RATIONAL WORK DESIGN Flashcards
RATIONAL WORK DESIGN
Work, in the context of modern organizations, has been characterized as a means to achieve a clearly defined goal in the most
cost-efficient and time-efficient manner possible. This goal is typically related to the production of goods or services that can be
sold in the market to generate profits for the organization. To achieve this end, work is often designed in a scientific manner,
using measurement and calculation - as if designing a machine. This approach is often referred to as scientific management, and
its goal is to maximize efficiency and productivity in the workplace.
To achieve this efficiency, work is often broken down into simplistic, repetitive tasks requiring little or no skill. This division of
labour allows workers to become highly specialized in a particular task and perform it with greater efficiency. However, it can
also lead to boredom, alienation, and a lack of engagement on the part of workers. Furthermore, this approach to work can be
dehumanizing, as workers are reduced to mere cogs in the machine of production.
Finally, work is designed to minimize waste, both in terms of time and resources. This approach to work is often referred to as
lean production, and its goal is to eliminate any unnecessary steps or processes that might slow down production or increase
costs. While this approach can be highly effective in generating profits for the organization, it can also lead to a work
environment that is highly stressful and demanding, with little room for error or deviation from the established procedures.
CAPITALIST WORKING RELATIONSHIP
- Capitalists aim to maximize profit, while workers aim to maximize wages and improve working conditions
- Capitalists have the power to hire and fire workers, set wages and working conditions, and make decisions about the
organization of work - Workers have little control over their work and are often subject to arbitrary decisions made by managers
- Workers may form unions and engage in collective bargaining to negotiate better wages and working conditions, but
this can lead to conflict with capitalists - The capitalist working relationship is characterized by a fundamental tension between the interests of capital and the
interests of labour
FREDERICK WINSLOW TAYLOR: EFFICIENCY AND CONTROL
Taylor’s scientific management approach had the following features:
EFFICIENCY AND CONTROL:
* Taylor believed in designing organizations like machines, with clear goals and a scientific approach to work.
* He sought to maximize efficiency in the workplace, using techniques like time and motion studies to determine the
most efficient way to perform each task.
* His approach to management was based on control, with managers responsible for designing work processes and
ensuring that workers followed them.
PROBLEMS WITH CONTROL OVER LABOUR:
* Taylor viewed labour as non-standard and unpredictable, making it difficult to control.
* He saw craft knowledge and expert power as a threat to efficiency, and sought to replace them with standardized
procedures.
* He believed that workers were inherently lazy and unmotivated, and that managers needed to use strict control
measures to ensure that they worked efficiently.
* Soldiering, or intentionally working slowly to avoid excessive work, was a problem that Taylor sought to eliminate.
TENSIONS IN THE CAPITALIST WORKING RELATIONSHIP:
* Taylor’s approach to management led to tensions in the capitalist working relationship, as workers saw it as an attempt
to control and exploit them.
* Workers felt that they were being treated like machines, with no regard for their humanity or individuality.
* The focus on efficiency and control led to a dehumanizing workplace, with workers reduced to cogs in a machine.
SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT: THE ‘ONE BEST WAY’
Division of labour:
* Frederick Taylor’s scientific management approach emphasized dividing work into small, specialized tasks.
* This meant that workers became more efficient at completing their specific tasks, but also led to monotonous and
repetitive work that lacked creativity.
* Some argue that this led to worker dissatisfaction and even physical harm due to repetitive motion injuries.
Scientific selection:
* Taylor believed that selecting the right person for the job was critical to achieving efficiency.
* He advocated for selecting workers based on their physical and mental abilities, rather than their social connections or
previous experience.
* However, this approach could lead to discrimination and a lack of diversity in the workplace.
Division of work:
* According to Taylor’s approach, managers should plan and design the work, while workers should simply follow
instructions and complete the tasks assigned to them.
* This division of work may lead to a lack of autonomy for workers and can contribute to feelings of alienation.
Co-operation:
* Taylor believed that managers and workers needed to work together in a spirit of cooperation to achieve efficiency.
* However, some argue that this emphasis on cooperation ignored the inherent power imbalance between managers and
workers, which can lead to conflict and exploitation.
TIME AND MOTION STUDY
The time and motion study is a technique used in scientific management to determine the most efficient way to perform a task.
The method involves breaking down a job into its component parts, measuring the time taken to perform each part, and
determining the most efficient way to perform each part. The technique was pioneered by Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, who used it
to improve industrial efficiency in the early 20th century. The time and motion study was used to develop standard times for
each task, which could be used to set production targets and calculate wages. The technique was widely used in manufacturing
and other industries, but was criticized for reducing workers to automatons and ignoring the human element of work.
CONTROL THROUGH TAYLORISM
Taylorism and Control
* Division of labor, standardization, and individualization are the key features of scientific management, also known as
Taylorism.
* The goal is to maximize efficiency by breaking down work into small, repetitive tasks, selecting workers scientifically for
each role, and dividing work between managers and workers.
* Control is achieved by facilitating surveillance and knowledge retention with management, removing craft skill, and
measuring tasks through time and motion studies.
THE FALL AND RISE OF TAYLORISM
* Taylorism faced resistance from workers, factory owners, and even government. In 1912, the US Congress Inquiry also
investigated the system.
* During the wartime production of munitions, Taylorism gained popularity. It also spread internationally in different
forms, such as in the UK, France, Germany, Japan, and Russia.
HENRY FORD AND THE ASSEMBLY LINE
Henry Ford and the Assembly Line:
* From individual task design to sequencing tasks.
* The moving assembly line.
* Inspiration from butchery.
* 1913 production of Model T car in Detroit.
* Increase in efficiency and control through the assembly line.
* Mass production and standardization of the Fordist model.
EFFICIENCY ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE:
* Division of labour.
* Standardization.
* Reducing waste and increasing productivity.
* Lower cost of production.
* Facilitates surveillance and control.
* Fordist Standardization:
* Narrowing down options for customers.
* Producing a standard product for the masses.
* Efficiency and cost savings.
* Standardizing work processes.
* Limiting worker autonomy.
CRITIQUES OF FORDISM:
* Intense control due to the speed of the line.
* Workers reduced to cogs in a machine.
* Dehumanizing work.
* Ford’s $5 day to motivate workers to cope with intensified conditions.
* Alienation from the final product.
* Poor working conditions and wages.
* Criticisms of mass production and consumerism.
THE MARXIST CRITIQUE
Tensions in the capitalist wage-labour relationship:
* Capitalism relies on the exploitation of the working class, with capitalists paying workers less than the value they
produce, leading to a surplus value of profit for the capitalist.
* The power resides unequally with capital, leading to conflicts of interest between the two parties.
Surplus value:
* Workers are underpaid for their work, with the surplus value of their labour being taken as profit by the capitalist.
* This creates an unequal distribution of wealth and power, with capitalists benefiting at the expense of workers.
Alienation:
* The capitalist system alienates workers from their labour and the product they produce.
* Workers have no control over the production process, leading to a loss of skill and creativity.
* The production process is designed to maximize efficiency and profit, rather than the well-being and satisfaction of
workers.
* Workers are seen as a means to an end rather than human beings, leading to a lack of meaningful relationships and
community.
* Marxist critiques highlight the inherent inequalities and exploitation in capitalist production processes. They argue that
scientific management and Fordism led to a dehumanizing and alienating work environment for workers, with the focus
on efficiency and profit at the expense of worker well-being and creativity
BRAVERMAN AND DESKILLING
Harry Braverman’s book “Labor and Monopoly Capital: The Degradation of Work in the Twentieth Century” (1974) criticizes
Taylorism and Fordism for their degradation of work and the deskilling of workers.
Braverman argues that capitalism systematically degrades work and that workers’ skills are removed as management holds the
overall knowledge of the production process.
Technological deskilling is one aspect of this process, as machines and technology reduce the need for workers’ skills.
Overall, Braverman sees the degradation of work as a result of capitalist production methods.
CONFLICT IN THE CAPITALIST WORKING RELATIONSHIP
- Inequality in the capitalist working relationship leads to collective action and conflict.
- The formation of trade unions and strikes are common methods for workers to challenge the capitalist working
relationship. - At Ford, strikes, sabotage and riots were common and Ford even considered arming non-strikers.
- The conflict arises due to the unequal distribution of power and the exploitation of labor by capital.
IN FAVOUR OF RATIONAL WORK DESIGN
Rational work design, such as scientific management and Taylorism, has been praised for certain benefits, including:
* Increased participation in the labor market: Rational work design can enable unskilled workers, workers with
disabilities, and those with limited language ability to participate in the labor market. The division of labor and
standardized work procedures can make it easier for workers to learn and perform their jobs.
* Fairness and standardization in the workplace: Rational work design can promote fairness in the workplace by
standardizing work procedures and eliminating favoritism. This can reduce conflict among workers and ensure
consistent quality of output.
* Good in a stable, unchanging context where precision is important: Rational work design can be effective in contexts
where the work environment is stable and unchanging, and where precision and efficiency are important, such as in
manufacturing processes. It can also be useful in highly regulated industries where there is a need for standardization,
such as in healthcare or aviation.
However
However, these benefits are often offset by significant drawbacks, including:
* Deskilling: Rational work design can lead to the deskilling of workers, as their specialized knowledge and skills are no
longer required. This can lead to a loss of autonomy and creativity, and a reduction in job satisfaction.
* Alienation: Rational work design can lead to workers feeling alienated from their work, their colleagues, and their own
humanity. The division of labor and repetitive nature of work can lead to a sense of disconnection and
meaninglessness.
* Conflict: Rational work design can create conflict between managers and workers, as managers seek to increase
efficiency and control, while workers resist these efforts to protect their autonomy and dignity. This can lead to strikes,
sabotage, and other forms of industrial action.
* Unsuitability for dynamic and complex environments: Rational work design may not be effective in dynamic and
complex work environments where the tasks and work requirements are constantly changing. This can lead to rigidity
and inflexibility, which can be a barrier to innovation and adaptation
