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Since the end of the 19th century, when factory manufacturing became widespread and the
size of organisations increased, people have been looking for ways to motivate employees
and improve productivity. A need for management ideas arise which lead to classical
contributors such as Frederick Taylor and Henri Fayol generating management theories
such as Taylor Scientific Management and Fayol Administrative Management. In the late
1920 and early 1930 the Hawthorne studies were conducted where Elton Mayo was the
predominate figure and contributed to the Behavioural viewpoint. This brought about a
Human Relations Movement which included Douglas McGregor Theory X and Theory Y
approach. Similarities and differences can be found between the theories due to the
relevant time period they were implemented, the motives or goal of the theory and how
they view organisations. However the use of contingency theory can help negate the
dissimilarities which occur as it allows the relevant elements from each theory to be
applied to specific situations.
Frederick Taylor vs. Henri Fayol
Frederick Taylor and Henri Fayol are both considered classical contributors to
management theory. Both were developing and expression their viewpoints at similar time
period with the aim of "raising standard of management in industry"“ (Brodie,1967, p7) in
a period were very few publications and theories on management. While both theories
were developed with the same influencing factors such as war, social struggles and
industrial revolution (Urwick. 1951, p7) each developed quite different management
theories. Frederick Taylor is considered the Father of Scientific management and he
developed scientific principles of management, focusing on the individual, rather than the
team and aimed to improve efficiency through production-line time studies, breaking each
job down into its components and designing the quickest and best methods of performing
each component. When implementing his ideas he looked individually at each worker to
tailor to their intelligence, background and abilities. For example Taylor considered the
most important object of both the workmen and the management should be the training
and development of each individual"“ (Taylor, 1947, p 12) and when applying his theory at
Bethlehem Steel with the pig-iron handlers, "one man after another was picked out and
trained"“ (Taylor,1947, p47) on and individual level. In contrast Henri Fayol
Administrative theory "focused on the total organization rather than the individual worker,
delineating the management functions of planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating
and controlling." (Daft, 2000, p.48). While Scientific management and Administrative
management are both from the classical era Taylor focuses more on the individual then
