Management Scientific Management vs. Human Relations Management

Management Scientific management vs. Human relations Management The theory of scientific management's objective was to improve economic efficacy, especially within the realm of labor productivity, where efficiency was quite variable. The components that comprise the theory of scientific management include analysis, synthesis, logic, rationality, empiricism, work ethic, efficiency and elimination of waste, standardization of best practices, disdain for tradition among other components of the theory contribute to it's objectives. With these components, the ability for individual production to be transformed into a mass production entity is possible.

This theory tends to look at a workforce through the lens of standards and rigidity which will transform individuals in being a successful unit, especially when mass producing certain things. Though in contrast, the human relations management attempts to pay increasing attention to "the human factors" (Acel-Team, 2011). This approach has a tendency to study the "industrial fatigue" and other "employee problems in general," an almost "enlightened paternalism" (Acel-Team, 2011).

The difference is sharp in that they deal with the actual workforce in a different way- with the scientific management concentrating more on the company it's efficiency and productivity as a whole, while the human relations management focuses on how each individual makes the entire company an efficient entity. Using the scientific and human relations as a foundation, it is easier to understand the impact that changes have on an organization.

Last year, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer experienced a CEO change which caused "aggressive restructuring" to help propel one of the domineering American corporations into jump starting the sales and the overall value of the company (Krauskof, 2010). This restructuring is done via a more scientific management approach- looking at the workforce and the overall structure of the company and assessing its productivity and efficiency in that sense. With this company, efficiency and productivity is measured in the sales of its various drug products.

To that end, since the environment that the corporation is changing, in this case with a different CEO, the organization has changed as well by the restructuring. The employees, on an individual basis, may be more concerned and distracted that.