Summary
Frederick Winslow Taylor's "The Principles of Scientific Management" argues for a fundamental shift in industrial management, moving from individual judgment and "rule of thumb" to a systematic, scientific approach. The central argument is that substituting scientific laws for individual workman discretion, scientifically selecting and developing each worker, and fostering intimate cooperation between management and workers will lead to increased efficiency and output. This new philosophy involves management taking on new burdens, such as gathering, classifying, and tabulating traditional worker knowledge into codified rules and laws that replace archaic methods.
The book outlines four key duties of scientific management: developing a science for each work element, scientifically selecting and training workers, cooperating to ensure work aligns with developed science, and ensuring maximum output. This approach aims to develop each man to his greatest efficiency and prosperity through cooperation, rather than individualism. Readers learn that scientific management is not a single invention but a combination of old knowledge analyzed into a science, coupled with a changed mental attitude and a new division of duties between management and labor.
Key concepts
- Science for each element of a man's work — Replacing the "rule-of-thumb" method with systematically developed scientific principles for performing tasks.
- Scientific selection and development of the workman — Choosing workers based on study and then teaching, training, and experimenting with them to match them to suitable tasks.
- Intimate cooperation of the management with the workmen — Management and workers collaborating to perform tasks according to scientific laws, sharing daily performance responsibilities.
- Substitution of a science for the individual judgment of the workman — Shifting decision-making from individual worker discretion to scientifically derived methods.
- Management assuming new burdens and responsibilities — Managers taking on the duty of codifying worker knowledge and developing scientific processes, rather than relying solely on worker initiative.
From the book
On arriving at his work he would immediately slow down to a speed of
Unfortunately for the character of the workman, soldiering involves a
"The feeling of antagonism under the ordinary piece-work system becomes
Popular questions readers ask
- What is the relationship between national resources and national efficiency?
- How does Taylor describe the waste of human effort?
- Why are wastes of human effort less appreciated than material wastes?
- What is the prevailing past idea about "Captains of industry"?
- How does Taylor propose to achieve national efficiency in the future?