How did the concept of "scientific management" influence industry?

• A. By promoting artisan craftsmanship
• B. By increasing wages for all workers
• C. By aiming to improve economic efficiency through organizational efficiency
• D. By shortening the workday for factory workers

Answer: (C)

The concept of "scientific management," introduced by Frederick Winslow Taylor in the early 20th century, focused on analyzing and improving workflows to enhance economic efficiency within industries. This approach emphasized systematic study and optimization of work processes, which resulted in workers being assigned specific tasks based on their individual strengths and maximizing productivity. It aimed to create standardization in jobs to streamline operations, thereby increasing output and reducing waste.

This method marked a significant shift from traditional craftsmanship, where artisans took pride in the quality and complexity of their work, towards a more mechanistic and efficient approach that treated labor as a series of tasks to be optimized. By focusing on organizational efficiency, scientific management fundamentally changed how industries operated, leading to the development of assembly lines and other mass production techniques that became hallmarks of industrial progression.