Taylor’s scientific management

In this technique different specialist foremen give instructions. Exam tip: connect it with specialization.

The correct answer is option A: four planning foremen and four production foremen. Taylor’s functional foremanship divides supervision according to specialised functions instead of giving every responsibility to one general foreman. There are eight specialist foremen in total. The planning department has four: route clerk, instruction-card clerk, time-and-cost clerk, and disciplinarian. The production department also has four: gang boss, speed boss, repair boss, and inspector. Therefore the division is 4 planning plus 4 production. Option A is correct. Option B is wrong because the accepted division is not five and three. Option C reverses the intended balance and gives two and six, so it is incorrect. Option D is wrong because these foremen supervise planning and production work, not only sales. The number eight should be remembered together with the equal division into two groups of four. Exam cue: functional foremanship means specialised supervision; 4 planning + 4 production = 8.

The direct answer is option B, speed boss. Taylor’s functional foremanship divides supervision into specialists. Four specialists belong to the planning department: the route clerk decides the path or sequence of operations, the instruction-card clerk gives written instructions, the time-and-cost clerk records standard time and cost information, and the disciplinarian maintains discipline. The other four specialists belong to the production department: speed boss, gang boss, repair boss, and inspector. Option A, route clerk, is a planning-department specialist because routing decides where and in what order work will be done. Option B, speed boss, is correct because this specialist belongs to the production department and helps ensure that the work is completed at the proper speed. Option C, disciplinarian, belongs to planning because discipline and worker conduct are assigned there in this functional arrangement. Option D, time-and-cost clerk, is a planning specialist because it deals with time standards and cost records. Thus B is the only non-planning specialist. Memory cue: planning has route, instruction, time-cost, discipline; production has speed, gang, repair, inspection.

Gang boss is a production department specialist. Exam tip: remember gang speed repair inspector under production side.

In Taylor’s functional foremanship, the route clerk decides the path through which a job will move across departments or machines and the order of operations. Therefore, the route and sequence of work flow is correct. Fixing wage rates is not the route clerk’s function; it relates to remuneration policy. Exam tip: remember ‘route’ as the path followed by the work.

Instruction card clerk writes work instructions. Exam tip: understand instruction card as written directions.

In Taylor’s scientific management, the time and cost clerk maintains records related to the time taken to complete a job and the cost incurred on it. Therefore, time and cost is the correct answer. Customer preference is generally related to marketing, not to this clerk’s role. Exam tip: remember each functional foreman by linking the title of the post with its main duty.

Disciplinarian maintains discipline at the workplace. Exam tip: identify the answer from the word discipline.

The direct answer is option B, maintenance of machines. In Taylor’s functional foremanship, the repair boss is a production-department specialist. The repair boss ensures that machines, tools, and equipment are kept in working condition and that breakdowns are repaired promptly. Regular maintenance reduces interruptions, protects workers, and helps production continue smoothly. Option A, advertising budget, belongs to marketing or financial planning and has no connection with repair work. Option B, maintenance of machines, is correct because repairing and maintaining equipment is the central responsibility suggested by the title “repair boss.” Option C, sales discount, is a sales decision and does not concern machinery. Option D, bank interest, is a finance matter and is unrelated to factory equipment. Do not confuse the repair boss with the time-and-cost clerk: the latter deals with records and standards, while the repair boss deals with physical machines and tools. Memory cue: repair boss means machine care; if the clue is breakdown, equipment, or upkeep, choose maintenance.

Method study examines different ways of performing a job, removes unnecessary steps, and identifies the most efficient, simple and economical method. Therefore, its correct result is determining the best method of doing a job. More delay or working without planning is contrary to the aim of scientific management. Exam tip: remember Taylor’s method study as finding the ‘best way’ to do a job.

Time study determines the standard time for a job. Exam tip: remember time study equals standard time.

Rest intervals reduce fatigue and maintain efficiency. Exam tip: connect rest interval with fatigue study.

Fatigue study is a major part of work study. Exam tip: remember method motion time fatigue together.

Work study includes method time motion and fatigue studies. Exam tip: remember these four as one group.

Standardisation fixes standards of quality size method and tools. Exam tip: understand standardisation as fixed benchmarks.

Simplification reduces unnecessary product varieties. Exam tip: remember simplification means variety reduction.

Reducing too many models is an example of simplification. Exam tip: choose simplification when you see fewer models.

Standardisation brings uniformity in quality and process. Exam tip: connect uniformity with standardisation.

This system has different wage rates based on performance. Exam tip: remember performance based wage.

Differential wage system motivates workers to become more efficient. Exam tip: connect wage incentive with motivation.

Giving a higher rate for higher output is differential piece wage system. Exam tip: remember higher output higher rate.

Time study fixes standards and the wage system links them with performance. Exam tip: standard output may connect both.

Taylor stressed making management scientific and systematic. Exam tip: write systematic approach for scientific management.

Observation and measurement improve work efficiency. Exam tip: connect measurement with efficiency improvement.

Fair sharing of gains is related to the spirit of mental revolution. Exam tip: connect fair sharing with mutual trust.