A.
Taylor's brief bio - from a wealthy family; worked as
laborer to become chief engineer; educated as an
engineer
B.
In 1903 published Shop
Management,
the first management book, to lay out his principles of
"Taylorism" or scientific management:
1.
Management is a true science. The solution to the
problem of determining fair work standards and
practices could be discovered by experimentation
and observation. From this, it follows, that there
is "one right way" for work to be
performed.
2. The selection of workers is a science. Taylor's
"first class worker" was someone
suitable for the job. It was management's role to
determine the kind of work for which an employee
was most suited, and to hire and assign workers
accordingly.
3. Workers are to be developed and trained. It is
management's task to not only engineer a job that
can be performed efficiently, but management is
responsible for training the worker as to how the
work is to be performed and for updating practices
as better ones are developed. This standardizes
how the work is performed in the best way.
4. Scientific management is a collaboration of
workers and managers. Managers are not responsible
for execution of work, but they are responsible
for how the work is done. Planning, scheduling,
methods, and training are functions of the
manager.
C.
"Taylorism" although achieving a world-wide
audience, was seen by the growing labor unions in the
U.S. as "exploitative" of labor. This
antagonism was exacerbated by Taylor's advocacy of pay
based on performance, rather than an hourly wage rate.
Labor's opposition led to a Congressional hearing on
scientific management and, eventually, its demise.
D.
Taylor's method was to investigate "task
allocation", or the elements by which a job could
be sub-divided and studied to discover the optimal
efficiency by which the elements and total job could be
accomplished. This method influenced other pioneers,
including the Gilbreths.
