Final answer:
Frederick W. Taylor was one of the earliest advocates of scientific management, aiming to improve industrial efficiency through careful procedural analysis and worker management, despite criticism regarding worker treatment. option a.
Step-by-step explanation:
One of the earliest advocates of scientific management was Frederick W. Taylor, a mechanical engineer from Pennsylvania. Taylor's influential work, particularly his book The Principles of Scientific Management published in 1911, spearheaded the scientific management movement. His approach involved a careful analysis of production processes to increase efficiency by reducing waste and improving human productivity through time-motion studies and standardization.
Focusing largely on the best financial outcomes for employers alongside improved conditions for employees, Taylor's ideology encouraged a division of labor that became known as 'stop-watch management'. Despite increasing productivity and sometimes wages, this approach often came at the cost of worker autonomy and satisfaction, leading to substantial criticism and strikes from the workforce. Nevertheless, Taylor's concepts have had a profound impact on organizational management and industrial processes.