Taylor Management Principles

Taylor is considered one of the most influential thinkers in management administration, promoter of the scientific organization of work and considered like the father of the scientific administration. In his work "Principles of Scientific Management", he raises the first steps of administrative thinking and today is considered a fundamental reference for any manager. The principles of the Taylor administration they are still current and are used by many successful companies worldwide.

He made the first observations of him at work in the steel industry. Then it was followed by some analytical studies on the remuneration of work, its main points were to scientifically determine the standard work, generate a mental revolution and a worker functional.

What was Taylor's guiding thought?

Taylor was looking for factors that would ensure prosperity, so he wanted to eliminate waste of time and money, applying a scientific method.

The main administrative objective should be to ensure maximum prosperity, for the employer and also for the employee.

The maximum prosperity for the employer is not obtaining great economic benefits, but the development of the company in all aspects to achieve a level of prosperity. On the other hand, the maximum prosperity for the employee is not having high salaries, but achieving personal development that allows him to work effectively.

It also makes a distinction between production and productivity, maximum prosperity is the result of maximum productivity.

The great contribution from Taylor it was his proposal to develop a working science and a Scientific Administration.

The scientific organization of work (OCT) aims to break down labor obstacles and discover effective methods for the performance of any task and direction of the workers through close, personal cooperation between the administration and the workers.

Workers seek good wages, and employers want low production costs, these elements are the indication of good or bad management.

Scientific management and its 4 principles

Scientific management arises due to the interest in applying the methods of science (observation and meditation) to management problems, in order to achieve high efficiency industrial.

In this new admiring technique, the management acquired new attributions and responsibilities described in the Four Principles of Taylor Management presented below:

1. Scientific Organization of Labor

This criterion refers to certain activities that are used by administrators to replace inefficient work methods and avoid work simulation. Taking into account times, delays, responsible operations and tools. It must be done by a specialist team and will lead to the creation of a working methods service.

The most economical processes are defined and the amount of work used by the worker is established in optimal conditions to achieve a certain production and what the worker obtains if he achieves the objective.

2. Selection and training of the worker

The idea is to place the staff according to their capacities, in this way the best employee in the indicated position is guaranteed, also promoting an improvement in the well-being of the worker.

When the work is analyzed methodically, the administration manages to specify minimum requirements for a good and efficient performance of the position, always choosing the most qualified personnel for the position.

Based on Taylor's recommended systematic selection based on skills and esteem, it turns out that any worker can be a very good worker for at least one job.

3. Cooperation between managers and operators

Part of the concept "work and job responsibilities are divided equally between managers and workers." It is essential that the interests of the employee are the same as the employer, this is achieved with the proposal of a remuneration efficiency, in such a way that the worker feels motivated to produce more, to earn more and avoid the simulation of the job.

Mechanisms to achieve such cooperation:

• Pay per unit of work.
• A structure of bosses with greater knowledge than capable of coordinating the work of the company and collaborating and instructing their subordinates. According to Taylor, there should be specific tasks for the different bosses: Chief of costs, chief of programming, head of time, maintenance, material, production, quality control and customer relations personal.
• Equitable division of labor between managers and operators.

4. Responsibility and specialization of managers in work planning

The management is responsible for the planning of the work and the manual labor operators, generating a division of labor that is accentuated in the capacities and of greater efficiency. It distributes responsibilities and attributions differently so that the execution of the work is disciplined and successful.

Other implicit principles of scientific management

In addition to the four above, Taylor advertised other principles scattered throughout his work:

• Study the work of the workers, to reduce or eliminate useless actions and improve useful ones.
• Study each job position to determine the way it should be done.
• Carry out a scientific selection of workers according to the tasks assigned to them.
• Train workers properly, give instructions on how to work.
• Separate planning functions from execution functions.
• Train and specialize workers for the preparation, control and execution of work.
• Carry out production planning and establish incentives and prizes for when the established parameters are reached and other even better ones for when these parameters are exceeded.
• Adjust the instruments, machinery, materials, equipment, methods and work processes that will be used in production and administration.
• The benefits resulting from the increased production provided by the rationalization must be divided proportionally between the company, the shareholders, the employees and the consumers.
• Control job performance to keep it at desired levels.
• Classify in a practical way the equipment, processes and materials that will be used in a way that facilitates their handling and use in production.

This theory was harshly criticized, however these criticisms did not diminish the merit and the award and for this reason they are still valid.