Taylorism

¹ American  

[tey-luh-riz-uhm] / ˈteɪ ləˌrɪz əm /

noun

1. the application of scientific methods to the problem of obtaining maximum efficiency in industrial work or the like.

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Taylorism ² American  

[tey-luh-riz-uhm] / ˈteɪ ləˌrɪz əm /

noun

1. a modified form of Calvinism that maintains that every person has a free will, and that makes a distinction between depravity, as the tendency to commit sins, and sin, as a voluntary choice of evil actions.

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Other Word Forms

• Taylorite noun

Etymology

Origin of Taylorism¹

1925–30; after Frederick W. Taylor; see -ism

Origin of Taylorism²

After Nathaniel William Taylor (1786–1858), U.S. theologian; see -ism

Example Sentences

Central to Taylorism is the transfer of control over how work gets done from workers to management.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 23, 2025

His name's Frederick Winslow Taylor, if you've ever heard of Taylorism, that's where it comes from.

From Scientific American • Sep. 21, 2023

Following Taylorism, companies break jobs into specialized, repetitive tasks to improve efficiency.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 6, 2023

The principles of scientific management, introduced by Frederick Winslow Taylor in 1911 and often referred to as Taylorism, sought to improve productivity by reducing wasteful movements.

From Textbooks • Dec. 14, 2022

The crown of all this work is Taylorism, in which the elements of the scientific organization of the process of production are combined with the most concentrated methods of the system of sweating.

From Dictatorship vs. Democracy (Terrorism and Communism) by Trotzky, Leon Davidovich