant fault in this practice. When he noted all of
the features would require a successful supervisor of that particular
task or for that particular kind of work. He discerned that no one
person would probably have every single one. Hence, the idea of
working foremanship started.

6. Taylor’s Observation
According to his observation, it is impossible for a single worker to be master in each and
every aspect of production. Therefore he insisted that eight persons should be performing the
duties of a foreman and this kind of work came to be known as functional foremanship. The
following roles were included in this kind of job:
1. Instruction Card Clerk: This instructor gives instructions to workers regarding their work.
2. Route Clerk: His role was to mention the route of production
3. Time and Cost Clerk: His role was to arrange the time and costs sheet
4. Disciplinarian: His role was to maintain discipline in the production facility and in the
factory
These four role comes under the planning supervisor
The other four persons who work under the production supervisor are:
1. Speed Boss: Maintains the time record for the job assigned to the worker. Checks if the job
is completed timely.
2. Gang Boss: The main responsibility of this person is to keep machines in a ready state for
work.
3. Repair boss: He takes the responsibility to keep machines and tools in
proper working condition.
4. Inspector: The responsibility of quality of work is taken care by this inspector.

7. JOB ANALYSIS
Job analysis is undertaken to find out the best way of doing the
things. The best way of doing a job is one which requires the least
movements, consequently less time and cost.
 Time study involves the determination of time a movement takes to
complete the job.
 Motion Study involves the study of movements involved in doing a
job. Eliminating unnecessary movements in doing work reduces
time taken in performing the job and also the fatigue of workers.
 Fatigue study involves the amount and frequency of rest required in
completing the work. Sufficient rest makes the workers further work
with full capacity.
Thus, Job analysis by Taylor suggests the fair amount
of a day’s work for the workers.

8. STANDARDISATION
 Standardisation refers to the process of setting standards for every
business activity, it can be raw material, product, time etc…
 Standardisation should be maintained in respect of instruments and
tools, period of work, amount of work, working conditions, cost of
production etc.
 These things should be fixed in advance on the basis of job nalysis
and various elements of costs that go in performing a work.

9. SCIENTIFIC SELECTION AND
TRAINING OF WORKERS
 Taylor suggested that workers should be selected on scientific basis
taking into account their education, work experience, aptitude,
physical strength etc.
 Apart from selection, proper training should be given to the workers
which makes them more efficient and effective.

10. FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
 Financial Incentives can motivate workers to put in their maximum
efforts. If provisions exists to earn higher wages by putting in extra
effort, workers will be motivated to earn more.
 Taylor applied the concept of differential piece rate system, where he
suggested that wages should be based on individual performance
and not on the position which he occupies.
 Further, the wage rate should be fixed on accurate knowledge and
not on estimates.

11. ECONOMY
 Talyor suggested that along with scientific and technical aspects,
adequate consideration should be given to economy and profit.
 The economy and profit can be achieved by making the resources
more productive as well as by eliminating the wastages.

12. MENTAL REVOLUTION
 This technique involves a shift of attitude of management and
workers towards each other. Both should understand the value of
each other and work with full participation and cooperation. The
aim of both should be to improve and boost the profits of the
organisation. Mental Revolution demands a complete change in the
outlook of both the workers and management; both should have a
sense of togetherness.

13. FW TAYLOR PRINCIPLES OF SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT
Principles of Scientific Management by Taylor:
F.W. Taylor or Fredrick Winslow Taylor is also known as the ‘father of
scientific management’ proved with his practical theories that a scientific
method can be implemented to management. Taylor gave much
concentration on the supervisory level of management and performance of
managers and workers at an operational level. Let’s discuss in detail the
five(5) principles of management by F.W Taylor.

14. 1. Science, not the Rule of Thumb-
This rule focuses on increasing the efficiency of an organisation through
scientific analysis of work and not with the ‘Rule of Thumb’ method. Taylor
believed that even a small activity like loading paper sheets into boxcars can
be planned scientifically. This will save time and also human energy. This
decision should be based on scientific analysis and cause and effect
relationships rather than ‘Rule of Thumb’ where the decision is taken
according to the manager’s personal judgement.
2. Harmony, Not Discord-
Taylor indicated and believed that the relationship between the workers and
management should be cordial and complete harmony. Difference between
the two will never be beneficial to either side. Management and workers
should acknowledge and understand each other’s importance. Taylor also
suggested the mental revolution for both management and workers to
achieve total harmony.

15. 3. Cooperation, not Individualism-
It is similar to ‘Harmony, not discord’ and believes in mutual
collaboration between workers and the management. Managers and
workers should have mutual cooperation & confidence and a sense of
goodwill. The main purpose is to substitute internal competition with
cooperation.

16. 4. Maximum Output:
Production maximization is the basic objective of each and every organisation which
serves the purpose of its survival, growth and development. Through this principle Taylor
has emphasized on the need of maximizing productivity / output.
According to this principle the workers as well as the management should try to maximize
the productivity of the organization. For this purpose, scientific techniques have been
indicated by Taylor which should be followed in the organization. Scientific techniques
assure better and improved quality output with minimum or less wastage.
Maximization of output as compared to limited output or fixed output is very beneficial in
all facets. Workers, management, consumers and society as a whole will be benefited from
this. Maximum output increases the profits of the management and on the other hand
workers enjoy an incremented wages. With increased productivity consumers get quality
products at just and fair prices as well as the interest of the society at large is also served
properly.

17. 5. Development of Every Person to his Greatest Efficiency-
The effectiveness of a company also relies on the abilities and skills of
its employees. Thus, implementing training, learning best practices
and technology, is the scientific approach to brush up the employee
skill. To assure that the training is given to the right employee, the
right steps should be taken at the time of selection and recruiting
candidates based on a scientific selection.

18. Scientific Management: Benefits, Followers and Critical
Analysis!
To Employers:
Scientific management leads to the following benefits to the employers:
1. Use of scientific techniques leading to efficient management of resources.
2. Proper selection and training of the workers leading to better workforce.
:3. Establishment of harmonious relationship between the workers and the management.
4. Achievement of equal division of responsibilities between the workers and the
management.
5. Scientific determination of fair work a worker can do each day. This a leads to
establishment of good relations between the employers and the workers.
6. Standardisation of tools, equipment’s, materials and work methods for increasing
efficiency.
7. Better utilisation of various resources.

19. To Workers:
The advantages of scientific management to the workers are listed
below:
1. Detailed instructions and guidance for the workers.
2. Opportunity for training and development to increase skills.
3. Better working conditions and tools of work for good health of the
workers.
4. Incentive wages to the workers for higher productivity.
5. Less fatigue in work because of application of scientific methods and
better working environment.

20. To Society:
Scientific management is expected to bring the following benefits to the
society in general:
1. Increased productivity in the country.
2. Better quality products at lower costs to the people.
3. Higher standard of living of people through better products.
4. Technological developments due to scientific investigations.

21. FOLLOWERS OF SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT:
 Other persons who worked to develop scientific management were Carl George Berth,
Henry Gantt, Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, and Edward Felene to mention a few
important. Berth worked with Taylor and later developed many mathematical
techniques and formulae that made it possible to put Taylor’s ideas into practice. Gantt
developed graphic methods of depicting plans and making possible better managerial
control.
 He emphasised the importance of time as well as cost in planning and controlling work.
This eventually led to the development of famous Gantt Chart which is in wide use
today and was the forerunner of such modern technique as Programme Evaluation and
Review Technique (PERT). Frank and Lillian Gibreth, team of husband and wife, also
tried to find out one best way of doing under the given set of realities.
 They also tried to look at the problems of workers from social and psychological point of
view. Felene invited Gilbreth to apply scientific management to manage his
departmental store. The major areas of concern were employee training and evaluation
and human element in business. Later, he created Twentieth Century Fund, a famous
research organisation still in existence.

22.  Scientific management created awareness about increasing operational
efficiency at the shop- floor level by adopting systematic methods as
against the rule of thumb which was prevalent at that time. However, from
the point of view of the development of theoretical framework, the
principles of scientific management were more concerned with problems at
the operating levels and did not emphasis management of an organisation
from the manager’s point of view.
 Therefore, it was more relevant from engineering point of view rather than
management point of view. In fact, one author has later suggested that
Taylor can be regarded as the ‘father of industrial engineering’ rather than
the ‘father of scientific management’.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF SCIENTIFIC
MANAGEMENT:

23.  Similarly, persons advocating scientific management have emphasised
physiological variables affecting human behaviour at workplace, both in
terms of work efficiency and methods of motivating the workers. As such, the
scientific management is more relevant to mechanisation and automation—
technical aspect of efficiency—than the broader aspects of management of an
organisation.
 Apart from the theoretical considerations, Taylor’s scientific management
was opposed by Gade unions, industrialists, and general public. The
opposition was so grave that Taylor to defend his scientific management
before a special US Congressional Committee in 1912. The introduction of
scientific management led to the agitation by trade unions in different
production units.

24. The major reasons for the opposition of scientific
management ware as follows:
1. There were many of the followers of Taylor who took aggressive mechanical view of production and
sidelined human aspect at the workplace. This created aggressive attitudes among workers.
2. The work used to be performed under close and strict supervision based on authoritarian approach.
Workers were not allowed to raise their voice even for genuine grievances.
3. There was lack of scientific standardization of work and whatever standards used to be set by the
management, the workers had to follow strictly. Such standards often used to raise production norm
without taking into consideration the factors affecting such a norm.
4. The most crucial element which was under contention was the differential piece rate system. The
workers, even the efficient ones, and their unions, opposed this system on the plea that it was a new
method of exploiting workers by the industrialists. It may be mentioned that trade unions were quite
popular at that time.

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