SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT

“Scientific management” as the name suggests is simply the application of science, in the form of scientific tools and technique in the field of management. It represents a blend of the two fields i.e. science and management. 

In other words, we can say that it is the application of scientific approach towards management issues. It also means discarding the traditional approach of management and adopting a newer approach for solving the managerial problems.

Scientific management has been defined differently by different authors, scholars and experts, some of them are as under-

As defined by ‘The Association of Mechanical Engineers’ U.S.A., “Scientific Management is the art and science of preparing, organizing, and directing human effort applied to control the forces and utilise the materials of nature for the benefits of man.”

F.W.Taylor, ‘The Father of Scientific management’, has defined “Scientific management means knowing exactly, what you want men to do and seeing that they do it in the best and cheapest way.”

In the words of Peter F. Drucker  “It is the operational study of work, the analysis of work into its simplest element and the systematic improvement of the workers’ performance of each element.”

Under scientific management the problem is solved through scientific techniques instead of ‘Trial and Error’ method. It is believed that by adopting the scientific approach a best way of accomplishing a task can be discovered through continuous experimentation, observation, research and analysis. Scientific management provides a way for betterment of approach and activities through overall scientific analysis.