[VRW Conspirator]

it was the high ethical and moral standards of Taylor's Quaker upbringing that enabled him to develop a theory of economic productivity

Then the geniuses figured out that the office is also a production sight and started to apply his workable theories. Thus, we got voice mail and email and the computer at every desk.

Along the way the ethical and moral standards went down the priority list when the new geniuses deemed workers themselves a commodities. Thus we get lay-off after lay-off.

[Willie Green]

There is nothing unethical about a RIF bought about by productivity improvements attributable to implementation of more efficient methods/technology.
Similarly, there is nothing unethical about a RIF that is purely in direct proportion to a decline in business.

The abominations against Taylor's theory occur when short-sighted Management begins to demand greater employee output without regard for the provision of methods/conditions/procedures/technologies necessary to achieve those goals.

"Work Smarter -- Not Harder" is the motto.

Whip-cracking slavedrivers are an abomination.