Techniques of Scientific Management refers to techniques which the managers can use to achieve the principles of scientific management laid down by F. W. Taylor.
Following are the techniques of scientific management-
1. Technique of Time Study:
The technique of time study can be used by the managers to ascertain the average time required to perform a particular task or job.
Under time study, the job is divided into very very small parts and then the small parts are studied carefully by the managers to arrive at the standard time required to complete that particular job. Thus time study can help managers to decide the time that an average worker will take to complete a particular task or job.
This can help managers decide the remuneration of the workers and also it can help the managers to plan out their activities properly.
2. Technique of Motion Study:
Motion study involves keeping a close watch on the body movements of the workers or the employees. The managers can make use of this study to determine the wasteful movements of the workers or employees. This study can help managers find out the amount of time that is wasted in the wasteful movements of the workers during the production.
After doing the motion study, the managers can plan their production in such a way or arrange their equipments in such a way that the minimum time is wasted on the movements of the workers during production. If done properly, this study can help managers to improve the productivity of the employees very drastically.
The movement of workers from one place to another or the movement of materials from one place to another, that requires labour, is an unproductive utilization of the time of workers. The same time can be utilized towards the production of the goods by eliminating the time wasted on wasteful the movements of the employees.
Thus it is very important for managers to conduct the motion study and then plan their production activities or arrange their equipments in such manner that minimum time of the employees or workers is wasted on movement from one place to another.
Related Article: Principles of Scientific Management
3. Technique of Functional Foremanship:
According to Taylor, no worker can be expert at all the parts of the job that he is required to do. Hence according to this technique, every worker should be made to work under the supervision of different specialists.
So there should be a time expert or time specialist who would guide the worker to increase the speed of the work and reduce the time taken for doing a particular job. Then there should be a route specialist who would guide the worker about the route or the process in which the work is to be done. There should be a discipline specialist who would ensure that there is discipline during the work. Then there should be a repair expert who would ensure that all the machines are in working condition. He will ensure that any machine which requires repair is repaired properly. So the worker should work under the supervision of these different specialists.
This technique is exactly the opposite of the principle of unity of command of Henri Fayol. As per the principle of unity of command given by Henri Fayol every worker should receive instructions from only one boss. Whereas as per this technique of scientific management a worker will have to work under the supervision of various different specialists or supervisors.
4. Technique of Standardisation:
Standardisation means that the raw materials and the tools used in the production of a particular product must be standard. For example, if you are producing a particular product which can be produced by two different raw materials say raw material A and raw material B then in such a case the organisation must decide whether it will be producing the product with raw material A or raw material B. It should not happen that for 15 days you are using raw material A then for next 15 days you are using raw material B then you are using raw material A again and raw material B again. This is not standardisation.
The organisation must decide whether it wants to produce the product using raw material A or raw material B and once it had been decided then the organisation must stick to it. Even the tools and techniques which are used for production should be standardised.
Standardisation results in saving of time. It also results in a reduction in the cost of production of the product. When you use standard raw material, standard tools and techniques the workers get used to those raw materials, tools and techniques and hence this increases the speed of their work. It also leads to a reduction in wastages and thereby reduction in the cost of production. It thus results in an increase in the efficiency of the workers.
5. Technique of Different Piece Rate Plan:
As per Taylor, the employees should be awarded based on their respective performances. The employees who perform well should be rewarded and the employees who perform below par should get a little less payment. First of all the company needs to decide the standard payment plan. For example, say the company decides to pay Rs.10/- per day to every worker and against that it expects every worker to produce 10 units of a particular product per day. Now it may so happen that some employees or some workers may produce more than 10 units in a day whereas some workers may produce less than 10 units a day. So, in this case, it is advisable for the company to pay say Rs. 12/- to the employees who produce 12 units, say Rs. 11/- to the employees who produce 11 units in a day and for the employees who produce less than 10 units a day (which is the standard output expected from the workers) the company may pay them something less than 10 bucks. For example, those who produce 9 units may be paid Rs. 9/- or Rs. 9.5/-. So as per Taylor, if the companies adopt such kind of payment system the efficient employees or the employees who perform well will get rewarded and they will feel motivated to keep up the good work. They will feel satisfied that their efforts are being recognised by the organisation. As against that the employees who get less than 10 bucks a day will also be motivated to work hard and improve their performance so that they can get better pay. So as per Taylor, not every employee should be paid the same otherwise there will be no motivation to perform better or work hard.
6. Other Techniques: And finally Taylor also suggested that the organisations must make use of tools and techniques like charts, graphs, bars, instruction cards to workers etc for implementation of the scientific management.
For example, you can have process maps on your shop floor so that the workers know the flow of activities and they know that how the processes are to be followed or which activity is to be done after which activity.
Also Read: Henri Fayol's 14 Principles of Management
Following are the techniques of scientific management-
1. Technique of Time Study:
The technique of time study can be used by the managers to ascertain the average time required to perform a particular task or job.
Under time study, the job is divided into very very small parts and then the small parts are studied carefully by the managers to arrive at the standard time required to complete that particular job. Thus time study can help managers to decide the time that an average worker will take to complete a particular task or job.
This can help managers decide the remuneration of the workers and also it can help the managers to plan out their activities properly.
2. Technique of Motion Study:
Motion study involves keeping a close watch on the body movements of the workers or the employees. The managers can make use of this study to determine the wasteful movements of the workers or employees. This study can help managers find out the amount of time that is wasted in the wasteful movements of the workers during the production.
After doing the motion study, the managers can plan their production in such a way or arrange their equipments in such a way that the minimum time is wasted on the movements of the workers during production. If done properly, this study can help managers to improve the productivity of the employees very drastically.
The movement of workers from one place to another or the movement of materials from one place to another, that requires labour, is an unproductive utilization of the time of workers. The same time can be utilized towards the production of the goods by eliminating the time wasted on wasteful the movements of the employees.
Thus it is very important for managers to conduct the motion study and then plan their production activities or arrange their equipments in such manner that minimum time of the employees or workers is wasted on movement from one place to another.
Related Article: Principles of Scientific Management
3. Technique of Functional Foremanship:
According to Taylor, no worker can be expert at all the parts of the job that he is required to do. Hence according to this technique, every worker should be made to work under the supervision of different specialists.
So there should be a time expert or time specialist who would guide the worker to increase the speed of the work and reduce the time taken for doing a particular job. Then there should be a route specialist who would guide the worker about the route or the process in which the work is to be done. There should be a discipline specialist who would ensure that there is discipline during the work. Then there should be a repair expert who would ensure that all the machines are in working condition. He will ensure that any machine which requires repair is repaired properly. So the worker should work under the supervision of these different specialists.
This technique is exactly the opposite of the principle of unity of command of Henri Fayol. As per the principle of unity of command given by Henri Fayol every worker should receive instructions from only one boss. Whereas as per this technique of scientific management a worker will have to work under the supervision of various different specialists or supervisors.
4. Technique of Standardisation:
Standardisation means that the raw materials and the tools used in the production of a particular product must be standard. For example, if you are producing a particular product which can be produced by two different raw materials say raw material A and raw material B then in such a case the organisation must decide whether it will be producing the product with raw material A or raw material B. It should not happen that for 15 days you are using raw material A then for next 15 days you are using raw material B then you are using raw material A again and raw material B again. This is not standardisation.
The organisation must decide whether it wants to produce the product using raw material A or raw material B and once it had been decided then the organisation must stick to it. Even the tools and techniques which are used for production should be standardised.
Standardisation results in saving of time. It also results in a reduction in the cost of production of the product. When you use standard raw material, standard tools and techniques the workers get used to those raw materials, tools and techniques and hence this increases the speed of their work. It also leads to a reduction in wastages and thereby reduction in the cost of production. It thus results in an increase in the efficiency of the workers.
5. Technique of Different Piece Rate Plan:
As per Taylor, the employees should be awarded based on their respective performances. The employees who perform well should be rewarded and the employees who perform below par should get a little less payment. First of all the company needs to decide the standard payment plan. For example, say the company decides to pay Rs.10/- per day to every worker and against that it expects every worker to produce 10 units of a particular product per day. Now it may so happen that some employees or some workers may produce more than 10 units in a day whereas some workers may produce less than 10 units a day. So, in this case, it is advisable for the company to pay say Rs. 12/- to the employees who produce 12 units, say Rs. 11/- to the employees who produce 11 units in a day and for the employees who produce less than 10 units a day (which is the standard output expected from the workers) the company may pay them something less than 10 bucks. For example, those who produce 9 units may be paid Rs. 9/- or Rs. 9.5/-. So as per Taylor, if the companies adopt such kind of payment system the efficient employees or the employees who perform well will get rewarded and they will feel motivated to keep up the good work. They will feel satisfied that their efforts are being recognised by the organisation. As against that the employees who get less than 10 bucks a day will also be motivated to work hard and improve their performance so that they can get better pay. So as per Taylor, not every employee should be paid the same otherwise there will be no motivation to perform better or work hard.
6. Other Techniques: And finally Taylor also suggested that the organisations must make use of tools and techniques like charts, graphs, bars, instruction cards to workers etc for implementation of the scientific management.
For example, you can have process maps on your shop floor so that the workers know the flow of activities and they know that how the processes are to be followed or which activity is to be done after which activity.
Also Read: Henri Fayol's 14 Principles of Management
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