1) "Scientific management is dead!" Discuss and support this statement.
Support the quote that scientific management is dead. Responses should cover the 3
central areas of scientific management:
Answer:
the nature of the job (ie scientific management advocates that jobs be
broken down into their simplest components. Why might this not be
beneficial? Eg. Today more and more of the labour force is educated and
such simplistic jobs are monotonous. In addition, scientific management
advocates job standardization. Why might standardization not be
beneficial today? Discuss any possible reasons. Can you provide an
example of narrow and standardized jobs that may not be productive?
The role of the manager: scientific management advocates separating the
"thinking" role of managers from the physical role of employees. Can you
think of examples where this is not a sensible strategy? Can you think of
organizations where it is important to let the workers who are closest to
the consumer/product make the relevant decisions about their work?
Motivation by tying pay to performance. Can you think of examples
where this strategy can be dysfunctional? Eg. Discuss the "cons" of
commissions/merit based pay.
2) "Scientific management is dead!" Discuss and support this statement.
Refute the quote that scientific management is dead. That is, argue how scientific
management can still be productively applied today. Again, to be systematic, your
response should cover the 3 central areas of scientific management:
Answer:
the nature of the job (again, consider the notion of
compartmentalization/jobs broken down into their simplest components.
Why might this in fact be beneficial? Ie. Can you think of examples of
such jobs that are benefited by such a strategy? Modern day assembly
lines? McDonalds? Explain. What about job standardization. And
compartmentalization? For efficiency. Why might standardization be
beneficial today? Can you think of organizations that need to standardize
jobs? Can you provide an example of narrow and standardized jobs that
are productive? (once again – you could explain a McDonalds type
organization)
The "thinking" role of managers separated from the physical role of
employees. Can you think of examples where this is a sensible strategy
today? Once again consider the design of McDonald type organizations –
in what way do they separate these roles?
Test Bank for Karakowsky and Guriel, The Context of Business, 1e
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Canada Inc. 1
Support the quote that scientific management is dead. Responses should cover the 3
central areas of scientific management:
Answer:
the nature of the job (ie scientific management advocates that jobs be
broken down into their simplest components. Why might this not be
beneficial? Eg. Today more and more of the labour force is educated and
such simplistic jobs are monotonous. In addition, scientific management
advocates job standardization. Why might standardization not be
beneficial today? Discuss any possible reasons. Can you provide an
example of narrow and standardized jobs that may not be productive?
The role of the manager: scientific management advocates separating the
"thinking" role of managers from the physical role of employees. Can you
think of examples where this is not a sensible strategy? Can you think of
organizations where it is important to let the workers who are closest to
the consumer/product make the relevant decisions about their work?
Motivation by tying pay to performance. Can you think of examples
where this strategy can be dysfunctional? Eg. Discuss the "cons" of
commissions/merit based pay.
2) "Scientific management is dead!" Discuss and support this statement.
Refute the quote that scientific management is dead. That is, argue how scientific
management can still be productively applied today. Again, to be systematic, your
response should cover the 3 central areas of scientific management:
Answer:
the nature of the job (again, consider the notion of
compartmentalization/jobs broken down into their simplest components.
Why might this in fact be beneficial? Ie. Can you think of examples of
such jobs that are benefited by such a strategy? Modern day assembly
lines? McDonalds? Explain. What about job standardization. And
compartmentalization? For efficiency. Why might standardization be
beneficial today? Can you think of organizations that need to standardize
jobs? Can you provide an example of narrow and standardized jobs that
are productive? (once again – you could explain a McDonalds type
organization)
The "thinking" role of managers separated from the physical role of
employees. Can you think of examples where this is a sensible strategy
today? Once again consider the design of McDonald type organizations –
in what way do they separate these roles?
Test Bank for Karakowsky and Guriel, The Context of Business, 1e
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Canada Inc. 1
