Scientific Management Is a ‘Good’ Idea in Management Thinking Even for Today Industrial System
Scientific Management is a ‘good’ Idea in Management Thinking Even for Today Industrial System
Ryan (2008) stated management is a set of activities (planning, and decision making, organizing, leading and controlling) directed at an organization’s resources, with the aim of achieving organizational goals efficiently and effectively.
Management has been discovered since 3000 BC in city of Ur (Iraq) where written records as a means of recording business transactions was found (Wolfgang, et al. 1995). Management was essential for every company to run their business efficiently. Without a management, businesses can’t control their workers effectively, there will be a lot of wasted motion and the outcome of the products is not very satisfying. The beginning of the twentieth century businesses were expanding and capital was available. However, labour was in short supply (Ryan, 2008). Management began looking at methods to improve efficiency. Frederick W. Taylor of the Midvale Steel Company recognized the need for scientific methods to management in order to increase productivity. He concerned to find a perfect management that can produce more products in less time and effort, and then he came up with an idea that called scientific management or often called Taylorism.
Scientific management is not an invention but a discovery (Thompson, 1993). Most of the idea in scientific management was already known, Taylor was the one who combine them into one. Taylor understands the essential aspects of the theory of industrial organization that he had experienced himself in his early years as a leader at Midvale. He understands that science could save time, and benefits the society. Scientific management key term is that each person has different ability to perform various jobs, so it would be better to specialize them according to their best specialty in performing those tasks to get the work done faster.
Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, are known for complement Taylor ideas.
Ryan (2008) stated management is a set of activities (planning, and decision making, organizing, leading and controlling) directed at an organization’s resources, with the aim of achieving organizational goals efficiently and effectively.
Management has been discovered since 3000 BC in city of Ur (Iraq) where written records as a means of recording business transactions was found (Wolfgang, et al. 1995). Management was essential for every company to run their business efficiently. Without a management, businesses can’t control their workers effectively, there will be a lot of wasted motion and the outcome of the products is not very satisfying. The beginning of the twentieth century businesses were expanding and capital was available. However, labour was in short supply (Ryan, 2008). Management began looking at methods to improve efficiency. Frederick W. Taylor of the Midvale Steel Company recognized the need for scientific methods to management in order to increase productivity. He concerned to find a perfect management that can produce more products in less time and effort, and then he came up with an idea that called scientific management or often called Taylorism.
Scientific management is not an invention but a discovery (Thompson, 1993). Most of the idea in scientific management was already known, Taylor was the one who combine them into one. Taylor understands the essential aspects of the theory of industrial organization that he had experienced himself in his early years as a leader at Midvale. He understands that science could save time, and benefits the society. Scientific management key term is that each person has different ability to perform various jobs, so it would be better to specialize them according to their best specialty in performing those tasks to get the work done faster.
Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, are known for complement Taylor ideas.
References: Dean, CC 1997, ‘The Principles of Scientific Management by Frederick W. Taylor: the private printing’, Journal of Management History, vol 3, issue 1, pp. 18-30. Frederick Taylor and Scientific Management, [online]. Available from: http://www.netmba.com/mgmt/scientific/ [Accessed from 17 September 2009]. Freeman, M 1996, Scientific Management: 100 years old; Poised for the Next Century, Spring, vol 61, issue 2, pp. 35-41. Mullins, LJ 2007, Management and Organisational Behavior, 8th edn, Pearson Education Limited, London. Ryan, S 2008, Management, John Wiley & Sons Australia.Ltd, Milton. Sasaki, S 1992, ‘The Introduction of Scientific Management by Mitsubishi Electric Engineering Co. and the Formation of an Organised Scientific Management Movement in Japan in the 1920s and 1930s’, Business History, April, vol 34, issue 2, pp. 12-27. Taylor, FW 1947, Scientific management, comprising shop management, the priciples of scientific management [and] testimony before the special house commitee, chap2, pp.36-37. Thompson, 1993, A Collection of the More Significant Articles Describing the Taylor System of Management, vol 8, pp. 52-67