Essentials of Contemporary Management 
SP 30054: Contemporary Management is not about control it is much more about gaining the commitment of the workforce. To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Modern Human Resource Management is a highly controversial topic with issues on whether it is effective in motivating employees to higher productivity. It is evident that when compared to the predominating bureaucratic control system derived from Taylor’s ideologies, human resource management approaches employees from a softer perspective of commitment. Nevertheless, research has shown that control is not lost within the process, as it is already imposed in the employees themselves rather than the system. Ultimately, human resource management promises freedom and autonomy based on the commitment of employees, but it unconsciously practicing control within self-made consensus norms.
Peter Drucker first used the term Human Resource Management in the 1950’s as another term for personnel management. However, it was not until the 1980’s when Human Resource Management meant a new philosophy in the management of employees (Henderson 2011). By the 1970’s, Taylor’s scientific method dominated the organization of work. Taylor’s industrial practices utilized the developments of technology and pushed for maximum output from workers. Jobs were divided into small fixed tasks with fixed discipline. Moreover, simplifying and standardizing procedures maximized the productivity. Due to the simplifying of jobs, knowledge and skills were not necessary required. His reward system of “a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work” was believed to be the main motivation to work. Additionally, as workers were naturally assumed to slack off, managers were to decide and plan job duties with precise details, also known as, “task ideas”, which eliminated unnecessary actions and prevented the soldiering of workers. Control, order, and efficiency were ultimately the main concepts to scientific management. The most notable case
Modern Human Resource Management is a highly controversial topic with issues on whether it is effective in motivating employees to higher productivity. It is evident that when compared to the predominating bureaucratic control system derived from Taylor’s ideologies, human resource management approaches employees from a softer perspective of commitment. Nevertheless, research has shown that control is not lost within the process, as it is already imposed in the employees themselves rather than the system. Ultimately, human resource management promises freedom and autonomy based on the commitment of employees, but it unconsciously practicing control within self-made consensus norms.
Peter Drucker first used the term Human Resource Management in the 1950’s as another term for personnel management. However, it was not until the 1980’s when Human Resource Management meant a new philosophy in the management of employees (Henderson 2011). By the 1970’s, Taylor’s scientific method dominated the organization of work. Taylor’s industrial practices utilized the developments of technology and pushed for maximum output from workers. Jobs were divided into small fixed tasks with fixed discipline. Moreover, simplifying and standardizing procedures maximized the productivity. Due to the simplifying of jobs, knowledge and skills were not necessary required. His reward system of “a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work” was believed to be the main motivation to work. Additionally, as workers were naturally assumed to slack off, managers were to decide and plan job duties with precise details, also known as, “task ideas”, which eliminated unnecessary actions and prevented the soldiering of workers. Control, order, and efficiency were ultimately the main concepts to scientific management. The most notable case
Cited: Barker, J. 1999. Tightening the Iron Cage: Concertive Control in Self-Managing Teams. [Online] Available at: Beer, M Clegg S., Kornberger, M. Pitsis, T. 2005. Managing and Organizations. London. Sage Publications. CIPD, 2003 Storey, J. 1992. Developments in the Management of Human Resources. UK: Blackwell Publishers Price, A