Frederick Taylor and Henry Fayol: Scientific Management Principles

1.5.1. Frederick W. Taylor

Frederick W. Taylor emphasized the need to apply the scientific method in management and administration, especially in the workshop.

The novelty he introduced lay in overseeing the work at all levels of the company, where everything is organized and planned with a view to maximum productivity.

Any industrial organization inspired by Frederick Taylor focuses not only on the study of the relationship between the worker and modern production techniques but also on achieving maximum efficiency from tools and manpower.

No one can speak of the classical theory without mentioning Taylor's traditionalism: Scientific Management.

Taylor was born in Philadelphia, U.S., in 1856; his parents were middle class. He worked as a journeyman, lathe operator, master mechanic, maintenance manager, and chief engineer.

Taylor's thought was conditioned by his lifestyle and his experiences as a laborer.

He directed all his thoughts toward meeting three (3) objectives:

• Point out to the entire world the great losses the country suffers due to inefficiency and ineptitude in daily management.
• Convince everyone that the solution lies in scientific administration.
• Prove that the best way to manage is through scientific administration laws and rules based on clearly defined principles.

1.5.2. Henry Fayol

Henry Fayol emphasized the need for good leaders at all levels of social activity. Among his major contributions are the definition of basic principles of management and the essential functions of any industrial undertaking:

A. Fayol's Principles of Management

Henry Fayol pointed out several principles that are flexible and can be adapted to the needs of any organization. These are:

• Division of labor
• Authority - Responsibility
• Discipline
• Unity of Command (Control Unit)
• Unity of Direction (Management Unit)
• Subordination of particular interest to the general interest
• Staff remuneration
• Centralization
• Hierarchy
• Order
• Equity
• Stability of tenure of personnel (Staff stability)
• Initiative
• Esprit de corps (Union staff)

B. Fayol's Essential Functions

Fayol also found that all activities in a manufacturing company could be divided into groups of operations or essential functions, whether simple or complex, for any organization, large or small. These functions are: Technical, Commercial, Security, Financial, Accounting, and Administrative.

Conclusion on Taylor and Fayol

Taylor and his followers were practitioners operating at the workshop, not theoretical organization builders concerned with developing a general theory.

Taylor developed many ideas that formed the conceptual framework later adopted by theorists of Administrative Management.