Critically Discuss the Contribution of the Work of...

Critically discuss the contribution of the work of Frederick W. Taylor to management thought and practice. Pay particular attention to how his ideas were shaped by the cultural context of his time, and to the competing interpretations of his legacy. Frederick W. Taylor has played a major role in the evolution of management thought and practice through the critical period of the turn of the century in industrialized America. So significant was his contribution to the systemization of management thought and practice that Geoffrey Colvin and fellow historians describeTaylor as â€Å" the most influential business guru of the twentieth century†(WrenBedian,2011:154). Taylor’s fundamental concepts steamed from his determination to create a more†¦show more content†¦Taylor’s ideas on efficient task management systems were very much aligned to address the challenges of the cultural diversity of the time. Taylor’s second major contribution to management thought and practice was in the area of scientific management. Scientific management also known as Taylorism, was a theory based on four principles: â€Å"a science of each element of work, scientific selection and training of workers, division of labor between workers and management and co-operation between managers and workers†(Grey, 2011: 37). Taylorism went beyond simple time studies and standardized procedures, he brought new management techniques, giving people greater control of human and physical resources as this time demanded. As technology advanced and the scale and scope of production increased, so did the fear of a disorganized and undisciplined workforce. Scientific management provided methods to bring about the organization and disipline that was required. (Bendix, 1974:25-27) With increased scale and complexity the workplace was much more dangerous, accidents were commonplace. Taylor’s scientific approach in bringing standards and demanding consistent application of process provided for a much safer work environment. Taylor hoped, perhaps over optimistically, that scientific management would lead to a more harmonized work place founded onShow MoreRelatedCritically Discuss the Contribution of the Work of Frederick W. Taylor to Management Thought and Practice. Pay Particular Attention to How His Ideas Were Shaped by the Cultural Context of His Time, and to the Competing Interpretations of His Legacy.2445 Words   |  10 Pagesof opinions on management thought in his book â€Å"A Very Short Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap Book about Studying Organisations† (2009). He outlines his opinions through a number of themes within the book such as looking at bureaucracy and scientific management together, his views on human relations theory (HRT) and its links with people management, the theme of organization culture and post-bureaucracy and how it is effecting change management. The final theme I will discuss in my essay isRead MoreApproaches to Organisation and Management19498 Words   |  78 PagesAPPROACHES  TO  ORGANISATION  AND MANAGEMENT Organisational  behaviour  is  a  discursive  subject  and  much has  been  written  about  it.  The  study  of  organisations  and management  has  therefore  to  proceed  on  a  broad  front.  It  is the  comparative  study  of  the  different  approaches  that  will  yield benefits  to  the  manager.  The  study  of  organisations,  their  structure and  management  is  important  for  the  manager.  Identification  of major  trends  in  management  and  organisational  behaviour,  and the  work  of  leading  writersRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesCover Designer: Wanda Espana OB Poll Graphics: Electra Graphics Cover Art: honey comb and a bee working / Shutterstock / LilKar Sr. Media Project Manager, Editorial: Denise Vaughn Media Project Manager, Production: Lisa Rinaldi Full-Service Project Management: Christian Holdener, S4Carlisle Publishing Services Composition: S4Carlisle Publishing Services Printer/Binder: Courier/Kendallville Cover Printer: Courier/Kendalville Text Font: 10.5/12 ITC New Baskerville Std Credits and acknowledgments borrowedRead MoreManagement Course: Mba−10 General Management215330 Words   |  862 PagesManagement Course: MBA−10 General Management California College for Health Sciences MBA Program McGraw-Hill/Irwin abc McGraw−Hill Primis ISBN: 0−390−58539−4 Text: Effective Behavior in Organizations, Seventh Edition Cohen Harvard Business Review Finance Articles The Power of Management Capital Feigenbaum−Feigenbaum International Management, Sixth Edition Hodgetts−Luthans−Doh Contemporary Management, Fourth Edition Jones−George Driving Shareholder Value Morin−Jarrell LeadershipRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesBenson, Stephen Brier, and Roy Rosenzweig Also in this series: Paula Hamilton and Linda Shopes, eds., Oral History and Public Memories Tiffany Ruby Patterson, Zora Neale Hurston and a History of Southern Life Lisa M. Fine, The Story of Reo Joe: Work, Kin, and Community in Autotown, U.S.A. Van Gosse and Richard Moser, eds., The World the Sixties Made: Politics and Culture in Recent America Joanne Meyerowitz, ed., History and September 11th John McMillian and Paul Buhle, eds., The New LeftRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 Pagesresources With WileyPLUS: Students achieve concept mastery in a rich, structured environment that’s available 24/7 Instructors personalize and manage their course more effectively with assessment, assignments, grade tracking, and more manage time better study smarter save money From multiple study paths, to self-assessment, to a wealth of interactive visual and audio resources, WileyPLUS gives you everything you need to personalize the teaching and learning experience.  » F i n d o u tRead MoreStrategic Marketing Management337596 Words   |  1351 PagesStrategic Marketing Management Dedication This book is dedicated to the authors’ wives – Gillian and Rosie – and to Ben Gilligan for their support while it was being written. Acknowledgements Our thanks go to Janice Nunn for all the effort that she put in to the preparation of the manuscript. Strategic Marketing Management Planning, implementation and control Third edition Richard M.S. Wilson Emeritus Professor of Business Administration The Business School Loughborough University