Midterm topics fot Mgt 1

1. Frederick Taylor and Scientific Management
Frederick WinslowTaylor (1856-1915)was an American inventorand engineerthatapplied his engineering and
scientific knowledge to managementand developeda theorycalled scientific management theory.His two most important
books on his theory are Shop Management(1903) and The Principles ofScientificManagement (1911).
Frederick Taylor's scientific management theory can be seen in nearly allmodern manufacturing firms and many other
types ofbusinesses.His imprint can be found in productionplanning,productioncontrol,processdesign, quality control,
cost accounting,and evenergonomics.Ifyou understandthe principles ofscientific management,youwill be able to
understand howmanufacturersproducetheirgoods and manage theiremployees.You will also understandthe importance
of quantitative analysis,orthe analysis ofdata and numbers to improve production effectiveness and efficiency.
Principles of Scientific Management Theory
In broad terms,scientific managementtheory is the application ofindustrialengineering principles to create a system
where waste is avoided,the processand method ofproductionis improved,and goods are fairly distributed.These
improvements serve the interests ofemployers,employees,andsociety in general.Taylor's theory can be brokendown
into fourgeneralprinciples formanagement:
1. Actively gathering,analyzing,and convertinginformation to laws,rules,oreven mathematicalformulas for
completing tasks.
2. Utilizing a scientific approachin the selectionand trainingofworkers.
3. Bringing togetherthe science andthe workerso that theworkers apply thescientifically developedtechniques
for the task.
4. Applying the workequally between workers andmanagers where management applies scientific techniquesto
planning and the workers performthe tasks pursuant to the plans.
Frederick Taylorapproachedthe study ofmanagement quantitatively through the collectionand analysis ofdata.For
example, he and his followers performed motion studies to improve efficiency.He analyzed the motions required to
complete a task,devised a way to breakthe taskdown into componentmotions,and found themost efficient and effective
mannerto do the work.
An example ofa motion study is observing thenumberofdistinctmotions required to shovelcoalinto a furnace.The task
is then broken downinto its distinct components,such as picking up the shovel,walking to the coal,bending over,
manipulating the shovelto scoop thecoal,bending backup,walking to the furnace,and manipulatingthe shovelto deposit
the coal.The most efficient way to performthe taskwas developed andworkers were instructedon howto apply the
method.