Peter Drucker, the preeminent management guru, says Taylorism has been: “the most lasting contribution America has made to Western thought since The Federalist Papers.”[i] Frederick W. Taylor launched his Principles of Scientific Management in 1911, which forever changed how work is done.
Taylor’s principles from work specialization, project/task orientation to bonus/incentive plans are part of our worklife. Other principles of scientific management include:
- Work is a science
- Work can be researched and improved
- Workers can be scientifically selected, trained, taught, and developed
- Published standards communicate common goals, facilities, and methods
- Workplace collaboration is encouraged[ii]
Hewlett-Packard and Compaq Computer were both looking for Brand U CEOs recently. They wanted ‘visionary chief executives.’ Only one problem! The internal candidate gene pool looked and sounded too much alike to provide the Brand U leadership and direction their boards wanted. So for the first time, they both looked outside their companies for CEOs. [iii]
[i] Farnham, Alan, “The Man Who Changed Work Forever,” Fortune Magazine, July 21, 1997, p. 114.
[ii] Freeman, Michael, “Scientific Management: 100 Years Old; Poised for the Next Century,” SAM Advanced Management Journal, Spring, 1996, pp. 35-41.
[iii] Lublin, Joann and McWilliams, Gary, “Recruiting Duel: Headhunters Vie To Fill Top Slots at Tech Giants,” Wall Street Journal, June 24, 1999, p. B1.