Relationship between Scientific Management and Modern Theory and Practice

Running head: FOUNDATIONS OF MANAGEMENT
Essay on relationship between scientific management and modern theory and practice
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FOUNDATIONS OF MANAGEMENT
Management
Management is one of an important aspect in business. Managing the nature of the
business activities helps the managers to predict the outcomes towards the achievement of
success. Herein lays the appropriateness of effective planning by the managers, which results
in the achievement of positive outcomes. This planning helps in systematizing the activities
according to their priorities (Jarosław, Wiesław and Tadeusz 2014). According to the
business critics, scientific management has proved to be the best way for managing. This
essay attempts to shed light on the aspect of scientific management through the consideration
of theory and practice.
Scientific management
Scientific management is an essential subject for ensuring the systematic progress of
the business activities. Here, the focus is on improving the efficiency. Frederick Winslow
Taylor founded the concept on the scientific engineering process and management issues.
Since then, scientific management is also known as Taylorism. Most of the themes of
scientific management have become obsolete (López 2014). However, workplace is one such
place, where some of the themes can be found. These include logical reasoning, rationality,
work ethics, standardization, mass production, knowledge transfer and documentation.
Human relations movement
Founded by George Elton Mayo in 1930, human relations movement attempted to
explore the satisfaction received by the workers through the enhanced productivity. The aim
was to study the behavioural approach of the workers towards the allotted tasks and the
responsibilities. Division of the staffs into groups helped in studying the behaviours in an
efficient and effective manner. Within the behaviour, psychology of the staffs is a vital aspect

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FOUNDATIONS OF MANAGEMENT
in terms of the treatment, which they received in the workplace (Rządkowski, Głażewska and
Sawińska, 2015). Mention can be made of Hawthorn’s studies, which reflects motivation as
an important aspect towards luring the staffs. Herein lays the importance of the role played by
the managers and the employers, enhancing the workplace relations.
The basic perspective of the movement is psychological in terms of assessing the role
of the management. This is in terms of regulating the human resources, the workers. In this
regulation, societal aspects gain prominence as compared to the organizational structures.
Typical example can be psychological disturbances faced by the employees regarding the
continuous poor performance. This example reflects incapability of both the managers and
the staffs in terms of executing the allocated duties and responsibilities (Jarosław,
Wiesławand Tadeusz 2014). Moreover, it distorts the structure, as the managers fail to
provide motivation to the workers. Taunts and mocking adversely affects the psyche of the
workers, affecting their performance. Herein lays the need for communication between the
hierarchies, the second emphasis of Mayo.
Two-way communication proves effective in terms of gaining an understanding of the
issues, which the managers and the employees are facing. Counselling is one of the means,
which ensures the security of the responses provided by the workers. Moreover, it relates to
the ethics, a crucial parameter for catering to the wellbeing of the workers. This ethics can be
considered as the third area focused by Mayo for excavating the relationship between the
employee and the management (Krupa and Ostrowska 2016). Adopting appropriate
leadership skills enhance the personality of the managers. Setting short-term goals improves
the focus of the staffs on the business activities. Exposing determinant attitude towards these
goals improves the decision making process of the staffs.
Modern theory and practice