Read the following passage and answer the question.
Master Industries developed a new product, ‘Memory Sharpen Kit’, for kids. Mr. Shankar, the sales manager of the company, was asked to achieve target sales of 1000 kits in one month. He designed a sales plan for the kit without consulting his sales staff. He even refused to hear their suggestions and asked them to just follow his instructions. It led to frustration among the sales staff and, as a result, the sales target was not achieved on time. However, he made sure that every salesperson took orders from him alone and not from the other managers. He expects his colleagues to get work out of subordinates and yet has a differential treatment for each person. Mr. Shankar often bypasses the formal levels of authority and sends messages directly to junior staff, even when there is no emergency.
The third and fourth sentences of the passage show Mr. Shankar going against which principle of F.W. Taylor?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Cooperation, not individualism
Option (1) Science, not rule of thumb — Incorrect. Science, not rule of thumb replaces trial-and-error methods with one best method found by study and analysis. These sentences are about ignoring the staff.
Option (2) Cooperation, not individualism — Correct. Cooperation, not individualism asks labour and management to work together, as they need each other. So management should not close its ears to constructive suggestions, and workers should be taken into confidence on important decisions. Mr. Shankar made the sales plan alone and refused to hear his staff.
Option (3) Development of each and every person to his or her greatest efficiency and prosperity — Incorrect. This principle is about selecting each worker scientifically, giving suitable work and training. The two sentences say nothing about selection or training.
Option (4) Standardisation and simplification of work — Incorrect. This is a technique of Taylor, not one of his principles. It sets standards for process, materials and methods, and removes needless varieties of products.
NCERT (2026-27 Edition): “(iii) Cooperation, Not Individualism: There should be complete cooperation between the labour and the management instead of individualism. This principle is an extension of principle of ‘Harmony not discord’. Competition should be replaced by cooperation. Both should realise that they need each other. |