Taylorism vs. Friedman: Management and Organisations in Globalisation

This report examines Frederick Taylor's theory of Taylorism and Thomas Friedman's concept of the flat world, focusing on their implications for management and organisations in a global environment. It discusses how Taylorism, aimed at maximizing labor productivity through job fragmentation, is fading due to technological advancements, questioning its applicability in modern workplaces. The report also analyses Friedman's view of globalisation, highlighting the freedom and collaboration it promotes, while also addressing potential risks such as the erosion of business ethics and strategic errors due to misunderstanding global trends. It further explores the uneven distribution of globalisation's benefits and its impact on international labor divisions, ethnic imbalances, and social issues, ultimately concluding that while Taylorism has contributed to productivity, the flat world concept, despite its advantages, carries significant disadvantages that could destabilise the global system. Desklib provides access to similar reports and study resources for students.

Running head: MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATIONS IN A GLOBAL
ENVIRONMENT
Management and Organisations in a Global Environment
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATIONS IN A GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT
Executive Summary
This paper is going to shed light on the concept of two popular theories presented by
Fredrick Taylor and Thomas Friedman. On one hand Fredrick Taylor has presented a theory
of taylorism about 100 years ago, which is still being accepted by few of the business
managers to operate their business and increase workforce productivity. Thomas Friedman,
on the other hand, has focused on iron rule of flat world and has assessed the imbalance of
globalisation at different stages. This paper shall elaborate on answering the questions related
to the two of the above theories presented by Taylor and Friedman.

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Table of Contents
E-learning activities...................................................................................................................3
Week 1.......................................................................................................................................3
Activity 1- Ford and Taylorism..............................................................................................3
Week 2....................................................................................................................................4
Activity 1- Thomas Friedman on Globalisation; 3 Eras of Globalisation; World is flat.......4
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................5
References:.................................................................................................................................6

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E-learning activities
Week 1
Activity 1- Ford and Taylorism
1. The theory of taylorism is objectified towards improving the economic efficiency by
maximizing the labor productivity. The theory of Taylorism was introduced by Fredrick
Taylor in early twentieth century with an aim of attaining high job fragmentation so that to
minimize the requirements of skills for conducting a work as well as for reducing the time
taken by the workers for job learning. The theory was highly implemented by many of the
workforces in order to maximize their workforce productivity (Mele 2013). However, in
recent years, this concept is been fading away gradually. This is due to the fact that with the
passage of time, there is a huge change in technology and automation. Hence, there is no
wisdom in promoting the so old established theory of the taylorism in the current world of
business and there would be many ramifications required for making this theory a success.
Hence, it can be said that the workers in Australia, America and Europe would never accept
the proposed concept of Taylorism in its original form.
2. Yes, in the design of the scripts that used in the call centers, we can indeed see the
concept of taylorism to some extent in that but not completely. In the call centers today, the
job role and the operation of the employees are divided according to the field of
specialization of the workers. There are several different sectors within a call centre where
people from different backgrounds work, according to their expertise and so is their
designations are determined. A management such like this favors the theory of taylorism
more or less.
3. Yes, there could still be a part in this world that would open handily welcomes this concept
in the workplaces prevailing there and the workers would happily accept it. The above

4MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATIONS IN A GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT
mentioned clip has presented a clear idea in front of the viewers regarding the theory that was
introduced 100 years ago. However, this idea still cannot be said as completely traditional
and out of date, as it is still present in the current world of business. There may be present
many industries around the world, which needs sensible applications of the ideas like the
ones that are demanded in the clip. The principles of the foundation theory of scientific
management are still devised in the present days and it has a long lasting affects, though it
was introduced hundreds of years ago (Bahrin et al. 2016).
Week 2
Activity 1- Thomas Friedman on Globalisation; 3 Eras of Globalisation; World is flat
1. According to Thomas Friedman, flat world is such a platform where there are no barriers
present. Man has the full freedom to do what he is intended to or what he wants to. There is
no one to stop him from doing anything that he likes to. Though this platform promotes
freedom, collaboration and communication, but still, there are several risk factors in living in
flat world of globalization 3.0. The very first is that the business ethics of the organizations
would lose their importance as no one will follow those ethics. Secondly, if people are given
the full freedom, they will do whatever they feel like doing, even committing a crime would
be free of punishment. This will ultimately destroy the society. In the business context, man
will start creating their own rules and regulations neglecting the code of laws as well. With
the same, the concept of flat world would also led to misunderstanding of the trends by the
business men, which in turn would led to strategic errors.
2. Yes, I agree with the Friedman’s iron rule of the flat world, as the improvement and
advancement in the new technologies will give man the complete freedom to do whatever he
intends to do. If we take the example of Southwest airline, it has opened up a website
especially for the people to make it easy for them to go online in order to print and download
their own boarding passes along with bar codes printed on it. In this way the company is

5MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATIONS IN A GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT
helping out every individual to become his or her own ticket agent and also prevent them
from changing themselves in order to learn something and do things according to their
wishes.
3. No, the level of globalization is not uniform all around the world. It is different at different
place. In fact, it is uneven in its process and affects. Globalization increases the integration
between different countries by opening up trade barriers and by accessing the capitals
(Jaumotte and Papageorgiou 2013). Due to globalization several countries have introduced
their markets in internationally and there are only few poor countries left that have not yet
grown to that extent. They have spent a long time without introducing their businesses into
the international trade market. With the same, globalization has also led to an international
division of the labors in between developing as well as already developed countries. In some
of the countries women too work in the agricultural sectors but they are comparatively less
paid than the other countries. This is due to globalization. It has also an impact on the
indigenous girls in Philippines in the context to health. With the same, globalization has also
led to imbalance in the ethnicity that has very consequences in ensuring safety for the
communities that belong from other parts in the world. Along with that, there are some places
where Muslims are being indicted for being involved in the events. This is the result of
globalization.
Conclusion
Hence, it can be said that the theory of taylorism has truly made a notable contribution
in increasing the productivity of the workers by changing machine functioning processes.
With the same, concluded from the above discussion that the concept of flat world though has
many advantages but is also equipped several disadvantages that will ultimately ruin the
whole system of the world.

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References:
Bahrin, M.A.K., Othman, M.F., Azli, N.H.N. and Talib, M.F., 2016. Industry 4.0: a review
on industrial automation and robotic. Jurnal Teknologi, 78(6), pp.137-143..
Jaumotte, F., Lall, S. and Papageorgiou, C., 2013. Rising income inequality: technology, or
trade and financial globalization?. IMF Economic Review, 61(2), pp.271-309.
Melé, D., 2013. Antecedents and current situation of humanistic management. African
Journal of Business Ethics, 7(2), p.52.