The Taylorism is a Work method which draws its name from the American Engineer Frederick Winslow Taylor (1856-1915). This method rests on a division of the labor in simple and repetitive tasks individually optimized and on the payment of the employees to the output (measured with the number of parts and with the assistance of timing). Taylor met a great effectiveness in the Sidérurgie and it formalized off its method in one entitled book The Principles Scientific Management (1911).

This system should not be confused with the Fordisme, proceeded of assembly line work that Henry Ford was one of the first to be implemented, and whose Taylorism constitutes only one component.

Description

One will find a study thorough of the development of the rationalization (Taylorism and Fordisme) in France in the years 1919-1939 in the book of Aimee Moutet, Logics of the company, the rationalization in the French industry of the Inter-war period (Paris, 1997,495 p.)

It is advisable however to specify that Taylor made it possible the workshops to be organized for a less tiredness of the workman (right day's work). It would be thus unjust to compare Taylor to excesses of the Taylorism made during the crisis of the end of the year 1930.

Today, Taylorism is found prolonged by a work method of Japanese origin: the Toyotisme, which gives more autonomy to the individuals, but remains however largely inspired by the preliminary draft of Taylor: methodical rationalization of human work in order to increase its effectiveness.

See also: Scientific management

Post-Taylorism

One also often speaks about post-Taylorism, i.e. an organization of work which implements various forms of participation of the workers in the decisions concerning the production. The goal is to cure the dysfunction related to Taylorism (demotivation of the workers, inter alia).

One distinguishes five forms from post-Taylorism:

1. Rotation of the stations: the workman occupies successively various work stations to avoid the routine and to have a more complete view of the production process.

2. Job enlargment: the tasks are less fragmented, less painful, less repetitive.
3. Job enrichment: work extends to other tasks such as the adjustment and maintenance from the machines. That implies a responsibilisation of the worker.
4. semi-autonomous Groups: some workmen organize themselves freely to carry out a level of production fixed by the direction.
5. Quality circles: the voluntary groups of workers meet to improve the production process and quality of the products. It is a questioning of the vertical Division of the work stated in Taylorism.

Anecdotes

Taylor named this method “management scientific”.

Charles Chaplin, in the film Modern times , turns in derision this work method which leaves place to the human being little.

The French periodical Our Leisures of February 2nd, 1913 announces that the Parisian municipality is “  filled with wonder at the Taylor  system; ”.

See too

Rationalization of work in the company

Related articles

• Fordisme
• Toyotisme
• Engagisme
• Coolie
• Road of the coolie

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