Taylor’s scientific management

In Taylor’s functional foremanship, the speed boss deals with production speed, while the disciplinarian handles discipline. The disciplinarian giving speed instructions shows that these roles are being confused.

The inspector’s role is to check quality and identify or report defects. Correcting the written instructions requires action by the person responsible for preparing them; defect detection alone does not fix that root cause.

In time study, standard output is found by dividing the available working time by the standard time per unit: \(520 \div 13 = 40\). Therefore, the standard output is 40 units. An output of 38 units would require about 13.7 minutes per unit, which is not given here. Exam tip: first ensure that both time values are expressed in the same unit.

Motion study examines the movements made while doing a task so that unnecessary movements can be identified and eliminated. Shortening the material route addresses a different issue: the sequence or path of work.

The lack of open conflict suggests harmony, but the problem states that the two sides do not work together. Taylor’s principle of cooperation, not individualism, calls for joint effort between management and workers.

A time standard should be based on a representative worker performing the task at a normal, sustainable pace, not on an unusually fast worker. Using an unrepresentative pace can make the standard unfair to others.

The worker produces more than the 85-unit standard, so the high rate applies to all 86 units. Wage = 86 units × ₹14 per unit = ₹1,204.

Reducing the number of types is simplification. Standardisation is still needed to set consistent specifications, such as the part’s measurements, so that parts from different suppliers conform to the same standard.

Simplification should remove unnecessary variety, not options that customers need. Without studying demand, the company may discontinue sizes that are important to its customers.

The route clerk plans or records the route for the work, while the time and cost clerk provides information about the time and cost involved. Comparing a route with its time and cost therefore requires information from both.

Method study examines how a task is performed so that the work method can be improved. Fatigue study examines factors such as rest intervals and working conditions that contribute to fatigue. Both are needed because the job has both problems.

Units produced = 480 minutes ÷ 8 minutes per unit = 60 units. After subtracting the 4 rejected units, usable output = 60 − 4 = 56 units.

The gang boss is associated with preparing the machines, tools and other requirements needed to start work. The speed boss focuses on maintaining the required pace, which the workers in this situation are already doing.

The inspector identifies defects, while the disciplinarian addresses deliberate failure to follow instructions and maintain discipline. Therefore, the disciplinarian is the relevant specialist in this situation.

Under functional foremanship, a worker may receive instructions from several specialist foremen. Fayol’s unity of command, by contrast, means that each employee should receive orders from one superior; this is why the two ideas can conflict.

Fair sharing of gains does not make work methods scientific. Taylor’s principle of “science, not rule of thumb” calls for studying and selecting work methods systematically rather than relying on guesswork.

Consistent standards provide a stable basis for comparing performance over time and checking whether work is meeting expectations. Changing them every day weakens that basis for comparison and control.

Standard time per unit is found by dividing total production time by the number of units: \(540 \div 60 = 9\) minutes per unit. Hence, 9 minutes is correct. If the time were 10 minutes per unit, 60 units would require 600 minutes, not 540 minutes. Exam tip: in time-study questions, use total time ÷ total units.

A is correct. If workers are not told why standards are being introduced, they may see them as rules imposed without consultation and resist them. Taylor’s idea of mental revolution stresses cooperation and a change in attitudes between workers and management; unexplained standards can undermine that cooperation.

Taylor’s study of fatigue focuses on identifying work-related causes and ways to reduce unnecessary fatigue. Studying the pace, method and conditions of work is more relevant than assuming fatigue is simply a personal weakness.

The speed boss is concerned with workers performing at the required speed. The repair boss is responsible for keeping machines and equipment in proper working condition, so a speed issue with a functioning machine points to the speed boss.

The worker exceeds the 90-unit standard, so the high rate applies to all 92 units. Wage = 92 units × ₹6 per unit = ₹552.

Selecting a suitable person for a job is only one step. Tracking training and development progress helps the organisation assess whether the worker’s efficiency is improving; without it, that monitoring may be weak.

In a differential piece-rate system, workers who meet or exceed the standard may receive the higher rate, while those who fall below it receive the lower rate. Inadequate rest can cause fatigue and reduce output, putting workers at risk of falling below the standard.

Taylor’s approach includes both finding a scientific method and securing cooperation between workers and management. Using a prescribed method while excluding workers from cooperation neglects that second element.