The development and basics of scientific management is a concept that is still used in some aspects of employment today. Consider law enforcement for example, there is a clear distinction between the division of labor of management and employees. However, according to Frederick Taylor, "some employees are better suited to "thinking" work and some to "doing" work." (73)
From this example, a class distinction is assumed between "white-collar" workers and "blue collar" workers. In society the assumption then is the smart people (white collars) have the good jobs, and the nice places to live, while the worker bees are less intelligent (blue collar) have labor type jobs and live near factories. I don't believe this is true today since the opportunity to choose from thousands of careers is plentiful and open to everyone, including women, and people of all abilities and skill levels.
Frederick Taylor also mentioned that women were not included in his theory on scientific management because they were seen as "less logical" and "more emotional" then men. However, he later applied women into his theory with regard to maintaining the household, also known as the "cult of domesticity." Initially I laughed at this statement, but as I read further I realized that women have more power in the implementation and organization of scientific management today then Taylor could have ever imagined. Women today are taking care of the home, raising children, and managing full-time careers!
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2 comments:
I suppose thats why we continue our education. This way we can remain "thinking bee's" and live up in the hills, as I read on another blog. I feel that structure within an organization will always be a central tenant of business. It is important for workers to be able to have some kind of central authority to answer to. I do not believe this has anything to do with intelligence or education but rather to the necessity of having accountability and responsibility lie with somebody. In this sense, the buck clearly has to stop somewhere.
What I find interesting about the statement that all blue collar workers will live in the cities near factories is not true. My husband is a carpenter and we live in a suburb of San Jose in a very nice part of town, and we own our own condo at very young ages. Although I do agree that some people “think” work and some people “do” work I do not believe that we can make the assumption that doers are low class anymore. Many blue collar workers own their own businesses and do very well for themselves and their families.
I also agree that women do maintain households but women are still in an in between stage. Many women Are still in the "cult of domesticity" whereas others do take care of the home, raise children, and managge fulltime careers.
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