Throughout history scholars and researchers have contributed many varied ideas to management practice. In this paper, we will make an attempt to trace the contributions of F. W. Taylor, who is well known for his scientific management theory. The purpose is recognizing how past developments has contributed to current management practices. Some knowledge of the theoretical background helps us to understand the concepts and practices of management better.
One wonders how organizations came into existence and how they grew. Their existence, growth and modernity can be explained through some theories or schools of thought. While several theories have been advanced in an effort to explain the structure. Functioning and management of organizations, to date, none is considered as complete. Or is accepted as being final. Each theory has some limitations. And the field of management theory is still in the process of evolving.
By far the most influential person of the time and someone, who has had an impact on management service practice as well as on management thought up to the present day, was F. W. Taylor. Taylor formalized the principles of scientific management, and the fact-finding approach put forward and largely adopted was a replacement for what had been the old rule of thumb.
He also developed a theory of organizations, which altered the personalized autocracy which had only been tempered by varying degrees of benevolence, such as in the Quaker family businesses of Cadbury's and Clark's.
Taylor was not the originator of many of his ideas, but was a pragmatist with the ability to synthesize the work of others and promote them effectively to a ready and eager audience of industrial managers who were striving to find new or improved ways to increase performance.
At the time of Taylor's work, a typical manager would have very little.......
