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LaTrobe University
Faculty of Law and Management
School of Management
MGT1FOM: Foundations of Management
Tutorial Review Questions: Answer Guide
Topic 2: The Evolution of Management Thinking
2.
Based on your experience at work or school, describ
e some ways in which the
principles of scientific management and bureaucracy
are still used in
organisations. Do you believe these characteristics
will ever cease to be a part of
organisational life? Discuss.
This question is designed to get students to think
about these two subfields of classical
management theory. Some may be quick to dismiss sc
ientific management and
bureaucracy as irrelevant because they happened ‘in
the past’. If students are struggling
to see the contemporary relevance of these two sub-
fields, consider scientific
management in relation to McDonalds, and bureaucrac
y in relation to the university (or
school).
McDonald’s success is built on uniformity, predicta
bility and volume and arguably
embodies many of the principles of scientific manag
ement:
Developing a standard method for performing each jo
b. One could argue there is
a science of hamburgers. McDonalds are renowned for
the standardisation of the
way jobs are performed; for example, specifications
are printed and also
inscribed into machines (the buzzers) and each work
station has a check list.
Both the food and the interactions are regulated.
Selecting workers with appropriate abilities. Domin
ated by adolescents and
combines high turnover and career development (Schl
osser, 2001)
Training workers in a standard method. Both potenti
al franchisees and crew
members undergo extensive training in the ‘science
of hamburgers’; for
example, ask students to google ‘hamburger universi
ty’
Supporting workers by planning their work and elimi
nating interruptions.
According to the McDonald’s website, there are, for
example, 119 daily food
safety checks. Well developed system for scheduling
employee shifts
Providing wage incentives for increased output. Can
be easily linked as part of
remuneration package.
If there are students in the class who have worked
in the fast food industry they will be
able to further expand on these discussion points.
Also see the book by Eric Schlosser
‘Fast Food Nation’ (now a movie) for more detail ab
out the fast food industry.
The university (or school) provides a good example
of an organisation that relies on
bureaucratic characteristics:
Clearly defined authority and responsibility. The i
nstructor has the formal right
to make decisions and issue directives (e.g. decisi
ons regarding course content,
assignment questions). The instructor is responsibl
e for the education of the
students by ensuring that they carry out the task o
f teaching to an appropriate
standard.
Positions organised in a hierarchy of authority. In
a university context there is a
very clear hierarchy in terms of titles (e.g. tutor
s, lecturers, professors) and also
in terms of paper coordinators, heads of department
s, heads of schools, and so
on.
Personnel selected and promoted on qualifications.
There is a very clear merit
system based on qualifications, research outputs an
d teaching excellence.
Administrative acts and decisions recorded in writi
ng. In academia there are any
number of forms that need filling out (e.g. student
s grades recorded on a
spreadsheet; for granting extensions, for processin
g late assignments,
remarking).
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