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Public Adminstration QUESTION #9538
Question 1
Taylor's shovelling experiment at Midvale Steel produced a result that was counterintuitive for its time. Which concept did this experiment most directly establish as the basis for Scientific Management?
  • Hawthorne effect — workers perform better when observed
  • One best way — a scientifically determined optimal method for each task✔️
  • Unity of command — workers should receive orders from one superior
  • Scalar chain — authority flows in a clear line from top to bottom
Correct Answer Explanation
Taylor's experiment demonstrated that there is a scientifically discoverable optimal method ('one best way') for performing any task — in this case the ideal shovel load of 21.5 lbs — as opposed to rule-of-thumb practices. This became the foundational claim of Scientific Management.