Step 1: Understanding scientific management.
Scientific management, developed by Frederick Taylor, aimed at improving efficiency and productivity by optimizing work processes. One of the key principles was to reduce unnecessary work hours through better work methods and specialized tasks. This often led to a reduction in working hours.
Step 2: Analyzing the options.
(A) Increased: Incorrect. Scientific management is focused on increasing efficiency, which often led to a reduction in working hours rather than an increase.
(B) Decreased: Correct. One of the outcomes of scientific management was the reduction of working hours by eliminating inefficiencies.
(C) No effect: Incorrect. Scientific management had a direct effect on reducing working hours by increasing efficiency.
(D) Average: Incorrect. There was a specific effort to decrease working hours in scientific management.
Step 3: Conclusion.
The correct answer is (B) Decreased, as scientific management aimed at improving efficiency, which often led to fewer working hours for workers.