Principles of Management Test - 4

Time study is one of the work study techniques given by F.W. Taylor where as Espirit De Corps, Scalar chain and Unity of command are principles given by Henri Fayol.

Fredrick Winslow Taylor (March 20,1856 – March 21, 1915) was an American mechanical engineer. He died in 1915 due to pneumonia.

• Taylor advocated separation of planning and execution functions in functional foremanship.
• Under the factory manager there was a planning incharge and a production incharge.
• Those with technical mastery, intelligence and grit may be given planning work.
• Those with energy and good health may be assigned execution work.
• It leads to specialisation.

The principles of management are formed by experience and collective wisdom of managers as well as experimentation.For example, it is a matter of common experience that discipline is indispensable for accomplishing any purpose.

Esprit de corps is a French phrase that translates into 'group spirit'. It is one of the principles of Henri Fayol.Management should promote a team spirit of unity and harmony among employees, according to Fayol

According to F.W. Taylor scientific method should be used to analyse methods of production prevalent under the rule of thumb.

The best practices can be kept and further refined to develop a standard which should be followed throughout the organisation.

This can be done through work-study techniques developed by taylor which include time study, motion study, fatigue study and method study.

Science, not rule of thumb, this principle was given by F.W.Taylor.

• Taylor believed that there was only one best method to maximise efficiency.
  
• This method can be developed through study and analysis.
  
• The method so developed should substitute ‘Rule of Thumb’ throughout the organisation.
  
• Scientific method involved investigation of traditional methods through work-study, unifying the best practices and developing a standard method, which would be followed throughout the organisation.
  

Unity of direction is concerned with one head one plan because:

• All the units of an organisation should be moving towards the same objectives through coordinated and focussed efforts.
  
• Each group of activities having the same objective must have one head and one plan.
  
• This ensures unity of action and coordination.
  
• For example, if a company is manufacturing motorcycles as well as cars then it should have two separate divisions for both of them. Each division should have its own incharge, plans and execution resources.
  

Henry Fayol was a mining engineer.

He graduated from the mining academy of St. Etienne in 1860 in mining engineering.

The19 year old engineer started the mining company ‘Compagnie de commentary-Fourchambean Decazeville, ultimately acting as its managing director from 1888 to 1918.

Principles of management are not absolute rather than they are :

Flexible - Principles of management are not rigid as these can be modified as per the situation.

Universal applicable -  The principles of management are intended to apply to all types of organisations, business as well as non-business, small as well large, public sector as well as private sector, manufacturing as well as the services sectors.

Mainly behavioural - Management principles aim at influencing behaviour of human beings. Therefore, principles of management are mainly behavioural in nature.

Henri Fayol (1841-1925) was a French management theorist whose theories concerning scientific organisation of labour were widely influential in the beginning of twentieth century.

Henry Fayol is considered as father of General Management.

• Fayol was the first to identify four functions of management – Planning, Organising, Directing and Controlling although his version was a bit different – Plan, Organise, Command, Coordinate and Control.
  
• Based largely on his own experience, he developed his concept of administration.
  

• Pure or Exact science principles can be tested in laboratories as these are not applied on human behaviour.
  
• Pure or Exact science principles are applied on objects.
  
• The phenomenon of an apple falling from a tree towards the ground is explained by the law of gravity which was tested in laboratories also.In the same way Principles of  Physics chemistry and other subjects of science can be tested in laboratories.
  

• Functional foremanship is not a principle of scientific managemenet or principle given by Taylor. it is a technique of scientific management.
  
• In this techniqueTaylor identified a list of qualities of a good foreman/supervisor and found that no single person could fit them all. This prompted him to suggest functional foremanship through eight persons
  

Principles of management are significant or important because of following reasons :

1.Providing managers with useful insights into reality

2.Optimum utilisation of resources and effective administration

3.Scientific decisions

4.Meeting changing enviornment requirements

5.Fulfilling social responsibility

6.Management training, education and research

F.W. Taylor is considered as father of Scientific Management. 

• He proposed scientific management as opposed to rule of thumb.
  
• He broke up human activity into small parts and found out how it could be done effectively, in less time and with increased productivity.
  
• It implies conducting business activities according to standardised tools, methods and trained personnel in order to increase the output, improve its quality and reduce costs and wastes.
  

• Mental revolution involves a change in the attitude of workers and management towards one another from competition to cooperation.
  
• Management and workers should realise that they require one another.
  

1. Management should share a part of surplus with workers.
   
2. Workers should also contribute their might so that the company makes profits.
   

• Principles of management cannot be tested in laboratories as these principles are applied on human behaviour.
  
• Principles of management are formed by experience and collective wisdom of managers as well as experimentation.
  
• These can be applied and tested in real life situation rather than in laboratories.
  

• Taylor called for complete mental revolution on the part of both management and workers in Harmony, Not Discord principle which means:
  
• Management should share the gains of the company, if any, with the workers.
  
• At the same time workers should work hard and be willing to embrace change for the good of the company.
  

Henri Fayol propounded 14 Principles of Management.

Based largely on his own experience, he developed his concept of administration. The 14 principles of management propounded by him which are as follow:

1. Division of work
   
2. Authority and Responsibility
   
3. Discipline
   
4. Unity of command
   
5. Unity of direction
   
6. Subordination of Individual Interest to General Interest
   
7. Remuneration of Employees
   
8. Centralisation and Decentralisation
   
9. Scalar chain
   
10. Order
    
11. Equity
    
12. Stablility of Personnel
    
13. Initiative
    
14. Espirit de corps
    

According to Fayol, chain of authority and communication should not be violated in the normal course of formal communication. A worker cannot directly contact the CEO of the company. If at all she/he has to, then all the formal levels i.e., foreman, superintendent, manager, director etc have to know about the matter.However, in an emergency it can be possible that a worker can contact CEO directly. This is called Gang Plank.

Taylor advocated that Under the factory manager there was a planning incharge and a production incharge.Under Production incharge, personnel who would work were

1. Speed boss - Responsible for timely and accurate completion of job.
2. Gang boss - Responsible for keeping machine and tools ready for operation.
3. Repair boss - To Ensure prope working condition of machines.
4. Inspector - To Check the quality of work.

Division of work suggests that :

• Work should be divided into small tasks/jobs.
  
• A trained specialist who is competent is required to perform each job.
  
• Thus, division of work leads to specialisation.
  

The 14 principles of management propounded by Henri Fayol. Scalar Chain is one of the principle given by Henri Fayol which suggeest that organisations should have a chain of authority and communication that runs from top to bottom and should be followed by managers and the subordinates.

Fatigue study, Method study and Motion study are work study techniques given by F.W. Taylor.

• The objective of method study is to find out one best way of doing the job.
  
• There are various methods of doing the job.
  
• To determine the best way there are several parameters.
  
• The objective of the whole exercise is to minimise the cost of production and maximise the quality and satisfaction of the customer
  

  This statement "Fayol's principles are applicable in specialised situations whereas Taylor's principles have universal application." is absolutely false. 

The opposite of above statement is true. i.e., "Fayol's principles are applicable universally whereas Taylor's principles are applicable in specialised situations." 

Functional foremanship is an extension of the principle of division of work and specialisation to the shop floor.

• Each worker will have to take orders from these eight foremen in the related process or function of production.
• Foremen should have intelligence, education, tact, grit, judgment, special knowledge, manual dexterity, and energy, honesty and good health.
• Since all these qualities could not be found in a single person so Taylor proposed eight specialists.

Gang Boss keeps machines, materials, tools etc., ready for operations by concerned workers. Whereas 

• Repair Boss ensure proper working condition of machines and tools.
  
• Instruction Card Clerk draft instructions for the workers.
  
• Route Clerk specify the route of production.
  

• Henry Fayol was a mining engineer in the beginning.
  
• Later on he started at the mining company ‘Compagnie de commentary-Fourchambean-Decazeville, ultimately acting as its managing director
  

On close examination of body motions, for example, it is possible to find out:

(i) Motions which are productive

(ii) Motions which are incidental (e.g., going to stores)

(iii) Motions which are unproductive.

Taylor suggested that Unnecessary movements (unproductive motions) are sought to be eliminated so that it takes less time to complete the job efficiently