b) Frederick W. Taylor

Frederick W. Taylor is credited with pioneering the Scientific Management approach, which significantly impacted industrial efficiency during the Progressive Era. Also known as Taylorism, this approach applied scientific methods to the study of work processes, aiming to optimize task completion and labor productivity. Taylor’s emphasis on time studies, standardized tools, and methods, as well as his advocacy for worker training and wage incentives, revolutionized industrial operations. His work laid the foundation for modern organizational theory and practice, significantly influencing the way industries operated and contributing to the era’s economic growth and efficiency.