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Public Adminstration QUESTION #9547
Question 1
F.W. Taylor is called the 'Father of Scientific Management' while Henri Fayol is called the 'Father of Modern Management Theory.' Their contributions are often confused. What is the most precise distinction between their respective contributions?
  • Taylor focused on shop-floor task efficiency through scientific study of work; Fayol developed universal principles for the entire administrative and managerial enterprise✔️
  • Taylor developed bureaucratic theory with impersonality and hierarchical authority; Fayol focused on motivational factors and human relations in the workplace
  • Taylor emphasized planning and policy formulation; Fayol emphasized the execution and technical dimensions of government programmes
  • Taylor's work applied to government organizations; Fayol's work applied exclusively to private industrial organizations
Correct Answer Explanation
Taylor's scientific management operated at the operational/shop-floor level — optimizing individual tasks through time-and-motion study. Fayol worked at the administrative/executive level, developing 14 universal principles (division of work, unity of command, span of control, etc.) applicable to any organization. Their contributions are complementary but operate at different levels of analysis.