Ben Benson
The ideas of Frederick W. Taylor: An Evolution
Locke, Edwin A
Academy of management. The academy of management review (pre-1986); Jan 1982,000001;
How do the theories proposed in your chosen readinginform your understanding of contemporary management functions and the employer – employee relationship.
Taylor and his scientific management principles are still relevant today. Each of these different scientific principles are still debated over today and each convey the relationship between the employer and employee. This relationship is ultimately formed through the practice of each of Taylors scientific management principles.
Management functions and employer-employee relationship has been at the forefront of both scientific management and the evolutionary way in which managers are used. Theories projected within “ The ideas of Frederick W. Taylor : An evolution Locke, Edwin A” provide insight into “Fredrick W. Taylor , the founder of scientific management” (Locke p.14 Jan 1982 The Academy of management review ) and the management functions mentioned within. Proposed in in (the Frederick article) was the idea of Time and motion study, whereby, “Taylors solution was to break down the work task into constituent elements or motions: to eliminate wasted motions so that the work would be done in the one best way”(Locke p 15 Jan 1982 The Academy of management review) Before this managers would use the time it took from previous employees and use this as an indication for other new employees. Taylor was an advocate for “standardisation and in the design and use of tools” ( Locke p 15Jan 1982 The Academy of management review) Inefficiencies in the workplace were and still are occurring. Taylor recognised this and also that “every workman had his own private tool box. This resulted in great inefficiencies because the proper tools were not always used or even owned.”(Locke p 15 Jan 1982 The Academy of management review) When referring to the assigned quotaTaylor would call it the “task”(Taylor, 1911/1967 p120) It basically translates to goal “thus the use use of tasks was a forerunner of modern day goal setting” (Locke p 16 Jan 1982 The Academy of management review). Taylor recognised goal setting was critical to the efficiency of a company but further in that feedback of “ knowledge of ones progression in relation to the task or goal” ( Locke p 16 Jan 1982 The Academy of management review) The money bonus function is one of much discussion. “Taylor claimed that money was what the worker wanted most and he argued that the worker should be paid from 30 precent to 100 precent higher wages in return for learning to do his job according to scientific management principles” In reality the higher wage was just for “carrying out orders” (boddewyn, 1961 p. 105) “Taylor was a staunch advocate of individual as opposed to group tasks, as well as individual rewards” (Locke p 17 Jan 1982 The Academy of management review) and warned against group work. Latene’, Williams and Harkins (Locke P 17 Jan 1982 The Academy of management review) “ have documented a phenomenon called “social loafing,” in which people working in a group put out less effort than when working alone even when they claim to be trying their hardest in both cases” This demonstrates that Taylors idea of Individualized work is effective and more efficient than group work. Management responsibility for training is another of Taylors scientific management principles. “Taylor didn’t want new employees to be trained by the employees who are skilled in the specific area as he believed “ The experienced workers may not be using the “one best way”(Locke p 17 Jan 1982 The Academy of management review ) and that the new employees should be trained by “management experts who are thoroughly familiar with the job( Locke p 17 Jan 1982 The Academy of management review) “Taylor advocated selecting only “first class” men for a given job because their productivity would be several