Q.The workers in Alpha manufacturing company were using traditional methods for production of metal parts. Since no standard procedure existed, workers relied on personal experience and guess work. As a result, productivity in the assembly line began to decline. To improve productivity, the company hired a consultant specializing in scientific management. The consultant explained that there was only one best method to maximize efficiency and this method could be developed through proper study and analysis. He emphasized that the scientific method should replace the old method, that the workers were using. So, to develop the scientific method, the consultant carefully investigated the traditional methods through work-study and by unifying the best practices, he developed a standard method that would be followed by everyone in the organization. After applying scientific method, there was a three fold increase in productivity within six months. The principle of scientific management which helped the company in increasing the productivity was : (A) Science, not Rule of Thumb (B) Harmony, Not Discord (C) Cooperation, Not Individualism (D) Development of Each and Every Person to His or Her Greatest Efficiency and Prosperity
The consultant replaced guesswork and personal experience with a scientifically developed standard method through systematic study — the essence of Science, Not Rule of Thumb.
The scenario describes a classic problem that Frederick Winslow Taylor identified in early 20th-century factories: workers doing the same job in different ways, each relying on their own intuition, habit, or what they had picked up over the years. There was no agreed-upon best way, no benchmark, no standard. This is what Taylor called the "rule of thumb" approach — decisions made by rough estimation, tradition, or individual judgment rather than systematic investigation.
When the consultant arrived at Alpha Manufacturing, he did exactly what Taylor advocated. He didn't simply tell workers to work harder or faster. Instead, he conducted a work-study — a careful, methodical examination of how the work was actually being done. He observed the traditional methods, broke down each task into its elements, timed them, analyzed them, and identified the most efficient practices scattered across different workers. Then he synthesized these into a single, standardized method that eliminated wasted motion, unnecessary steps, and inefficiency.
This is the heart of the principle Science, Not Rule of Thumb. Taylor believed that for every job, there exists one best way to do it — not a matter of opinion, but discoverable through scientific investigation. Once found, this method should replace all the varied, inefficient practices that had evolved haphazardly. The threefold productivity increase within six months is a direct result of this shift: from many inconsistent methods based on guesswork to one optimized method based on evidence.
The other principles are important but address different issues. Harmony, Not Discord focuses on aligning the interests of workers and management to reduce conflict. Cooperation, Not Individualism emphasizes teamwork and mutual responsibility between workers and managers. Development of Each Person deals with training and placing workers in roles suited to their abilities. None of these directly describe the replacement of traditional guesswork with a scientifically derived standard method.
The question hinges on recognizing what the consultant actually did. He didn't resolve a conflict (Harmony), he didn't foster teamwork (Cooperation), and he didn't focus on individual worker development or training (Development). He replaced an unscientific approach with a scientific one.
The principle applied is (A) Science, Not Rule of Thumb, because the consultant systematically studied existing methods and developed a single, scientifically validated standard to replace workers' reliance on personal experience and guesswork.
Unlock everything free for 14 days
- Full step-by-step solutions
- Concept-first explanations
- Methods, shortcuts & mistakes
- PYQ mapping + timed mock tests
Full access for 14 days. No credit card required.