Question

Describe the different techniques of scientific management.

What are the techniques of scientific management according to F.W. Taylor?

Write short note on the following.

Techniques of scientific management

Describe any four techniques of scientific management.

What are the techniques of scientific management? Explain in detail.

Answer 1

1. Work-Study: Before assigning the work to the available workforce, management should do proper work-study. Work-study consists of an organized, systematic, and critical assessment of the various activities or functions. Work-study is based on techniques such as time study, motion study, method study, and fatigue study.
   
   1. Time Study: This technique helps a manager to calculate the time required to perform a particular job. He can decide whether to produce or complete an activity using this technique. The time study is based on the average worker’s speed. Every part of the total work is studied in detail, and the time required to perform that job is calculated. This lets the manager ascertain the standard time to complete a specific job. Based on this, the manager can decide the remuneration to be paid to the worker.
   2. Method Study: There are always various methods for completing the task. For best quality and cost-effectiveness, identifying the most effective way to do a particular job is a very important but challenging task for a manager.
   3. Motion Study: The close study of body movements. That is the movement of hands, legs, and other body parts. Managers should study these movements. This study helps the manager to understand the actions required for a person to do a particular task. The manager can use this technique to eliminate unnecessary job movements. With the help of motion study, the manager can eliminate or combine some actions in the process. Motion study increases employees’ efficiency and productivity.
   4. Fatigue Study: Generally, long working hours without sufficient breaks, high target pressure, heavy use of tools, and poor working conditions result in physical and mental stress, i.e., fatigue. The study of fatigue and the steps to reduce it are very important for maintaining employees’ operational efficiency.
2. Standardization: Standardization in production involves first selecting standard tools and equipment for production and, second, maintaining standard working conditions at the place of work. The management should provide high-quality tools and equipment to produce high-quality products. This helps the workers to perform the job quickly and efficiently. This technique minimizes the cost and makes the best use of available resources.
3. Simplification of Work: Simplification aims to eliminate superfluous varieties, sizes, and dimensions, whereas standardisation involves devising new varieties rather than the existing ones. Simplification aims to eliminate unnecessary product diversity. It results in savings on labour, machines, and tools. It implies reduced inventories, fuller utilisation of equipment, and increasing turnover. Large companies like Nokia, Toyota, and Microsoft have successfully implemented standardisation and simplification. This is evident from their large share in their respective markets.
4. Scientific Task Setting: Taylor emphasized the need for fixing a fair day’s work. A scientific work setting is vital to prevent employees from doing work much below their capacity. By using this technique, employees will complete the task according to the given standards, and management can properly control optimal workforce utilisation.
5. Scientific Selection and Training: Using scientific selection procedures, management can select the right persons for the right jobs. It needs to fix the job specifications to meet the requirements. Employees are selected in an impartial manner according to predetermined standards. After selection, management should provide the proper training programs to increase efficiency.
6. Functional Organization: This technique refers to the guidance provided by a specialist foreman to a worker. According to this technique, a single worker is supervised by different supervisors. For doing a particular job, the worker performs various small tasks. While doing this job, he will get guidance and be supervised by different superiors for each task. This technique is exactly the opposite of Fayol's principle of a unit of command. According to Fayol, there should be one boss for workers, but according to this technique, there can be many supervisors for one worker. They are categorized as follows:
   
   1. At the Planning Level:
      
      1. The route clerk tells how work moves from one machine to another.
      2. The instruction clerk records instructions to complete the job.
      3. The time and cost clerk determines the time required to complete the work and calculates the cost.
      4. Discipline ensures that workers work in accordance with factory rules.
   2. At the Implementation Level:
      
      1. Gang boss gets the work done.
      2. The speed boss ensures the work is completed within a specified time.
      3. The repair boss is responsible for the security and maintenance of the mechanism.
      4. The inspector provides that the work is done per the specified standards.
7. Differential Piece-Rate Wage Plan: Remuneration should be fixed to motivate the average worker to attain a standard output. Taylor suggested the differential piece-wage system. Higher rates are offered to employees who complete more than the standard quantity of work under this system. On the other hand, if an employee is performing below the standard, he shall be given a lower rate of wages. This technique motivates employees to attain higher performance and earn wages.
8. Other Techniques: In addition to the above techniques, Taylor also suggests other methods. They include the use of instruction cards, strict rules of discipline, charts, graphs, slides, and charts to instruct the workers, etc. These techniques are also used to develop better relations between employers and employees.