These questions were not addressed by the news media, elected officials, or health care experts. Forrest knew he was a unique individual. Dr. Deming believed that people have unique skills and abilities, and are born with a desire to learn, cooperate, and do good work. In many organizations, personnel systems disregard differences among individuals. For example, training programs often do not recognize that individuals have different learning preferences.
Management establishes controls and work standards in an attempt to increase employee productivity.
American management practices were not the product of dumb people. These premises derive from outmoded theories of human behavior, management, and prediction. While these premises have been proved by experiment and observation to be faulty, they continue to influence current management practices. Behaviorism discounts people's natural inclination to learn, cooperate, and do a good job. The theory of scientific management, developed by Frederick Taylor, postulates that workers intentionally withhold their best efforts, that work standards can be calculated, and that productivity can be improved by paying for performance.