Taylor’s scientific management

Correct answer: C. Disciplinarian

The correct answer is C, the disciplinarian. In Taylor’s functional foremanship, this specialist is responsible for discipline and workers’ observance of rules, so ignored safety rules are directly relevant.

Correct answer: C. Different workers receive raw materials of different quality

The correct answer is C. If workers receive raw materials of different quality, their results are not directly comparable. Paying different rates based on those results may therefore be unfair, even if the work method is standardised.

Correct answer: B. Method study

The correct answer is B, method study. It examines how work is carried out and seeks a more efficient method. Reviewing the process and material flow can help remove unnecessary movement between departments and reduce cost.

Correct answer: A. Trust in and acceptance of the standard may decline

The correct answer is A. If workers are not told how a standard was set, they may doubt that it is fair or realistic. That can reduce their trust in and acceptance of the target, even when a higher rate of pay is offered.

Correct answer: B. Use measurement to identify the best method and apply it to everyone

The correct answer is B. Using measurement to identify a method is the scientific approach; applying that method consistently makes the work standardised. The other choices rely on untested practice, individual methods or guesswork.

Correct answer: B. Lack of coordination

The correct answer is B, lack of coordination. Functional foremanship divides supervision among specialists, so planning and production must work together for a plan to be implemented.

Correct answer: B. Motion study and fatigue study

The correct answer is B. Motion study can assess how the new layout changes workers’ movements, while fatigue study can assess whether the extra bending increases fatigue. Both output and worker strain need consideration.

Correct answer: B. ₹720

The policy specifies ₹6 per unit at the standard, and the worker produces 120 units. Therefore, wage = 120 × ₹6 = ₹720.

Correct answer: A. Increase total output and prosperity

Taylor’s idea of mental revolution encourages workers and management to cooperate to increase total output and prosperity, rather than fight over how to divide a limited gain. This is consistent with the discussion of Taylor in NCERT Class XII Business Studies, Chapter 2, “Principles of Management.”

Correct answer: A. Taylor focused on shop-floor efficiency, while Fayol focused on general administrative principles

Taylor’s work focused mainly on improving efficiency in production and at the shop-floor level. Fayol developed general principles of management applicable to administration. This distinction is presented in NCERT Class XII Business Studies, Chapter 2, “Principles of Management.”

Correct answer: C. Mental revolution and cooperation

The direct answer is C, mental revolution and cooperation. Standardisation tells workers the common method, size or quality to follow, but people are more likely to accept and apply standards when management explains their purpose and works with them. Taylor’s mental revolution means a change in attitude: workers and management should stop treating each other as enemies and develop mutual trust, cooperation and a shared interest in higher productivity. Step by step: a standard is introduced; workers do not understand its reason; confusion or resistance may arise; communication and cooperation explain the purpose; participation improves acceptance and implementation. Option A, differential wages, rewards higher output through different pay rates, but it does not explain the reasoning behind standards. Option B, motion study, removes unnecessary movements to improve efficiency; it is a technical study, not the main human solution described. Option C is correct because it addresses understanding, trust and cooperation. Option D, simplification, reduces unnecessary variety, but it does not by itself create worker-management understanding. Memory cue: when the problem is people and acceptance, think mental revolution and cooperation.

Correct answer: B. 38 units

The first-pass useful output is 38 units, so option B is correct. First calculate the total units made in the available time: \(560\div14=40\) units. However, 2 units require rework, so they are not useful on the first pass. Therefore first-pass useful output is \(40-2=38\) units. Option A, 36, would subtract four units and has no stated basis. Option B correctly subtracts the two rework units from the total of 40. Option C, 40, is the total initial production before removing defective or rework units, not the useful first-pass output. Option D, 42, is impossible because output cannot exceed \(560\div14=40\) at the stated rate. The important distinction is between total units produced and units accepted without rework. The memory cue is: time divided by time per unit gives total production; then subtract rework when the question asks for first-pass useful output.

Correct answer: A. Continuous development and training of workers

Taylor’s approach includes selecting and placing workers appropriately, then training and developing them so they can reach their highest efficiency. Merely assigning the right job does not complete this ongoing development. This matches NCERT Class XII Business Studies, Chapter 2, “Principles of Management.”

Correct answer: A. Method study—the best way to do a job; motion study—movements during the job; time study—standard time for the job; fatigue study—rest intervals to reduce fatigue

Method study finds the best way to perform a task; motion study examines the movements involved; time study sets the standard time for the task; and fatigue study considers rest intervals to reduce fatigue. These are Taylor’s work-study techniques, as described in NCERT Class XII Business Studies, Chapter 2, “Principles of Management.”

Correct answer: A. Fatigue study

Fatigue study examines how work causes fatigue and helps determine appropriate rest intervals. It can therefore help set a more sustainable work routine instead of judging performance only by one day’s output. This matches NCERT Class XII Business Studies, Chapter 2, “Principles of Management.”

Correct answer: B. Disciplinarian

The inspector checks whether work meets quality standards. The disciplinarian is responsible for maintaining discipline and ensuring that workers follow instructions, so that is the appropriate role when instructions are deliberately ignored. This matches the functional foremanship system in NCERT Class XII Business Studies, Chapter 2, “Principles of Management.”

Correct answer: A. Role conflict and the need for coordination

In Taylor’s functional foremanship, the speed boss focuses on production speed, while the inspector checks quality. Conflicting instructions in this situation show that specialist roles need clear coordination. The roles are described in NCERT Class XII Business Studies, Chapter 2, “Principles of Management.”

Correct answer: A. It is a broader system combining study, standards, training, cooperation, incentives and control

Scientific management is not simply a demand to work faster. It uses systematic study and standards, along with worker training, cooperation and appropriate incentives, to improve efficiency and output. This broader approach is described in NCERT Class XII Business Studies, Chapter 2, “Principles of Management.”

Correct answer: A. Cost efficiency and wage assessment

The direct answer is option A, cost efficiency and wage assessment. Correct time-cost records are necessary for management control even when output is high. Management must know how much time and money were used to produce the output. With reliable records, it can compare actual cost with standard cost, judge efficiency, calculate suitable wages or incentives, and identify waste. If the records are inaccurate, these decisions may be unreliable. Option A is correct because cost efficiency and wage assessment directly depend on trustworthy time and cost information. Option B, product colour, is mainly a design or quality decision and cannot be determined from time-cost records. Option C, employee birthday, is a personal administrative detail unrelated to production cost control. Option D, office name, is an identification matter and has no logical connection with time or cost records. In scientific management, the time and cost clerk helps collect and control such information. Remember: high output alone does not prove efficiency; output must be considered together with time, cost, and wages.

Correct answer: C. Selecting according to ability, assigning the right job, training and development

Taylor’s approach calls for selecting workers according to their abilities, placing them in suitable jobs, and training and developing them. It is therefore a systematic process, not merely the act of recruitment. This matches NCERT Class XII Business Studies, Chapter 2, “Principles of Management.”

Correct answer: A. Update the training material to reflect the new standard variants

The training material should match the simplified, approved range of variants so workers learn the current procedures and standards.

Correct answer: A. Verify the proposed method using local facts and testing

A scientific approach relies on observation, facts, and testing rather than blindly copying a written rule. The proposed method should therefore be checked under the factory’s actual conditions.

Correct answer: A. The improved method reduces the task time, so the time standard should be reassessed and revised if appropriate

Removing unnecessary movements can make the task quicker. The time standard should then be measured again for the improved method and revised if the new measurement supports it.

Correct answer: C. Several elements of Taylor’s scientific management have been applied together

The case combines measurement and standards with training, planned rest, and cooperation over gains. It therefore describes an integrated application of several elements of scientific management, not just one study.

Correct answer: B. Unequal raw-material quality will weaken the fairness of performance comparisons

If workers receive materials of different quality, their output may differ for reasons beyond their effort or skill. That makes performance comparisons—and the resulting piece-rate decisions—less fair.