Principles of Scientific Management
1
Frederick Taylor’s
Principles of Scientific Management and the Multiple Frames for Viewing
Work Organizations Offered by
Bolman & Deal, Carlson, and Pfeffer
Victor A. Montemurro
EDU 5571
Administrative Leadership
St. John’s University
Professor Frank Smith, Ed. D
2
Dr. Frederick Winslow Taylor in a speech called "The Principles of Scientific
Management" delivered on March 3, 1915 to the Cleveland Advertising Club exhorts his audience to take on a new, revolutionary view of the way work should get done. To combat the time-ingrained attitude of workmen throughout the world that "it is in their best interest to go slow instead of fast," Taylor proposes four principles of the scientific management of work. He asserts that even though the average businessman believes that if workers were to go fast, thus increasing efficiency resulting in a money saving decrease of workforce, just the opposite would be true. Taylor believes increasing the efficiency of the workman scientifically would increase the not only the opportunity for more work, but also the real wealth of the world, happiness, and all manner of worthwhile improvements in the life of the working person. For Taylor, increased workman output will result in improved quality of life.
Taylor, a mechanical engineer, seeks to apply a positivistic, rational perspective to the inefficient work organization. A second "misfortune of industry" that impedes the progress of improving work is what Taylor refers to as the "soldiering" of the worker, which essentially means to make a show of work not necessarily doing one 's best. The worker tries to balance the inner conflict he feels as a result of worry about job security versus expectations of productivity. Taylor says that the worker is not to blame for soldiering since, even if given the opportunity to work harder with greater output, the effect on the labor market is such that rate of pay is cut. What incentive does management have to pay a
Frederick Taylor’s
Principles of Scientific Management and the Multiple Frames for Viewing
Work Organizations Offered by
Bolman & Deal, Carlson, and Pfeffer
Victor A. Montemurro
EDU 5571
Administrative Leadership
St. John’s University
Professor Frank Smith, Ed. D
2
Dr. Frederick Winslow Taylor in a speech called "The Principles of Scientific
Management" delivered on March 3, 1915 to the Cleveland Advertising Club exhorts his audience to take on a new, revolutionary view of the way work should get done. To combat the time-ingrained attitude of workmen throughout the world that "it is in their best interest to go slow instead of fast," Taylor proposes four principles of the scientific management of work. He asserts that even though the average businessman believes that if workers were to go fast, thus increasing efficiency resulting in a money saving decrease of workforce, just the opposite would be true. Taylor believes increasing the efficiency of the workman scientifically would increase the not only the opportunity for more work, but also the real wealth of the world, happiness, and all manner of worthwhile improvements in the life of the working person. For Taylor, increased workman output will result in improved quality of life.
Taylor, a mechanical engineer, seeks to apply a positivistic, rational perspective to the inefficient work organization. A second "misfortune of industry" that impedes the progress of improving work is what Taylor refers to as the "soldiering" of the worker, which essentially means to make a show of work not necessarily doing one 's best. The worker tries to balance the inner conflict he feels as a result of worry about job security versus expectations of productivity. Taylor says that the worker is not to blame for soldiering since, even if given the opportunity to work harder with greater output, the effect on the labor market is such that rate of pay is cut. What incentive does management have to pay a
References: Bolman, L.G., & Deal. T. E. (1997) Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers Carlson, R.V. (1996) Reframing and reform: Perspectives on organization, leadership, and school change. White Plains, NY: Longman Publishers USA Pfeffer, J. (1996). “Understanding the role of power in decision making.” In J.M. Shafritz & J.S. Ott (Eds.), Classics of organization theory (pp.359-374). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company. Taylor, F. W. (1996). “The principles of scientific management.” In J.M. Shafritz & J.S. Ott (Eds.), Classics of organization theory (pp.66-79). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company.