Final answer:
In Frederick Taylor's scientific management, the key motivator is economic efficiency through improved labor productivity, with the main goal being increased wages and profit maximization.
Step-by-step explanation:
The key motivator in Frederick Taylor's scientific management is economic efficiency and labor productivity. Taylor's focus within the managerial discipline was on maximizing economic efficiency, especially through labor productivity improvements. Managers following Taylor's scientific management pursue financial gain as the primary motivator for both the employer and employee.
Tasks are analyzed and optimized for efficiency, and workers are motivated by wages, where increasing their productivity directly leads to better compensation. This contrasts with theories such as Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which considers a range of physiological and psychological needs as motivators, and McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y, which address different views on human motivation in workplace management.