Fredrick W.Taylor Motivation Theory

Fredrick W.Taylor Motivation Theory

In the early 1900s, a young man named Fredrick W.Taylor worked himself up through the ranks from machine operator to supervisor to become the internationally known 'father of scientific management". His name and his theories about human motivation are classic.

Taylor's reasoning was simple; if energetic workers who naturally work hard find that they earn no more than the lazy employee, who does as little as possible, they will soon lose interest in producing as much as they can. Taylor's solution seemed automatic : Make it possible for people to earn more by producing more.

To solve the motivation problem, Taylor brought in two magic objects the stopwatch and the piecework bonus pay system. The stopwatch was for the scientific evaluation of each job. Taylor felt, that unclear job requirements caused unpredictable job performance. He reduced each job to a series of timed and tested movement. Taylor set scientific time limits for the performance of each duty and was therefore able to establish production expectations for each job.

Once the production quotas were set, it became possible to recognize the "doers" and the "loafers" on the production line. Taylor introduced a new reward system for work above and beyond the call of the quota. Piece rates had already been introduced in a number of plants. By this method, employees were paid by the piece; that is, the more they produced, the more they were paid. Taylor's new plan was unique in that is greatly increase the reward for highest productivity. People were paid at one rate for each piece produced up to the point where they met the standard. However, once they surpassed the quota, they received a higher rate not only for each additional piece but for all the pieces produced that day. Many workers were able to double their wages under Taylor's new system.

The classical theory of motivation makes that money is the best motivator. It assumes that people consciously choose the course that is most profitable financially. The power of money as a motivator has never being established with full agreement. Some managers agree with Taylor that every person has a price. Others feel that although money can motivate some individuals, there are other people who have risen above the power of the dollar. Most research concluded into the motivation by money indicates that financial opportunity can definitely bring about some improvements, especially in the jobs with lower socioeconomic rankings. But money simply cannot be the whole answer, for there remain the examples of the great philanthropists and public servants. We can never accept money as the sole motivator as long as the human heart pays tribute to people like Abdul Sattar Edhi & Albert Schweitzer, who left their financial security for a greater satisfaction.