LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Outline the history of job design as a discipline from the early 20th Century to current trends. < 00 Taylorism is a foundation for systematic job design. Which of the following is a core principle of Taylorism? a.) Breaking down jobs into small, standardized tasks b.) Emphasizing teamwork and collaboration c.) Prioritizing worker satisfaction and well-being d.) Encouraging worker autonomy and creativity in task completion

To address your question regarding the core principle of Taylorism, let's first outline the known conditions: 1. **Taylorism**: Also known as Scientific Management, it was developed by Frederick Winslow Taylor in the early 20th century. 2. **Core Principles**: Taylorism focuses on improving economic efficiency and labor productivity through systematic job design. Now, let's analyze the options provided: a.) **Breaking down jobs into small, standardized tasks**: This is indeed a core principle of Taylorism. Taylor advocated for the division of labor into smaller, more manageable tasks to increase efficiency and productivity. b.) **Emphasizing teamwork and collaboration**: While teamwork is important in many modern job designs, Taylorism primarily focused on individual tasks rather than collaboration. c.) **Prioritizing worker satisfaction and well-being**: Taylorism was more focused on efficiency and productivity rather than worker satisfaction. In fact, it often led to monotonous work, which could negatively impact worker well-being. d.) **Encouraging worker autonomy and creativity in task completion**: Taylorism typically minimized worker autonomy, as tasks were standardized and closely monitored to ensure efficiency. Based on this analysis, the correct answer is: **a.) Breaking down jobs into small, standardized tasks**. This principle is foundational to Taylorism and has influenced job design practices throughout the 20th century and into current trends.