Are scientific management and human relations approaches still applicable to organisations of the 21st century free essay sample

Compare traditional and modern organization III. Scientific management and Human relation approach in organization 1. Scientific management in modern organization 2. Human relation approach in modern organization IV. Conclusion List of references I. Introduction Maximizing efficiency, reducing costs and increasing profits are facts which will be always of high interest for companies. In the course of development of organizations different approaches have emerge to fulfill these interest. The purpose of this essay is to explain scientific management and human relations theory and how it is still applicable in 21st century. The paper will start by explaining the meaning of each theory. Then I will give the example to prove the realistic of theories in industry. With the help of these facts it can be shown how different these theories are and whether they achieve the same ends. Without a doubt, scientific management and human relation have changed the way organizations work. Evaluating the benefit and influence is less clear and is subject to individual opinions and arguments. Based on my observation and research, I think that, on the balance, they still applicable to organization in 21st century. However, it is not common as it was in the past. Scientific Management I. 8 Definition An early 20th century school of management thought concerned primarily with the physical efficiency of an individual workers. Scientific management is based on the work of the US engineer Frederick Winslow Taylor (1856-1915) who in his 1911 book The Principles of scientific management laid down the fundamental principles of large-scale manufacturing through assembly-line factories. It emphasizes rationalization and standardization of work through divison of labor, time and motion studies, work measurement, and piece-rate wages. Father of scientific management Frederick Winslow Taylor (20 March 1856 – 21 March 1915), was the founder of the scientific management (SM) also referred to as Taylorism (Thompson and McHugh, 2009, p. 28), was an American mechanical engineer who sought to improve industrial efficiency. I. 10 Over view of scientific management Taylor’s theories were based on a simple interpretation of human behavior that people are motivated solely by money – his term was â€Å"rational man† The old fashioned dictator does not exist under Scientific Management. The man at the head of the business under Scientific Management is governed by rules and laws which have been developed through hundreds of experiments just as much as the workman is, and the standards developed are equitable. I. 11 Objectives To scientifically determine the optimal way to perform a job, Taylor performed experiments that he called time studies, (also known as time and motion studies). These studies were characterized by the use of a stopwatch to time a workers sequence of motions, with the goal of determining the one best way to perform a job. Here is some main objectives: Improvement of efficiency and maximization of profit Increase size is desirable in order to obtain the advantages of the division of labor and specialization of tasks. I. 12 Theories of Taylor To fix these problems and to make enterprises more profitable Taylor looked at the scientific side of establishments and developed four management principles. The first one is the principle of â€Å"developing a science for each element of work† (Thompson and McHugh, 2009, p. 30). Within this principle Taylor summarizes the whole accumulated knowledge of the workers and the company. Hence, he creates rules and norms for each process. Furthermore, he divided the processes in small parts and analyzed them concerning their lead time and course of movement. As a result Taylor could identify and eliminate interference factors (Taylor, 1911, p. 24). The main elements of his theory were: 1. Management is a true science. The solution to the problem of determining fair work standards and practices could be discovered by experimentation and observation. From this, it follows, that there is one right way for work to be performed 2. The selection of workers is a science. Taylor’s first class worker was someone suitable for the job. It was managements role to determine the kind of work for which an employee was most suited, and to hire and assign workers accordingly. 3. Workers are to be developed and trained. It is managements task to not only engineer a job that can be performed efficiently, but management is responsible for training the worker as to how the work is to be performed and for updating practices as better ones are developed. This standardizes how the work is performed in the best way. Scientific management is a collaboration of workers and managers. Managers are not responsible for execution of work, but they are responsible for how the work is done. Planning, scheduling, methods, and training are functions of the manager. University of Bedfordshire Level 1 Core Programme Textbook Volume 1, Week 2 Scientific Management and Human Resources chapter, page 79-80. I. 13 Other theorist about scientific management I. 13. 1 Frank and Lillian Gibreth Frank Bunker Gilbreth (July 7, 1868 – June 14, 1924) A construction contractor by trade, Frank Gilbert gave up his contracting career in 1912 to study scientific management after hearing Taylor speak at the meeting. Frank and his wife Lillian an psychologist studied work to eliminate wasteful hand-and-body motions. The Gilberts also experimented with the design and use of the proper tools and equipments for optimizing work performance. Frank is best known in his experiment in bricklaying. By carefully analyzing the bricklayers job he reduced the number of motions in laying exterior brick from 18 to about 5 and on laying interior brick the motions were reduced from 18 to 2. Using Gilberts techniques the bricklayer could be more productive and less fatigued at the end of the day. About his contribution: -Sought ways to make bricklaying faster and easier Invent a device called micro chronometer that recorded the workers motion and the amount of time spent doing each motion. Wasted motions missed by the naked eye could be identified and eliminated. Devise a classification scheme to label 17 basic hand motions such as search, grasp and hold which they called Theobalds. This scheme allowed the Gilbert a more precise way of analysing a workers exact hand movements https://www. asme. org/engineering-topics/articles/construction-and-building/frank-bunker-gilbreth http://education. blurtit. com/82282/what-do-you-know-about-frank-and-lillian-gilbert- Lillian Moller Gilbreth (May 24, 1878 – January 2, 1972) Lillian Evelyn Moller Gilbreth   was an American  psychologist  and  industrial engineer. One of the first working female  engineers  holding a  Ph. D. , she is arguably the first true  industrial/organizational psychologist. She and her husband  Frank Bunker Gilbreth, Sr. were efficiency experts who contributed to the study of  industrialengineering  in fields such as  motion study  and  human factors. The books  Cheaper by the Dozen  and  Belles on Their Toes  (written by their children  Ernestine  and  Frank Jr. ) are the story of their family life with their twelve children, and describe how they applied their interest in  time and motion study  to the organization and daily activities of such a large family. https://www. sdsc. edu/ScienceWomen/gilbreth. html About her contributions: Help industrial engineers see the importance of the psychological dimensions of work The first American engineer ever to create a synthesis of  psychology and  scientific management by applying the principles of scientific management to household tasks, Gilbreth sought to provide women with shorter, simpler, and easier ways of doing housework to enable them to seek paid employment outside the home. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Lillian_Moller_Gilbreth I. 13. 2 Henry Laurance Gantt (1861-1919) Henry Gantt worked as a teacher, draftsman, and mechanical engineer before making his mark as an early 20th century management consultant. He authored two books on the topic, and in the 1910s he developed the scheduling and monitoring diagram, now called Gantt charts and used ubiquitously across industry and manufacturing, which provide easy, visual data on project planning and progress. He initiated the task and bonus wage method, wherein workers are paid a regular wage for time worked, and also paid an additional bonus if their labor exceeds productivity targets. He is the namesake of the annual Gantt Medal, awarded since 1929 by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for distinguished achievement in  management and for service to the community. Gantt wrote, I have never had any opposition whatever from the workman that was not immediately overcome as soon as he understood what we are doing. He maintained that it is counterproductive to treat labor poorly, and proposed that workers and management share the common goal of producing a high-quality product. As a matter of principle he refused any assignment where the company that sought his advice had not read and agree with the principles explained in his book,  Work, Wages, and Profits. Author of books: Work, Wages, and Profits: Their Influence on the Cost of Living  (1910, economics) Industrial Leadership  (1916, nonfiction) Organizing for Work  (1919, nonfiction) http://www. ganttchart. com/ About his contribution: Develop the management system that was methodological and goal oriented which assist in planning and organizing methods with use â€Å"Bar charts† as a project management tool. Contribute the concept of Industrial Efficiency, by applying scientific management analysis to all aspect of the work in progress. The industrial management role is to improve the system by eliminating chance and accidents. His concept of the Task and Bonus system linked the bonus paid to managers and employees to how well they improve performance. I. 14 Pros and cons of scientific management I. 14. 1 Pros Labor productivity increased significantly, lower cost, the end result is higher profits for both owners and workers. Strengthening the relationship between workers and managers, develop team spirit and relationships between workers and managers Managers are more likely to compete with other manager. The role of managers is further enhanced. It reduces conflicts and ambiguity. It leads to good Planning. Develop leadership qualities The value of Scientific Management theory can still be used in modern industry. I. 14. 2 Cons Although method led to increases in productivity and to higher pay, but   workers and unions began to oppose his approach because as they feared that working harder or faster would exhaust whatever work was available causing layoffs. Even if one is ready to pay more money but the employee does not have job satisfaction his efficiency may decrease Failure to give guidelines to goals Failure to teach philosophy of MBO Managers compitition may lead to tug of war It’s not easily possible to apply this theory where output is not in form of units. Taylor’s emphasis on the control and the control was somehow underestimated the human element as a whole individual turns of a social relationship. Due to the emphasis on performance at the operational level and to save time by researching and pulling movements have brought attention to the effective management of governance at the operational level in the general aspect re not focused. Only apply well in stable environments It lead to some unscrupulous practices like Rate cutting. 2. Human Relation approach