Table of Contents
Limitation of Scientific Management
A scientific management system consists of rules, mechanisms and specialized managers operating in coordination in order to achieve a new standard of control and production. The purpose of scientific management is to organize the study of work, analyze it into its simplest elements, and improve the work systematically.
From the location and layout of the worker to the distribution of the finished product, scientific management aims to maximize the use of methods, materials, machines, and money.The objective of group action should be harmony rather than discord, according to Taylor. The goal of harmony is for a group to work as a unit and contribute to the maximum extent possible. An appropriate understanding should exist within it as well as mutual give-and-take situations.
Some of the Limitations of Scientific Management are as follows:
|
a) Exploitation of Workers:
Employees were under unnecessary pressure to perform their work faster under Taylor’s Scientific Management. A high priority was placed on productivity and profitability. This resulted in employees being exploited. Trade unions became popular among employees as a result. Employees and management became distrustful as a result.
b) Problem of unity of command:
A functional foremanship approach was used by Taylor. There are eight bosses reporting to the workers. It violates the principle of unity of command, where workers report only to one boss. Confusion and chaos can result in an organization without unity command.
c) Mechanical approach:
A mechanical approach was taken by Taylor. Efficiency took precedence over everything else. The human element was not considered by him. According to Taylor, workers are robots that can be accelerated at any cost so that the work will be done faster.
d) Problems of separation of planning and doing:
It is important to separate planning from doing, according to Taylor. Planning and doing cannot be separated in reality. It is only when the planners are involved in doing that they can make realistic plans for the organization.
e) Individualistic approach:
According to Taylor’s scientific management, individual performance is overvalued at the expense of group performance. Organisational success depends not only on individual performance, but also on group performance.
f) Wrong assumption:
According to Taylor, workers are motivated solely by financial gain. The reality is that workers are motivated not just by financial incentives but also by social needs and personal egos.
g) Narrow Application:
A narrow application of Taylor’s scientific management can be found. Worker performance can only be measured quantitatively when it can be quantified. For factories with quantitatively measurable performance, it can only be applied. The performance of a person in the service sector cannot be quantified, so it cannot be used.
Similarly, You may Also like: