Chapter Two- Classical Theories

Question 1

What major change in the world occurred the way that people communicated in organizations?

Answer 1

The Industrial Revolution in the 20th Century. We moved from individuals and small groups to mechanized large groups that could get things done for us.

Question 2

What two major organizations prior to the IR that we turned to for examples?

Answer 2

Church and Military, hierarchy, service, strong leader, strict, group dynamic, common goals and beliefs,

Question 3

What is a guiding metaphor for an organization from classical theory?

Answer 3

A machine

Question 4

What were the three principles of the machine metaphor

Answer 4

Specialization- Every part has a particular job, doesn’t do anyone elses job
Standardization- If a part breaks there are rules on how to fix it.
Predictability- We should know how to fix them (But this isn’t really accurate)

Question 5

Three Primary Classical Theorists?

Answer 5

Frederick Taylor, Henri Fayol, Max Weber

Question 6

What was Taylor’s Classical Theory called and what did it focus on?

Answer 6

Scientific Management, Task, 1911

Question 7

What was the goal of Taylor’s Scientific Management Theory?

Answer 7

To show organizations how to run more efficiently (but not effectively) through a micro task focus. He believed if we can micromanage the task itself we can make it run more efficiently.

Question 8

What is systematic soldiering?

Answer 8

When workers artificially lowered their production?

Question 9

What were the three aspects of systematic soldiering?

Answer 9

Workers believed that increase in individual effort would lead to need for fewer workers
Uneven quality of training (by workers before them)
Old system of piecework that kept production down (bricklayers new worker example)

Question 10

What did Taylor call workers?

Answer 10

Oxen, hard work could only be done by management

Question 11

What were the elements of Taylorism or Scientific Management?

Answer 11

Inherent difference between management and workers
Argued that there was one best way to do every physical labor job (and this was tested through time and motion studies)
Proper fit between worker and job
Workers are financially motivated

Question 12

Where is Taylorism still seen today?

Answer 12

Fastfood, Military, Factory ONE way to do a job