Scientific Management Theory: Strengths and Weaknesses

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Scientific Management Theory: Strengths and Weaknesses

Table of Contents

Introduction
The Theory of Scientific Management
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Theory
Conclusion
Reference List

Introduction

All organizations need to develop an effective and successful management strategy in the modern world. This process includes planning, organization, motivation, and control to form a fruitful function of the company, which will contribute to the achievement of goals and objectives. One of the practical and proven methods of managing the companys work is scientific management which can be seen in the operational strategies of Toyota and Apple companies. It helps to develop a particular strategy, adhering to individual principles, views, and activity methods to maintain a competitive position.

The Theory of Scientific Management

Scientific management is not a new phenomenon in the modern world, but its main advantage is an independent scientific and methodological basis. Moreover, this type of activity is based on independent principles and methods, which are a set of knowledge about phenomena and processes that influence peoples behavior in organizations. The formed methodology of planning a scientific approach and forecasting possible positive and negative consequences of the studied processes, patterns of leadership, communications, and personnel control are also distinctive features of management.

The founder of the scientific approach to management is Frederick Taylor. The scientist first suggested that the main obstacle to productivity growth is the low level of management (Church, 2020). The researcher also stressed the need to change management principles and their application according to scientific recommendations. To substantiate his point of view, Taylor conducted a study on analyzing the required time to perform certain operations in the railway industry (Su, 2017). The results showed that one of the effective ways to increase the desire and loyalty of staff was the introduction of incentive measures for remuneration.

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Theory

Scientific management allows companies to create management theories that can either confirm or refute specific hypotheses about the forms and directions of the evolution of processes and anticipate events in the companys functioning. This type of management activity also makes it possible to create an effective and efficient strategy using unique methods of cognition, analysis, and synthesis (Braverman, 2017). Organizations that resort to scientific personnel and activity management direct all efforts to improve managerial work, establishing a link between the causes and consequences of actions. Among the main fundamental provisions of the investigated approach, the following can be distinguished (Suleiman et al., 2018):

the use of scientific analysis to identify the best ways to achieve goals and solve specific tasks;
establish a well-thought-out systematic approach to selecting personnel for various positions for the best performance of specific tasks. This process also includes establishing and ensuring their practical and thorough training;
providing all employees involved with the necessary resources required to successfully and efficiently fulfill the companys tasks and goals.

Scientific management and any aspects of the companys work have a direct impact on the organizational design of the organization. This concept is commonly understood as implementing and maintaining the companys strategic plan (Boddy, 2020; Holmes, 2016). Organizational design directly relates to the strategy used in the companys activities (Burton, Obel, and Håkonsson, 2020; Merkle, 2018). It consists in establishing the best alignment of the companys structure with its strategic decisions and its vision, mission, and goals.

Hence, the factors that have a direct impact on the organizational design of the company are:

A strategy that defines and sets priorities, goals, and objectives of the organization. This is the most significant factor affecting the organizational structure and design.
How the company positions itself in the chosen sphere of services or goods market. In a rapidly changing world, an enterprise should be more flexible and adapt in a timely and proactive manner.
Information technologies are recognized as a critical decision-making tool in the modern developing world.

In modern business, many companies apply Taylorism in their practice. It is worth noting that most use its more updated version, interpreting its fundamental principles for the organization itself and its activity goals. One of the most striking examples of the application of scientific management is the well-known company Amazon. The efficiency of the functioning of this company brings maximum concentration on the standardization of tools and methods for performing tasks (Guillén, 2020). McDonalds fast-food restaurants also successfully apply the postulates of scientific management in their practice. Therefore, they use the standardization of time for cooking and performing the necessary procedures and actions for opening and closing their restaurants.

Another example of a company that effectively applies the principles of scientific management in practice is Toyota. At the factories that produce Toyota products with the help of a scientific approach, there is a periodic change of production schedules to improve performance. Moreover, line speeds are fixed, and performance is regulated. Visual control takes place in the organization to receive timely notifications about abnormal situations at work. As for employees work, the company increases their motivation by increasing their autonomy. The staff was provided with broad managerial responsibilities in overtime planning and supplier orders for its formation.

Another characteristic inherent in scientific management in Toyota is the policy of production of goods. Since a particular car will not be produced if there is no demand for it on the market. These measures are used to reduce the time and financial costs of production and improve the companys performance. Even though the organization has a clear formed plan, it also has a flexible ability to adapt to the requirements of consumers, which further increases its success and contributes to maintaining competitiveness.

Another globally well-known company adhering to this type of management principle is Apple. In this organization, the emphasis is placed not only on the constant introduction of new technologies due to technical and scientific progress but also on improving the situation of employees. Thus, companies constantly motivate their teams by increasing the companys level of education and training, providing them with the necessary equipment. These actions increase employee loyalty and self-esteem. All these actions significantly reduce the negative consequences of the companys operating activities and risks.

Apple follows the theory of Taylorism concerning the management of activities. Therefore, the organization produces its products using an assembly line. This standard method significantly reduces the time required to produce a particular product. Each operation carried out in the production of goods under this brand is analyzed to optimize the companys work process further. Moreover, it is essential to note that Apple determines many of its efforts to motivate and create comfortable conditions for its employees. Such an approach to personnel contributes to the preservation of leading positions since, in this case, the organization also focuses on external factors and possible consequences for each person.

The main advantage of resorting to scientific management is that this approach stimulates activities to interest employees in increasing the productivity of the company and achieving goals. The activity of production systems, in this case, is hierarchical and regulated by a system of specially established rules and standards. These postulates determine the responsibility of each management department. Other advantages of scientific management are:

using this approach to study the labor process and determine the best ways to accomplish tasks and goals;
improving the process of selecting employees suitable for performing a particular function;
constant provision of resources;
introduction of material incentives for personnel to increase productivity;
effective planning of organizational activities of the organization.

The disadvantages of scientific management include:

implies only simple operations to achieve goals;
requires sufficiently large material costs to be applied in practice. This is because research and some improvements in the companys activities require high initial costs.
leads to the loss of individual initiative on the organizations employees. This negative consequence is associated with excessive standardization of workplaces.
the introduction of labor-saving devices leads to an increase in the level of layoffs and cases of unemployment.
takes into account only the material aspect of employee motivation as the most basic (Trist, 2016).

The primary way to prevent the negative impact of scientific management may be its partial use in the companys functioning. Therefore, an organization may resort to standardizing employees actions, but it is essential to consider their needs. This requires the involvement of researchers and specialists in human resources. With their help, it is possible to improve the situation of personnel and avoid dissatisfaction associated with some decisions made in the company.

Conclusion

Therefore, a relatively new phenomenon of scientific management can become an effective way of functioning any company. Its postulates will contribute to the development of motivation of the working staff. Moreover, the scientific approach is based on an evidence base and provides adequate training and the necessary number of courses to the companys personnel. However, reliance on financial motivation and consideration of only simple ways of the companys activities are the disadvantages of managing organizational activities. However, an essential characteristic of scientific management can be the justification of the need to manage employees work to increase the productivity of the company and the fulfillment of the tasks and goals of the work.

Reference List

Boddy, D. (2020) Management: Using practice and theory to develop skills. United Kingdom: Pearson.

Braverman, H. (2017). Scientific management. Class: The Anthology, pp. 437-448.

Burton, R.M., Obel, B. and Håkonsson, D.D. (2020). Organizational design. England: Cambridge University Press.

Church, A.H. (2020). The meaning of scientific management, The Contributions of Alexander Hamilton Church to Accounting and Management, pp. 17-21.

Guillén, M.F. (2020). The taylorized beauty of the mechanical. USA: Princeton University Press.

Holmes, L. (2016). Re-Tayloring management: Scientific management a century on. Gower: Routledge.

Merkle, J.A. (2018). Scientific management, Defining Public Administration, pp. 169-179.

Su, Y. (2017). Taylor scientific management theory carding and significance of organization management, Social Sciences, 6(4), pp.102-107.

Suleiman, Y., Abdulrasheed, J., Amin, S.I., & Abubakar, Y.A. (2018). Application of scientific management principles for effective management of higher institutions in Nigeria, Journal of Human Capital Development, 11, pp. 17-36.

Trist, E. (2016). A socio-technical critique of scientific management, The Social Engagement of Social Science, a Tavistock Anthology, 2, pp. 580-598.

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