The Red Taylorist: The Life and Times of Walter Nicholas Polakov (Frontiers of Management History) - Hardcover

Kelly, Diana

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1787699862 ISBN 13: 9781787699861

Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited, 2020

Synopsis

The Red Taylorist traces the adult life and works of Walter Polakov, focusing on his socialist scientific management ideals and the ways these were constrained by conventionality in the USA in the first half of twentieth century. Tracing Polakov's activities and achievements, this book explores the contradictions of a prolific writer, socialist engineer and scientific management ideologue in the decades until his death in 1948.

Written from a management history scholarly perspective, it presents a unique and detailed viewpoint. There have been no prior biographies on Polakov, and very few on his fellow scientific managers, consulting engineers, or like-minded public intellectuals. Moreover, perceptions of scientific management or Taylorism have tended to emphasise the negative impacts on workers, whereas Polakov's socialist commitment suggests a much more nuanced approach.

Aimed at scholars of management and history of management, Diana Kelly offers a detailed narrative of this important individual, while greatly enriching understanding of the broader historical and industrial context.

About this title

About the Author

Diana Kelly has been an academic for over thirty years. She has taught and researched history, industrial relations, OB/HRM, management history and workplace safety. She has held various academic administrative roles which were sometimes fruitful, but took her away too often, from family, reading, researching, and teaching.

Edition details

• Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited
• Publication date: 2020
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1787699862
• ISBN 13: 9781787699861
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 174