Classical management: organizational system introduced by F. W. Taylor Frederick Winslow Taylor is credited with introducing which form of organizational structure as part of scientific management?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: functional organisation

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Scientific management, pioneered by F. W. Taylor, proposed methods to improve efficiency through standardization, time study, and specialized roles. Taylor’s organizational innovation focused on functional specialization of supervisory duties.



Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Historical context: early 20th-century manufacturing.
  • Goal: increase productivity via specialization and control.


Concept / Approach:
Functional organisation divides management and supervisory work by function (e.g., route clerk, speed boss, repair boss, inspector). A worker might receive instruction from several functional foremen, each an expert in a specific domain. This contrasts with line organisation, where authority flows vertically from a single superior.



Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify Taylor’s contribution: functional foremanship.Map to organisational form: functional organisation.Therefore, choose “functional organisation”.



Verification / Alternative check:
Management literature consistently describes Taylor’s eight functional foremen model as a hallmark of scientific management.



Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Line and line-and-staff structures were used elsewhere but not Taylor’s distinctive model; matrix is a later development combining functional and project lines.



Common Pitfalls:
Confusing Taylor with Fayol (administrative principles) or Weber (bureaucracy); mixing “line and staff” with Taylor’s functional foremanship.



Final Answer:
functional organisation

More Questions from Industrial Engineering and Production Management

Discussion & Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to comment!
Join Discussion