Final answer:
Scientific management, also known as Taylorism after its founder Frederick Winslow Taylor, is the theory aimed at improving operational efficiencies by methodical analysis and standardization of work methods.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theory within the classical approach that focuses on the improvement of operational efficiencies through the systematic and scientific study of work methods, tools, and performance standards is known as scientific management or Taylorism.
This concept was introduced by Frederick Winslow Taylor, a mechanical engineer from Pennsylvania who, in 1911, outlined this theory in his seminal book 'The Principles of Scientific Management'.
Taylor's approach involved analyzing and synthesizing workflows to enhance labor productivity and economic efficiency by reducing wasted motions and unnecessary steps in the production process.
His model, often criticized for oversimplifying jobs and reducing human interaction, was nonetheless influential in the Progressive Era's emphasis on efficiency in business and government settings.
Taylorism paved the way for modern management practices, prioritizing organizational goals over personal worker engagement.