[nplusone]

I wonder how many people who paraphrase Taylor's "Principles of Scientific Management" have carefully read it. Taylor exposes several insights that are antithetical to the commonly paraphrased version "Faster is better. More hours are better."

At least in the context of moving pig iron slabs, he observed that highly-qualified (for the job) and better-paid workers produced better results working fewer hours than less qualified workers working longer hours.

This point is perhaps better paraphrased as "better management, better workers, fewer hours, and higher pay produce measurable improvements in output."

[holman]

I have. :) I was more using Taylorism as an example of the notion that he came at it from a physical standpoint: if someone goes to work at the metal factory, their mood has less impact on their productivity than we do at a small startup, because they can still leverage their physical training and muscle memory (if we're talking an extremely routine process). Certainly an over-simplification of his work, of course, but a decent enough allusion for a short introductory paragraph. :)

[curyous]

I find it hard to believe that you have read it, I have too. A common tactic of his was to reduce hours to increase total output - you are agreeing with him.

A great example of this is where he employed a foreman for the sole purpose of enforcing rest periods. Forcing the workers to rest for 56% of the day - resulting in a 4x increase of output.

[zb]

Fair enough, but it sounds a bit like you may be committing the opposite mistake - accepting Taylor at his word without consulting other sources.

BTW, I recommend Robert Kanigel's biography of Taylor, The One Best Way. It gives a pretty balanced account.