Question

Define scientific management. State any three of its principles.

Answer 1

In the words of Taylor, 'Scientific management means knowing what you want men to do and seeing that they do it in the best and the cheapest way'. It means applying the standardised methods and tools to increase the output, its quality and to reduce costs and wastages. It emphasises replacement of 'rule of thumb' i.e. personal judgment, by scientific selected methods and tools. Three principles of scientific management are:

(i) Science, not a rule of thumb.

(ii) Harmony, not discord.

(iii) Cooperation, not individualism.