ABSTRACT

S cientific management claims to make production practices scientific. In Germany this movement was called wissenschaftliche Betn'ebsfuhrung, at least during its beginnings in the first half of the century. In France the phrase organisation scientiJique du travail is preferred. Russia and Italy have translated the French terms. In other words the activity which Taylor publicly launched in 1903 with the publication of his Shop Management and above all in 1911 with the more well-known Pn'qcipks of Scientific Management is about 'management' in the United States, about 'the leadership of firms' in Germany and about 'the organization of the workplace' in France, Italy and Russia. One could say that it is concerned with three domains which cover different kinds of practices. Let me only stress that in each country this first science of organization will be perceived differently, as the different languages both express and confirm. It is however the word 'scientific' that they all share.