Frederick Taylor as a Contributor to Public Administration

Abstract

Seventy-five years after his death, a question remains as to whether Frederick Taylor’s scientific
theories of management have made a significant contribution to Public Administration. Taylor’s
theories focused mainly on increasing productivity in industrial manufacturing environments. The
primary concern was for a pragmatic approach to efficiency where planning and standardisation
aimed to optimise the human element in production. The article examines how practitioners of Public
Administration have adopted and implemented Taylor’s theories. Evidence was found in the work of
Morris Cooke, a Taylor disciple who focused on public sector oriented approaches to management and
political economy. Taylorism was apparent in the public sector in the years after World War II, a
turning point and period when Taylorist theories were humanised. The aim of the article then is to
examine how Public Administration has drawn from the field of industrial psychology, towards
improving operations in public organisations. The key question is: to what extent has industrial
scientific management principles been adopted in the discipline of Public Administration? In light of
poor service delivery in South Africa, it is a relevant question that has implications for improving
operational efficiency. A historical literature review was undertaken to determine the influence of
Taylor’s scientific management theories on Public Administration. The findings drawn from this review
and analysis will serve to inform the need for more orderly scientific approaches to service delivery.