What Is Scientific Management?

The founder of Scientific Management is Fry Winslow Taylor. Taylor's scientific management is proposed for traditional empirical management, and its central problem is to improve labor productivity. ^[1]

Through scientific observation, recording and analysis, we are committed to "time action research", exploring the best methods to improve labor productivity, and formulating a reasonable daily workload.

Select and train first-rate workers. The so-called first-class workers are those who are suitable for a certain type of work and are willing to work hard.

Let workers master

A scientific method is prescribed for each element of human labor; it is used instead of the old method of empirical management.

Scientifically select workers, then train, educate and develop their skills.

Cooperate with workers to ensure that all work can be carried out in accordance with developed scientific principles.

The distribution of work and the sharing of responsibilities between management and workers are almost equal,

Taylor defined scientific management in this way. He said: "The various elements-not a combination of individual elements, constitute scientific management. It can be summarized as follows: science, not an empirical method. Coordination, not without being with others. Cooperation is not individualism. The highest output replaces the limited output. The highest efficiency of each person is achieved to achieve the greatest prosperity. "This definition not only clarifies the true meaning of scientific management, but also comprehensively reflects the scientific management.

Optimize labor execution with the assistance of natural science methods;

completely thorough

The reason why Ford Motor Company has achieved today's huge achievements is inseparable from the scientific management of Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford. In 1910, Ford began factory automation experiments at a new plant in Highland Park. He led a group of highly efficient experts who reviewed every aspect of the assembly line and experimented with various methods to increase productivity. His most important breakthrough was the use of Gantt charts for planning control. He created the world's first automobile assembly line, realized a large mechanized industry, greatly improved labor productivity, and appeared high efficiency, low cost, high wages, and High profit situation. In 1914, Ford announced that the 8-hour daily wage was $ 5 (replacing the 9-hour wage of $ 2.34), which was twice the normal wage of skilled workers at the time. Ford thought: In this way, the workers who make the cars can become the owners of the cars. As soon as the news of $ 5 a working day was announced, tens of thousands of people, regardless of the bitter weather, flocked to Ford's Highland Park Manufacturing Plant to apply for jobs. Henry Ford has created a new era. His unique car production line and the business philosophy of serving the public have brought rich profits on the one hand, and also changed the American consumer concept. Since then, the United States has become a car Kingdom.

Taylor's scientific management theory is not divorced from reality. Almost all of its management principles, principles and methods are put forward by his own experiments and careful research. ^[5] The content involved in it is a summary of various previous management theories. Like all management theories, it is to improve production efficiency, but it is the most successful. It adheres to the principles of competition and people. The principle of competition is to establish an evaluation standard for each action in the production process, and use this as a standard for rewarding and punishing workers, so that each worker must meet a standard and continue to exceed it, and the more it exceeds, the better. Therefore, with the continuous improvement of standards, the entrepreneurial enthusiasm of workers will never stop, and the production efficiency will inevitably increase. The principle of putting people first is that this theory is applicable to everyone. It is not a vague dogma, it is real , Is based on the higher level of workers in actual work as a measure, so that workers can continue to make progress without letting them think the standard is too high or too low. People-oriented is a trend in scientific development, and dullness or ignorance will eventually be eliminated.

Scientific management theory is obviously a comprehensive concept. It is not only a thought, a concept, but also a specific operating procedure, and it is a guide to specific operations. They are: first, replacing the outdated experience management method with the scientific division of each element of the job; second, the scientific method of employee selection, training and development to replace the previously practiced self-selection of work and training wherever and how Again, communicate with workers frequently to ensure that all the work they do is consistent with the principles of scientific management. Finally, managers and workers should have a basically equal scope of work and responsibilities. Managers will assume their proper responsibilities, and in the past, almost all work and most responsibilities were placed on workers.

Since the 20th century, scientific management has been very popular in the United States and Europe. For more than 90 years, scientific management thinking still plays a huge role. Of course, Taylor's scientific management theory also has certain limitations. For example, the scope of research is relatively small, the content is relatively narrow, and it focuses on production operation management. In addition, Taylor has no involvement in the management, marketing, marketing, and finance of modern enterprises. What's more important is the limitation of his hypothesis of human nature, that is to say that man is only an economic man, which undoubtedly limits Taylor's vision and height. But these are exactly the places where the management masters after Taylor need to create new management theories to supplement them.