How About Taking Smith and Taylor Seriously Again?

In 1911 Frederick Taylor proposed in his book The Principles of Scientific Management that we should approach operations management related problems scientifically.

Adam Smith thought and wrote about the comparative advantages of nations in his epoch making book The Wealth of Nations published in many other ways world-changing year 1776. Around a century and a half later, in 1911 Frederick Taylor proposed in his book The Principles of Scientific Management that we should approach operations management related problems scientifically, and not by the so called rule of thumb method. Taylor insisted that firms should scientifically select, train, teach and develop their workforce.

What could be the rule of thumb in the 2020’s against the use of which Taylor warned us. Organizations often look for good types in their ads, and the unscientific rule of thumb often shows in these good types uncannily bearing many similarities and resemblances with the recruiters. While thinking that the interests of workers and firms could be aligned, Taylor certainly did not mean this superficial attributes.

Combining those two thinkers’ groundbreaking ideas in the HR sector today means that we should hire people based on their objectively proven competence potential. On the other hand, from the perspective of applying candidates, it entails finding a position where to best utilize one’s comparatively most advantageous competence potential. In a big picture this neo-Smithian principle will not necessitate fiercely competing with other applicants, but requires finding one’s own subjectively strongest competencies.

The Mindfindr service helps the interested parties strike a balance between apparently opposing interests of organizations and individuals. Taylorian efficiency in firms is served by recruiting the individuals with best opportunities to further develop their competence potential. In the same vein, individuals benefit from finding out which are the competencies they should possibly offer to the recruiting firms or which to start developing so as to become a more competitive applicant in the labour market.

Articles