Scientific Management was the product of 19th Century industrial Essay - 6

Scientific Management was the product of 19th Century industrial practices and has no relevance to the present day - Essay Example While this theory of management had become irrelevant within the first quarter of the 20th century, many of ideas, which were proposed by Taylor, are still being applied today. In fact, it can be said that Taylor’s ideas still have a significant influence on how management is conducted, and has affected most of the other management theories, which came after it. While there are some who would argue that this theory of management is still as relevant today as when it was first proposed, others believe that its relevance is not compatible with modern standards. Although both sides have some real pertinent points to justify their claims, one would argue that despite its being effective, the theory of scientific management has lost its relevance in the current world. The way this theory was applied in its time cannot be effectively done in the current competitive global economy. The first case that one would make against the application of this hypothesis in the modern world is th at it takes away the autonomy of workers. While some would argue that the application of this theory would increase production, they do not consider the fact that, in the modern market, the availability of products in the market is not the only thing that determines whether consumers by them or not (Jeacle 2004, p.1162). In the highly competitive economy that exists today, it would be disastrous to take away the autonomy of workers because this would decrease innovation. Innovation is one of the most fundamental aspects in the modern world because it gives an organization an advantage over its competitors. Companies today are highly dependent on the creation of new and efficient products to put in the market so that they can keep their competition at bay. These companies try to outdo each other every day by coming up with products which once they enter the market, make similar products made in the past irrelevant. The ability of these companies to create new products frequently is b ecause they give their employees the autonomy to come up with ideas, which help in the development of these new products. If the theory of scientific management were applied in such situations, then competitiveness in the market would be stifled. Instead, the same variety of products would flood the market, and this would negate any need to create good quality products. Moreover, employees in companies would not be motivated to come up with ideas, which would be beneficial to their employer. These employees would only do work for the sake of attaining an income and would not be motivated to do better. Those who support the theory of scientific management would argue that it is the best because it allows for the simplification of jobs. It enables even those who are unskilled to perform tasks, which they were not trained for (Lincoln 200, p.515). While this argument is true, one would counter it by stating that the simplification of jobs is not always the best way to undertake it. Thi s is because, in the current era of enormous technological advancement, it is necessary for individuals to specialize in the use of the different technologies that are available. If unskilled workers are employed to work in environments where there is need handle delicate machinery, for example, the likelihood of accidents and damage to the machinery-taking place would be exceptionally high. The time where people