In what two areas did Taylor focus from the very beginning?

Taylor, known as the father of scientific management, emphasized the importance of optimizing work processes to increase productivity and efficiency. His primary focus from the very beginning was on work methods and the efficiencies within the shop environment. By analyzing tasks and breaking them down into simpler, more manageable components, Taylor sought to identify the most efficient methods for performing each task. This often involved time studies and establishing standards that aimed to eliminate waste and improve overall performance in industrial settings.

The choice regarding cost reduction and employee satisfaction, while important, was not Taylor’s primary focus. Although he acknowledged the need for fair compensation, his foundational work centered more around the mechanics of work processes. Additionally, while technology and production capability are essential factors in industrial productivity, they were not the primary areas of his early efforts, which were rooted in human and organizational behavior regarding the workplace itself. Lastly, while worker morale and workplace safety are critical to modern management practices, Taylor’s initial contributions were much more about efficiency than about these other aspects, which became more prominent in later management theories.