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Compare Frederick Taylor's Mass Production and Eric Trists Socio-Technical Team Based Production Approaches to the Design of Work Systems

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1) Compare Frederick Taylor’s mass production and Eric Trist’s socio-technical team-based production approaches to the design of work systems. a) What are the characteristics and key features of each? b) Discuss the fundamental differences between them including underlying theory, methods, principles, and role of management. c) Cover the advantages and disadvantages of each system – in which context does each perform best? d) What has led to the decline of mass production in the U.S., and how can socio-technical systems improve productivity and quality?

It is amazing how humans can steadily develop new and innovative ideas that help make the world a better place economically, physically, etc; From factories and work …show more content…

Essentially, if one team member is absent the whole group can still carry on because all the employees are capable of filling the absentee shoes. Unlike on the assembly line if the employee that puts on the windshield is absent, the employee that only puts on the wheel will not know what to do because that is not their area of expertise. The fundamental theory behind scientific management is breaking down each part of a job to its science (Taylor). In the Principles of Scientific Management, Taylor talks about pig iron handlers, shoveling and bricklaying as a few examples in which he implemented scientific management. He proposed four important elements that are essential to scientific management. In this example Taylor discusses the science of bricklaying. First management must develop the science of bricklaying with standard rules of each task. Every task is designed to be perfect and standardized. The second element is selection and training. This step is important because Taylor wants an employee who is “first class,” meaning that they are the best at what they do, follow instructions and will not refuse to listen or adopt the new methods that management is executing. The third element is teaching the first class employee the science of bricklaying broken down by management. At this stage management is instructing the employee what to do, how to do it, and the best way to do it. Management is there to help them and watch that they are doing it “their” way and not

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