Explain Taylor’s scientific management in public administration

Frederick Winslow Taylor, the ‘Father of Scientific Management’ propounded the theory of scientific management in the first decade of the 20th century. From the USA, it spread to other countries including the former USSR, where it took shape as the Stakhanovite Movement during 1920-40.

Assumptions

1. The application of the methods of science to organizational problems leads to a higher industrial efficiency, observation, measurement.
2. The incentive of high wages will promote the mutuality of interest between workers and managers which, in turn, will lead to higher productivity.

Objectives

1. Standardization of working conditions.
   E.g.: what is the best temperature and humidity for achieving productivity?
   
   
2. Standardization of work.
   E.g.: what is the best procedure for doing a job.
   
   
3. ‘High Performer’ to stay and ‘low performer’ to leave.
   i.e. those who produce above standard receive higher wages than those producing below standard.
   

Features

1. It is a systematic, analytical and objective approach to solve industrial problems.
2. It implies scientific techniques in methods of work, recruitment, selection, and training of workers.
3. It attempts to discover the best methods of doing work at the cheapest cost.
4. It discards the age old methods of rule of thumb and hit or miss approach.
5. It involves complete change in the mental attitude of workers as well as management.
6. It lays emphasis on all factors of production, men, material and technology.
7. It defines the work division and specialization of employees for each work.
8. It attempts to develop each man to his greatest efficiency and prosperity.

Principles

1. Replacement of ‘Rule of Thumb’ with Science.
2. Harmony in group action, not discord.
3. Co-operation, not individualism.
4. Working or maximum output, rather than restricted output.
5. Developing all workers to the fullest extent possible for their own and their company’s highest prosperity.

Techniques

The techniques (mechanisms or methods) of scientific management facilitates the application of principles of scientific management mentioned above. These are:

1. Time Study
   For planning a large daily task.
   
   
2. Motion Study
   It is a technique of standardization of work methods.
   
   

Criticism

1. Partial theory of organization
   Due to its concentration on lower level activity and neglect of the higher level.
   
   
2. Mechanistic theory of organization
   It treats workers as a machine and not as a human being.
   
   
3. Underestimated and oversimplified human motivation
   Only concentrates on the economic aspect of motivation and thereby ignores the social and psychological aspects.
   E.g.: Hawthorne Studies
   
   
4. Physiological Organisation Theory
   Termed so by March and Simon due to its concern with only that range of worker behaviour which pertained to production i.e. physiological variables.
   

Despite the above criticisms, Taylorism still exists.