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Summary: The Roots of Modern Management
Review: Taylor's ideas are commonly viewed as being antiquated because of the time and circumstances under which he worked. Not so! If you think TQM (including Deming, Juran, Shewart, and Taguchi) and Collaborative Management are the answer, you'll find the roots of of these and more in Taylor. It is true that Taylor applied his efforts mainly to work consisting of brute force - but that was the workplace world which existed then.Before reading Taylor, you should first get up to speed on modern management/leadership concepts. Then, travel back to a time before machines replaced human labor. (If you are my age it should be easy!) Now read Taylor and use just a bit of imagination to visualize what he would be doing today. Then, and only then, can you begin to understand and appreciate what this man and a few other pioneers like him did. Would his mindset change the way you do business? Then you'd better change because TQM and Collaborative Management are just Taylor on steroids. You can't understand management/leadership unless you understand Taylor. And you can't compete unless you understand both of these.
Rating: 
Summary: The Roots of Management Science
Review: This was originally published in 1911 and promulgates the author's task management system. This was the beginning of the "scientific management" line of research and so is widely credited as being the first management science book. The essay certainly provides an interesting window into an earlier time. He also illustrates how implementation of management tools requires leadership for success. Still, a reader shouldn't plan on taking away a great many lessons not available from other sources. The book should appeal mainly to those specialists working in the field and to historians rather than most readers.
Rating:
Summary: Get a management classic
Review: You can hear much about "The Principles of Scientific Management" by Frederick Winslow Taylor. Now you can hold it in your hand and even read it. By reading it you can learn much about managment and/or a historical part of management.
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