Evolution of Management Thoughts | Management Optional Notes for UPSC PDF Download

Taylorism: Principles of Scientific Management

• Management Objective:
  • Taylor emphasized that management's main goal should be to achieve maximum prosperity for both the employer and the employee.
• Link Between Prosperity and Productivity:
  • Taylor argued that maximum prosperity can only be achieved through maximum productivity in the workplace.
• Individual Training and Development:
  • He stressed the importance of training and developing each individual in the organization to perform at their highest potential.
• Addressing Inefficiency Causes:
  • Taylor identified three main reasons for work inefficiency during his time:
  • False belief that increased output would lead to unemployment.
  • Defective management systems forcing workers to slow down for self-protection.
  • Widespread use of inefficient rule-of-thumb methods across various trades.

Taylorism: Principles of Scientific Management

• Replace Rule of Thumb: Instead of relying on traditional and arbitrary work methods, Taylor advocated for scientific approaches based on a detailed study of tasks.
• Scientific Selection and Training: Workmen should be scientifically selected and then trained and developed under the guidance of management, a departure from the traditional approach where workers chose their own tasks.
• Detailed Instruction and Supervision: Provide thorough guidance and supervision to each worker for their specific tasks, ensuring precise execution.
• Equal Division of Work: Divide responsibilities almost equally between managers and workers. Managers plan the work using scientific principles, and workers carry out the tasks.

Taylor's Perspective

• Taylor believed this combination of employee initiative and new management techniques made scientific management significantly more efficient than older methods.
• Under scientific management, the importance of employee initiative and training by management is emphasized.
• Compared to traditional methods, where the entire problem often rests on the workman, scientific management shifts half of the responsibility to the management, focusing on planning and organization.

Fayolism

Fayol's work was one of the first comprehensive statements of a general theory of management.He proposed that there were six primary functions of management and 14 principles of management.

Fayolism: Functions of management

1. forecasting
2. planning
3. organizing
4. commanding
5. coordinating
6. controlling

Fayolism: Principles of Management

• Division of Work: Specialization boosts efficiency by assigning specific tasks to employees.
• Authority: Managers must have the right to give orders, and responsibility accompanies authority.
• Discipline: Effective leadership, clear rules, and fair penalties maintain good discipline.
• Unity of Command: Each employee should receive orders from a single superior.
• Unity of Direction: Similar activities with the same objective should be under one manager and plan.
• Subordination of Individual Interests: Organizational interests should prevail over individual or group interests.
• Remuneration: Fair wages should be provided for employees' services.
• Centralization: Decision-making authority balance between centralization and decentralization.
• Scalar Chain: The hierarchy from top management to lower ranks ensures a clear communication line.
• Order: Proper arrangement of people and materials at the right time and place.
• Equity: Managers should be kind and fair to their subordinates.
• Stability of Tenure of Personnel: High turnover is inefficient; stable employment planning should be in place.
• Initiative: Employees with the freedom to plan and execute efforts show high levels of commitment.
• Esprit de Corps: Building team spirit fosters harmony and unity within the organization.

Fayol's Impact on Contemporary Management

• Enduring Relevance: Fayol's principles have proven timeless and applicable to modern management practices.
• Simplified Functions: Many current management texts, like Daft's, consolidate Fayol's six functions into four: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling.
• Daft's Approach: Daft's management approach centers around the fundamental functions outlined by Fayol.
• Practical Application: Fayol's insights continue to guide managers in effectively planning, organizing, leading teams, and implementing control measures.
• Time-Tested Wisdom: The enduring nature of Fayol's principles underscores their enduring wisdom for navigating contemporary management challenges.