Discuss your answer with reference to the topic of organisational change.
Rationalization is an organisational concept that aims to increase a firm’s productivity, as it grows in size, through a reorganisation of its current system of operations. Throughout this essay I will be referring to the Junction Hotel case study along with other articles and critiques of the rationalization theory to determine how suitable rationalisation is as a solution for the problems facing Junction Hotel within the current economic climate.
Throughout the 19th century Frederick Taylor, a mechanical engineer, was one of the pioneers of the organisational management approach to business. He was renowned for his theory of scientific management, which focused primarily on increasing the physical efficiency of the individual worker. “The principal object of management should be to secure the maximum prosperity for the employer, coupled with the maximum prosperity for each employee” (Fredrick Taylor, 1911, pg.09). One of Taylor’s most famous studies involved designing shovels that could load the most efficient amount of material (21 1/2lbs) consecutively to save workers time and, in turn, increase productivity. Having a clear and structured command over workers allowed Taylor to …show more content…
Many of Taylor’s and Ford’s workers found it difficult to maintain any humanistic grasp on their machinelike work due to its repetitive and boring nature. This led to a decrease in efficiency as workers became fatigued and after a while could no longer keep up with the rate of production. Charlie Chaplin outlines this perfectly in his video Modern Times (TheCharlesChaplin, 1936, Modern Times) whereby the worker is dragged along the conveyor belt assembly line because he is incapable of keeping up with the