Techniques of scientific management

Correct answer: A. Inspector

The correct answer is A, Inspector. In functional foremanship, the inspector checks the quality of work and identifies defects in finished goods.

Correct answer: A. Unnecessary product variety

The correct answer is A, unnecessary product variety. Simplification reduces the number of unnecessary varieties so production can focus on fewer, more standardised products.

Correct answer: C. Which is the best method of doing the work?

Method study examines the existing way of doing a job to find the simplest, safest, most economical and efficient method. Therefore, its main question is which method of doing the work is best. Wage determination relates to wage incentive systems, while rest intervals are more closely linked with fatigue study. Exam tip: If the question asks how a job can be done in the best way, choose method study.

Correct answer: A. Unnecessary movements of a worker while performing a task

Motion study analyses the physical movements made by a worker while performing a task. It aims to eliminate unnecessary movements so that work becomes simpler, quicker and less tiring. Measuring the total time taken is mainly the focus of time study, so option B is a close but incorrect distractor. Exam tip: Motion study deals with movements, whereas time study deals with time measurement.

Correct answer: A. Standard time

The direct answer is A: standard time. Time study measures the time needed by a qualified worker, working at a reasonable pace under specified conditions, to complete a task. After suitable observations and allowances for unavoidable delays, this information is used to fix the standard time for the job. Therefore option A is correct. Option B, standard colour, is unrelated to measuring the duration of work. Option C, standard advertisement, concerns publicity and is not produced by a timing study. Option D, standard discount, concerns pricing and sales policy, not work duration. Do not confuse this with method study: method study finds the best way to perform work, whereas time study determines the time standard for that work. Exam cue: time study leads to standard time.

Correct answer: B. Rest intervals

The direct answer is B, Rest intervals. Fatigue study examines when and why workers become tired during work. The information is used to decide suitable working periods and suitable pauses, so workers can recover and maintain safe, efficient performance. Option A, Employee house, is unrelated to measuring workplace fatigue and cannot be decided by this study. Option B is correct because planned rest intervals reduce excessive tiredness and help determine a practical work-rest schedule. Option C, Product logo, concerns branding and design, not worker energy or fatigue. Option D, Bank account, concerns payment or banking and has no connection with the physical effects of work. The reasoning is therefore: work causes fatigue; study observes it; suitable rest is arranged. Exam cue: fatigue study leads to rest pauses, not product or personal facilities.

Correct answer: C. High rate for output above the standard

Under the differential piece wage system, workers are paid at different rates according to their output. An efficient worker who produces above the standard receives a higher rate per unit; therefore, option C is correct. A low rate is generally meant for a worker producing below the standard. Exam tip: In Taylor’s technique, remember that higher output is rewarded with a higher wage rate.

Correct answer: B. Standardisation

The governing concept is standardisation, a technique of scientific management that establishes standards for materials, tools, processes, working conditions and products. Fixing one common measurement for all products creates uniformity and makes production, inspection and cost comparison easier. Hence option B is correct. Simplification reduces unnecessary varieties and complexities; it does not by itself mean fixing a common measurement. Fatigue study examines rest pauses and worker tiredness, while time study determines the standard time required for a task. Thus the phrase “same measurement for all” points specifically to standardisation.

Correct answer: C. Simplification

The direct answer is C, Simplification. Simplification means reducing unnecessary variety in products, sizes, designs, or packages. Here, 12 packing types are reduced to 4, so the company is deliberately limiting variety. This can reduce confusion, purchasing difficulty, production complexity, and cost. Option A, Motion study, examines workers’ movements to remove unnecessary motions; it does not primarily reduce the number of packing types. Option B, Time study, determines the standard time needed for a task, not the number of package varieties. Option C is correct because fewer types are the clear sign of simplification. Option D, Inspector, is a person or role that checks quality, not a management technique for reducing varieties. Memory cue: fewer varieties means simplification.

Correct answer: A. Method study

The correct answer is A, Method study. It examines the steps in doing a job to find the most effective method; a process chart can help analyse those steps.

Correct answer: B. Motion study

The correct answer is B, Motion study. It examines the movements involved in a job and helps eliminate unnecessary ones, such as repeated long walks to collect tools.

Correct answer: C. Time study

The direct answer is C: time study. A stopwatch is used to measure and record how long a worker or task takes. This is the central purpose of time study: determining the duration required for a job and helping establish a standard time. Therefore option C is correct. Option A, method study, investigates the best sequence or method of performing work; it may observe the task but is not identified specifically by stopwatch timing. Option B, fatigue study, examines tiredness, rest pauses and the effects of fatigue, not simply the duration measured by a stopwatch. Option D, simplification, reduces unnecessary variety or complexity in products or work and does not mean timing the task. The safest exam association is stopwatch or measured duration equals time study. A stopwatch may be used in other practical observations too, but in this school-level management question it clearly signals time study.

Correct answer: D. Fatigue study

The correct answer is D, Fatigue study. It examines how work causes fatigue and helps determine suitable rest pauses, which can reduce fatigue-related errors.

Correct answer: A. Higher rate

The direct answer is A, Higher rate. In the differential piece-rate system, a standard output is fixed. A worker producing at or above the required standard may receive the higher piece rate, while a worker below the standard receives the lower rate, according to the question’s intended textbook rule. Since the worker makes 60 units against a standard of 55, the output is above standard: 60 > 55. Option A is correct. Option B, Lower rate, is associated with output below the standard, not the stated result. Option C, Zero rate, is not the normal payment in this system; completed accepted work is paid. Option D, Same rate, ignores the very purpose of a differential rate, which rewards higher performance differently. Exam cue: compare actual output with standard before choosing the rate.

Correct answer: C. 50

Standard output is found by dividing the total available time by the time required per unit: \(450 \div 9 = 50\). Therefore, the standard output in 450 minutes is 50 units. An output of 45 would be obtained only if each unit took 10 minutes. Exam tip: in time-study numericals, first check that both time values are in the same unit, then divide.

Correct answer: A. 60 units

To find standard output, divide the total available time by the time needed per unit: \(360 \div 6 = 60\). Therefore, the standard output in 360 minutes is 60 units. An output of 55 units would require more than 6 minutes per unit. Exam tip: in time-study questions, use \(\text{available time} \div \text{time per unit}\).

Correct answer: B. Repair boss

The correct answer is B, Repair boss. In functional foremanship, the repair boss is responsible for keeping machines and tools in proper working condition, so this role handles the machine’s repair.

Correct answer: C. Speed boss

In Taylor’s functional foremanship, the speed boss supervises the speed of production and helps workers maintain the required pace. Therefore, the speed boss is responsible when production speed remains low. An inspector mainly checks the quality of completed work, not the pace of production. Exam tip: Choose the speed boss for questions about work pace, time, or production speed.

Correct answer: D. Disciplinarian

The correct answer is D, Disciplinarian. This functional foreman is responsible for maintaining discipline among workers, so the role is relevant when indiscipline disrupts work.

Correct answer: A. Instruction card clerk

The correct answer is A, Instruction card clerk. This clerk prepares the instruction cards that tell workers how to perform a job, including the prescribed tools and procedures.

Correct answer: B. Inspector

The correct answer is B, Inspector. The inspector checks the quality of the work and products, so this role is responsible for identifying defects in finished products.

Correct answer: C. Gang boss

The correct answer is C, Gang boss. The gang boss sets up the job and helps ensure that workers have the tools and materials needed to begin their work.

Correct answer: C. Standardisation

Standardisation means setting uniform standards for the size, quality, design, and other specifications of products. Therefore, making every product in the same size is an example of standardisation. Simplification reduces unnecessary varieties or types, whereas this question is about fixing a common size standard. Exam tip: Choose standardisation when you see “same size” or “uniform specifications.”

Correct answer: A. Simplification

The correct answer is A, Simplification. Simplification reduces unnecessary product varieties and types; fewer varieties can make storage and inventory management less costly.

Correct answer: B. Time study

The correct answer is B, Time study. It measures the time needed to perform a task under specified conditions and helps establish a standard time that can be used to set work targets.