Association of Social Work Boards Masters (ASWB MSW) Practice Exam

Scientific management theory, also known as Theory X, emphasizes finding the most efficient and effective way to perform each task in a workplace. The goal is to increase productivity and efficiency by breaking down tasks into smaller, more simplified parts. Option A, emphasizing human emotions, goes against the core principles of scientific management, which focuses on optimizing systems and processes rather than individual emotions. Option C, encouraging creative group work, also contradicts the idea of a one "best way" to perform a task. Additionally, this theory does not focus on developing a flexible organizational structure, which is another important aspect of management theory in general. Therefore, option D is not the central concept of scientific management theory.