From Taylorism to Digital Taylorism: Reframing Labour Control Through the Theory of Optimum Labour Autonomy

Ammu Kishore

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i04.84888

From Taylorism to Digital Taylorism: Reframing Labour Control Through the Theory of Optimum Labour Autonomy

Author(s)	Ms. Ammu Kishore
Country	India
Abstract	The evolution of industrial production has consistently been shaped by the tension between organizational efficiency and labour autonomy. While Taylor's Scientific Management institutionalized labour control through standardized work methods and time-and-motion studies, the emergence of Industry 4.0 has transformed these principles into algorithmic management supported by artificial intelligence, cyber-physical systems, and real-time digital surveillance. This paper critically examines the historical continuity between Taylorism and digital Taylorism and investigates how technological advancement has reconfigured, rather than replaced, mechanisms of managerial control. Using an integrative theoretical approach, the study synthesizes insights from Taylorism, Labour Process Theory, Foucauldian surveillance, algorithmic management, Human Relations Theory, Socio-Technical Systems Theory, Self-Determination Theory, the Capability Approach, and Industry 5.0. The analysis reveals that contemporary digital workplaces reproduce the core logic of scientific management through data-driven monitoring and algorithmic decision-making while simultaneously creating new challenges for worker agency, dignity, and meaningful work. To address the limitations of existing theoretical perspectives, the paper proposes the concept of Optimum Labour Autonomy, which conceptualizes labour autonomy as a dynamic balance between managerial coordination and employee discretion. The study argues that sustainable organizational performance depends not on maximizing either control or autonomy but on optimizing their interaction. By integrating historical and contemporary labour theories into a unified analytical framework, this research advances the literature on labour governance and provides a novel theoretical foundation for understanding the future of work in increasingly digital and human-centred production systems.
Keywords	Digital Taylorism, Labour Autonomy, Algorithmic Management, Industry 5.0 etc.
Field	Sociology > Economics
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 4, July-August 2026
Published On	2026-08-02
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i04.84888

View / Download PDF File

About IJFMR Fees & Payment Current Issue Publication Archive	Submit Research Paper Track Submission Status Publication Guidelines Publication Ethics Peer Review & Plagiarism	Join as a Reviewer Editors & Reviewers Reviewer Referral Program Get Reviewer Membership Certi.	Website/Journal Policies Usage Policy Content Policies Privacy Policy

Contact Us		+91-9687-828-838	editor@ijfmr.com

International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

A Widely Indexed Open Access Peer Reviewed Multidisciplinary Bi-monthly Scholarly International Journal

From Taylorism to Digital Taylorism: Reframing Labour Control Through the Theory of Optimum Labour Autonomy

Share this