Techniques of scientific management

Removing unnecessary movements can reduce the time required for a unit of work. The time standard—the expected time for completing the task—should therefore be reviewed to reflect the improved method.

The usual sequence is method study followed by time study. Method study identifies the most effective way to do a job; time study then determines the standard time for doing it by that method.

Differential piece-rate wages distinguish performance against a standard. If defective units are rising, the quality standard and which units qualify as accepted output must be clear; otherwise, a higher total count could reward poor-quality production.

Accepted output is found by subtracting rejected units from total output. Thus, accepted output = 110 - 5 = 105 units. 110 units is the total output, while 115 would result from addition, so neither is correct. Exam tip: in such questions, subtract rejected units from total output first.

The time and cost clerk keeps records relating to time and costs. These records can be used to compare the time actually taken with the standard time and identify a difference.

The route clerk plans the sequence or route of work, while the instruction card clerk specifies how the work is to be done. Without coordination, the written instructions may conflict with the planned route.

Different materials can require different effort or processing time. If input conditions vary, differences in performance may reflect the materials rather than the workers’ method or efficiency, making the comparison less fair.

Without adequate rest, sustained work at a high target can increase fatigue. Fatigue can make mistakes more likely, which is why work and rest periods should be considered when setting work standards.

A work target based on a studied method is more achievable when workers know how to use that method. Training helps them perform the task as planned; without it, the target may not be matched by the skills needed to meet it.

The clues point to different techniques: improving the work process relates to method study, reducing unnecessary movements to motion study, setting a time standard to time study, and planning rest intervals to fatigue study. Together, they show combined use of scientific management techniques.

Rejected units are deducted from accepted output. Exam tip: keep gross output and accepted output separate.

Gang boss arranges tools and material before work starts. Exam tip: connect ready tools with gang boss.

Lack of a uniform material grade shows weak standardisation. Exam tip: connect input quality with standardisation.

The governing concept is time study with an allowance for necessary rest. Standard output must be based on effective working time, so the rest period is first deducted from the total period. Effective time = 660 − 60 = 600 minutes. Each unit has a standard time of 12 minutes, therefore standard output = 600 ÷ 12 = 50 units. Option B is correct. If the rest period were incorrectly included, one might calculate 660 ÷ 12 = 55, which corresponds to option C but overstates production because it treats rest as working time. Options A and D also fail to use the stated effective time and unit standard consistently. Deducting the unavoidable allowance is the decisive step.

The governing concept is simplification, a scientific-management technique that removes unnecessary variety, duplication and unwanted models. It does not mean cutting the range blindly. A sound decision must compare production efficiency with customer requirements and must retain designs that serve genuine demand. Here, reducing 25 designs to only 6 removed essential choices, so the simplification was excessive and unbalanced; option A is correct. Option B is wrong because standardisation is not proved by merely reducing variety. Time study concerns the time required for work, and motion study examines unnecessary worker movements, so options C and D do not address this case.

The governing concept is fatigue study, which examines the causes of worker tiredness and helps management design suitable work conditions, rest pauses and ergonomic arrangements. An incorrect workstation height can force awkward posture, extra muscular effort and early exhaustion; therefore, fatigue study is the most suitable investigation and option B is correct. Method study mainly seeks the best way of performing a job, while time study determines the time standard for a task. Simplification reduces unnecessary product variety. Those techniques may support improvement, but none directly diagnoses the stated problem of rapid worker fatigue as well as fatigue study does.

The governing concept is payment on accepted output under a differential or incentive wage arrangement. Since three units are rejected, they cannot be included in the wage calculation. Accepted output = total production − rejected production = 126 − 3 = 123 units. The applicable high rate is ₹5 per accepted unit, so wage = 123 × ₹5 = ₹615. Therefore, option B is correct. Option A multiplies the standard 120 units by ₹5, option C uses all 126 produced units and ignores rejection, and option D overstates the accepted quantity. The key is to deduct rejected units before applying the stated rate.

The governing concept is the interrelationship among scientific-management techniques. Motion study removes unnecessary movements and reduces the distance or effort involved in performing a task. When the improved method makes the work quicker, the time required per unit may change; consequently, the previously fixed daily target may also need revision. Thus, motion study has influenced time study and its resulting standard, making option A correct. Simplification concerns product varieties, not discipline. The inspector, bank, repair and advertising combinations in the other options are unrelated to the production-technique relationship described in the question.

The governing concept is Taylor's functional foremanship, in which specialised supervisors handle different aspects of production. The repair boss is concerned with keeping machines and equipment in working condition; the question explicitly states that the machine is proper, so that role is not central. The speed boss is responsible for ensuring that workers maintain the prescribed pace and achieve the expected rate of production. Therefore, option B is correct. A gang boss focuses on arranging and guiding the work group, an inspector checks quality, and the time-and-cost clerk records time and cost information rather than directly correcting slow operating speed.

The governing principle is that standard output is calculated using effective working time after deducting necessary rest. The total period is 720 minutes and the rest allowance is 80 minutes, so effective working time = 720 − 80 = 640 minutes. The standard time for one unit is 16 minutes. Therefore, standard output = 640 ÷ 16 = 40 units. Hence option B is correct. Option A would underuse the available effective time. Options C and D would require either more than 640 working minutes or a smaller standard time per unit than the question permits. Dividing the full 720 minutes by 16 would give 45, but that incorrectly counts rest as production time. The rest deduction must come before division.

This question applies Taylor’s differential piece-rate idea. The worker’s output of 119 units is higher than the standard of 115 units, so the stated high rate of ₹12 must be applied to the entire output, assuming the question gives no separate rate for the lower performance band. Wage = total output × applicable rate = 119 × ₹12 = ₹1,428. Thus option C is correct. Option B, ₹1,404, incorrectly multiplies 117 by ₹12, and option A uses ₹12 with only 115 units, confusing the standard with actual production. Option D is not supported by the given output or rate.

The governing distinction is between gross output and accepted output. Since the question explicitly says that payment is based on gross output, rejected units are not deducted for wage calculation. The worker produced 132 units, which is above the standard of 125, so the high rate of ₹6 applies to all 132 units. Wage = 132 × ₹6 = ₹792. Therefore, option B is correct. Option C, ₹780, would use 130 units; option A, ₹750, uses the standard quantity rather than actual gross production; and option D has no valid basis. Quality rejection could matter under accepted-output payment, but not under the stated gross-output basis.

The key concept is the difference between gross-output and accepted-output payment. Gross output means the wage is calculated on every unit produced, even when some units are later rejected, provided that this payment basis is explicitly stated. The worker produced 150 units, which is above the 145-unit standard, so the high rate of ₹7 applies. Wage = 150 × ₹7 = ₹1,050, making option C correct. Option B deducts the six rejected units and therefore calculates accepted-output wages. Options A and D do not correspond to the stated quantity multiplied by the stated rate. The wording “gross output” controls the calculation.

The governing sequence in scientific management is method study followed by time study. Method study examines alternative ways of doing a task and identifies the best, simplest, and most efficient method. Once that method is selected, time study measures the time a qualified worker should require at a normal pace, including appropriate allowances, and a time standard can then be fixed. Therefore, option B is correct. Option A reverses the logical order because a time standard based on an unselected method may be unreliable. Options C and D do not state the required relationship between these two techniques.

The governing concept is the need to balance a scientifically determined work standard with human capacity and suitable rest pauses. A high target without planned recovery can cause physical and mental fatigue. As fatigue rises, attention, coordination and judgement generally decline, so workers are more likely to make processing mistakes, suffer minor accidents, or produce defective output. Therefore option A is correct because it identifies the direct operational risk created by excessive work pressure without rest. Storage cost is unrelated to rest planning, so option B is not a logical consequence. Reduced product variety and route perfection concern other production decisions, not worker recovery or fatigue management. A sound standard should be demanding but practicable and should include reasonable intervals for rest.