Read the following passage and answer the question.
Mr. Verma is the factory manager of Shakti Engineering Works. He found that the supervisors on the shop floor could not do their job well, because no single supervisor had all the qualities that the job needed. He therefore divided the work of supervision among specialists. One group of specialists prepares instruction cards, decides the route of each job, keeps records of time and cost, and looks after rules and order. Another group sees that the work is done at the right speed, that machines and tools are ready and in repair, and that the finished work is checked for quality. Each worker now receives instructions from all these specialists, each in his own area.
In the technique that Mr. Verma applied, his second group of specialists would work under whom, and who among the following would be one of them?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Production incharge; inspector
Option (1) Planning incharge; disciplinarian — Incorrect. The second group works under the production incharge. The disciplinarian belongs to the planning group.
Option (2) Production incharge; inspector — Correct. The second group sees to the right speed, keeps machines and tools ready and repaired, and checks quality. These are the jobs of the speed boss, gang boss, repair boss and inspector, who work under the production incharge. The inspector checks the quality of work.
Option (3) Production incharge; route clerk — Incorrect. The production incharge is right, but the route clerk works under the planning incharge. He specifies the route of production, a job of the first group.
Option (4) Planning incharge; gang boss — Incorrect. The gang boss is one of the second group, but he works under the production incharge.
NCERT (2026-27 Edition): “Functional Foremanship … Taylor advocated separation of planning and execution functions. This concept was extended to the lowest level of the shop floor. It was known as functional foremanship. Under the factory manager there was a planning incharge and a production incharge. Under planning incharge four personnel namely instruction card clerk, route clerk, time and cost clerk and a disciplinarian worked. These four personnel would draft instructions for the workers, specify the route of production, prepare time and cost sheet and ensure discipline respectively. |