Motivation Theories and F.W. Taylor – Theory of Scientific Management
Motivation Theories (Introduction)
When people work for themselves (entrepreneurs), they usually work harder because they get direct rewards.
When people work for others, they may not always give their best.
So, management’s job is to motivate workers to improve efficiency and productivity.
Many studies were done to understand what motivates employees.
F.W. Taylor – Theory of Scientific Management
Who was Taylor?
Frederick Winslow Taylor
Worked in America in the 1880s
Started as a factory labourer, later became chief engineer
Main Ideas of Taylor
Workers are mainly motivated by money
Higher pay = higher effort
People work harder if there is a financial reward
How Taylor Increased Productivity
Broke jobs into small, simple tasks
Measured how much work a worker should do per day
Set a target output
Workers who met the target were paid extra money (piece-rate pay)
View of Workers
Workers were seen like machines
If they work faster → productivity increases
Higher productivity → lower cost per unit for the business
Advantages of Taylor’s Theory
Increased output
Reduced unit costs
Easy to understand and apply
Workers earned more money if they worked harder
Disadvantages of Taylor’s Theory
Ignores human needs (job satisfaction, teamwork)
Work can become boring and repetitive
Workers may feel pressured
Not suitable for modern or creative jobs