Understanding F.W. Taylor's Gang Boss Role

F.W. Taylor, often hailed as the father of Scientific Management, introduced revolutionary ideas to improve industrial efficiency. One of his key concepts was functional foremanship, which suggested that each worker should take orders from several specialized supervisors rather than just one general foreman. This aimed to bring expertise to different aspects of the production process.

The Gang Boss in Functional Foremanship

Taylor identified eight different types of foremen or bosses, each with a specific area of responsibility. The Gang Boss was one of these crucial roles. His primary duty was to ensure that the necessary resources were available for the workers to perform their tasks effectively.

Specifically, the Gang Boss was responsible for:

• Assembling the workforce (the "gang") needed for a particular job.
• Ensuring that all the required machines, tools, and materials were present and ready at the workstation before the work began.

This role is distinct from other functional foremen like the Speed Boss (controlling machine speeds) or the Repair Boss (handling maintenance).

Analysis of Options

Let's examine the provided options in the context of F.W. Taylor's definition of the Gang Boss:

• Option 1: Who is responsible for maintaining proper discipline in the organisation

  While discipline is important, maintaining it was not the primary or specialized function of the Gang Boss under Taylor's system. This responsibility might be shared or fall under a higher-level manager.

• Option 2: Who makes the availability of different machines and tools required by workers to carry out their work

  This option directly aligns with the described duties of the Gang Boss. Ensuring that workers have the necessary equipment and machinery is fundamental to their ability to work efficiently, which was the core goal of Taylor's system.

• Option 3: Controls the speed of different machines operating in the organisation

  This function belongs to the Speed Boss in Taylor's model, who focused specifically on setting and maintaining the correct operating speeds for machinery.

• Option 4: Who is concerned with proper maintenance and repairs of machines for keeping them in working order

  This task was assigned to the Repair Boss, whose job was to ensure machines were in good working condition, distinct from the Gang Boss's role of providing tools and materials.

• Option 5: (No text provided)

  This option is incomplete and cannot be evaluated.

Conclusion

Based on F.W. Taylor's principles of Scientific Management and the concept of functional foremanship, the Gang Boss is the functional foreman responsible for ensuring that workers have the necessary machines and tools available to perform their tasks.