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The Secret of Efficiency: How Does Scientific Management Reveal the Best Ways to Work?
Scientific management, as a management theory, is full of inspiration for the analysis and synthesis of work processes, aiming to improve economic efficiency, especially labor productivity. The core of this theory is to optimize the work process through a systematic scientific method. Its advocate is Frederick Winslow Taylor from the United States. He began developing this theory in the American manufacturing industry, especially the steel industry, in the 1880s and 1890s.
Although Taylor died in 1915, elements of scientific management continued to play an important role in the subsequent fields of industrial engineering and management, including analysis, standardization of best practices, and promotion of work ethics. The most widespread influence of this management concept appeared in the early 20th century, laying the foundation for many subsequent management theories.The purpose of scientific management is to eliminate unnecessary waste and achieve the highest work efficiency.
History of Scientific Management
The origin of scientific management can be traced back to 1877, when Taylor worked as a clerk at the Midville Steel Company in the United States. As he continued to be promoted, he became confused about the production efficiency of the workers. Because workers typically produced less than a third of what he considered a good amount of work, Taylor decided to use scientific methods to find the optimal standard time for each job. This desire led to his initial exploration of scientific management.
Taylor discovered that workers' efficiency did not depend solely on their personal abilities, but was affected by their working methods and environment.
This theory was subsequently promoted by a number of management experts who worked together to explore how to improve productivity through standardized processes. The "motion study" and empirical management methods pioneered by Taylor became the basis for other management schools later, forming an evolving chain of management concepts.
Principles of Scientific Management
In Taylor's book "Principles of Scientific Management", he listed the four principles of scientific management. The first is to develop a true science, which requires a detailed analysis of every part of the work and the steps required. Next, workers are selected scientifically so that the most suitable people are assigned to the most suitable jobs. In addition, workers should receive scientific education and training, and finally, cooperation between management and workers is the key to ensure work quality.
Scientific management is not just the responsibility of the workers, managers also need to take responsibility for ensuring a good working environment.
These principles emphasize that establishing efficient processes and designs at work can increase productivity while improving working conditions for workers. Taylor argued that when employees’ jobs fully reflected their skills, their productivity would increase significantly.
Pursue economic benefits through efficiency
The rise of scientific management, a philosophy that advocated the use of empirical methods to identify efficient work processes, occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This echoed the workers' expectations for improved efficiency at the time, when society in general was pursuing an increasing demand for economic efficiency. Taylor's efficiency theory led to significant improvements in production efficiency, meaning that the same amount of products could be produced using fewer employees or working hours.
High productivity may lead to structural unemployment in the labor market, especially when automation technology is introduced.
While this may lead to job insecurity for some workers in the short term, in the long run, most economists believe that such efficiency gains will promote overall economic growth and improve consumers' living standards.
The Relationship between Scientific Management and Trade Unions
The promotion of scientific management caused friction in early labor-capital relations. Although there were almost no strikes in factories that introduced scientific management between 1882 and 1911, as this concept became popular, trade unions gradually felt threatened, prompting labor leaders to fiercely oppose scientific management.
Union opposition focused primarily on the fact that scientific management would harm workers' wages and working conditions.
Therefore, in response to the development of scientific management, trade unions began to strengthen their advocacy of labor rights, which made labor-capital relations more complicated. This process reflects the delicate balance between management philosophy and workers' rights, and also triggers deep thinking and criticism of new management methods.
The concept of scientific management still affects the way we work. So how can we balance efficiency and human care in the future work environment?
