HI6005: Fordism, Taylorism, and Organisational Culture Analysis Report

This report analyses Fordism and Taylorism, focusing on scientific management theory and its relevance to modern business, particularly in the context of Ford Motor. It questions the applicability of Taylor's principles in today's economy, contrasting it with scenarios like Call Assists. The report further explores the definition of organisational culture, comparing viewpoints from Richard Perrin, Michael Watkins, and Abdi Osma Jama, ultimately aligning with Perrin's emphasis on shared values and beliefs. The document concludes by affirming the continued relevance of scientific management and highlighting the importance of a dynamic, integrated organisational culture. Desklib provides access to similar solved assignments and past papers for students.

Research Paper 1
1

Table of Contents
Executive Summary...................................................................................................................3
E-learning Activities..................................................................................................................4
Week 1 – Activity 1 – Ford and Taylorism............................................................................4
Week 3 – Activity 2 – Definition of Culture..........................................................................5
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................6
Week 1 – Activity 1 – Ford and Taylorism............................................................................6
Week 3 – Activity 2 – Definition of Culture..........................................................................6
References..................................................................................................................................7
2

Executive Summary
Week 1: Activity 1: Ford and Taylorism
The theory produced by Ford and Taylor named as scientific management theory has been
discussed in the activity. The theory describes about increasing workers efficiency to produce
more with minimum wastage. The activity has studied the theory in context to Ford Motor.
Week 3: Activity 2: Definition of Culture
The activity discusses the definition of the concept Organisational Culture. The activity
studies the viewpoint of numerous individuals and thus encompasses over a definition of
organisational culture. The activity focuses over to draw a conclusion towards the variance
between the viewpoints of people.
3

E-learning Activities
Week 1 – Activity 1 – Ford and Taylorism
The prescribed E-learning activity discusses the concept of scientific management. It is a
theory with the combination of management and engineering which can be applied to the
various organisations. The theory has provided with the notations that employees can be
differentiated in two basic forms efficient employees and inefficient employees. Fredrick
Taylor had an insulting view of the employees; he regarded the efficient employees with
more pay and incentives. He had a viewpoint of paying less to the less efficient employees
and differentiates between the two sets of employees (Ryngoksu, 2008). This rule of
increasing productivity and efficiency with paying higher wages and differentiating between
the employees is not acceptable in today’s world economy. Hence the workers in Australia,
America\a and Europe would not accept the theory of scientific management.
Taylorism is witnessed in the scripts of calls at Call Assists. Call Assists is in favour of the
thinking that efficiency is directly proportional to the costs. The company runs on the basis
that if more calls can be handled in less time the costs occurring to the company can be
reduced. The concept of Taylorism is contradicting to the actual scenario. Call Assist must
focus on the satisfaction level of the consumers. Once satisfied the consumers are not
required to recall and thus saves the times and efforts of the organisation resulting in lesser
costs and more efficiency (Blog.convoso, 2017).
The scientific management theory describes that with the application of division of work and
responsibilities the employees can be used to their maximum capacities. The differential
wages system and scalar chain can help the newly found business enterprises and the
entrepreneurs to manage and allocate the resource according to their full potential and
capabilities (Ryngoksu, 2008). Hence according to the various other concepts provided by the
scientific management theory, it is still applicable to some forms of business and can also be
used in the human resource departments according to the requirements and needs of the
employees and the employers.
4

Week 3 – Activity 2 – Definition of Culture
The definition of culture may vary. Different people have different opinions on the notation
of organisational culture. In the thoughts and beliefs of Richard Perrin culture is the values,
attributes, beliefs and thinking of various people working in an organisation to come together
to form a common set of those values, rights and beliefs. Culture is the understanding of
different people and them working together as one big force of energy. On the other hand in
the understanding and words of Michael Watkins is an immune system (Watkins, 2013).
Culture guards the organisation by defining the wrong and right and thus preventing the
wrong behaviours, styles, manners to enter the organisation. The culture is an immune system
as of a human body which handles the bad and fights against them. But cultures being an
immune force can also backfire and disregard the needed changes in the organisation and
work in the directions of protest and disintegration of the individuals and employees working
in the organisation.
Where else according to the insights and beliefs of Abdi Osma Jama culture is a dynamic
force. The force which works according to the changes internally and externally to the
environment it is functioning in. culture must not be stagnant in a particular situation. Being a
dynamic force it must change according to the changes and needs required at the
organisational and individual levels. If the culture of the organisation does not change in
accordance with the needs it may cause troubles for the organisation to function properly.
In my view and opinion, I agree with the thoughts of Richard Perrin. Richard Perrin has
justified the true essence and understanding of the concept of organisational culture. He has
described it as a combination of the values, beliefs, assumptions and a system that enables the
organisation to function in an efficient and effective manner. The right combination of these
attributes enables the employees and employers working in an organisation to integrate and
develop a better understanding of one another (Watkins, 2013). This results in higher levels
of correspondence and integration between the different employees. As the employees come
from diverse scales of the society the proper and pure integration of these sets of beliefs,
values and assumption empower an organisation to build stronger roots and a positive
working environment (Aishwarya and Suganthalakshmi, 2018).
5

Conclusion
Week 1 – Activity 1 – Ford and Taylorism
The activity discusses the scientific management theory developed by Fredrick Taylor. The
activity questions whether the relevance of the theory in the dynamic business environment.
According to the analysis and interpretation, the theory is still relevant and can be applied to
various forms of organisation to achieve higher levels of production and lower levels of costs
and waste caused by the work process.
Week 3 – Activity 2 – Definition of Culture
The activity discusses over the viewpoints of various individuals regarding the concept of
organisational culture. The aptest definition was stated by Richard Perrin. The culture of an
organisation must be a combination of beliefs, assumptions, values and rights practised by the
employees.
6

References
 Aishwarya, R. and Suganthalakshmi, T., 2018. A Study On Impact Of
Organizational Culture In Teaching Faculties In Engineering Colleges With
Reference To Chennai. The Online Journal of New Horizons in Education-
January, vol.8, no.1.
 Blog.convoso, 2017. How your call centre should actually be using scripts.
[Online] blog.convoso. Available at: http://blog.convoso.com/call-center- scripts.
[Accessed: 16 January 2018]
 Ryngoksu, 2008. Ford and Taylor Scientific Management (Edited). [Online]
YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PdmNbqtDdI
[Accessed: 16 January 2018]
 Watkins, D.M., 2013. What is organizational culture? And why should we care?.
[Online] Harvard Business Review. Available at:
http://knowledge.wpcarey.asu.edu/article.cfm?aid=31 [Accessed: 16 January 2018].
7