Final answer:
Fredrick Winslow Taylor began his career by studying top managers and is known for his work on scientific management, which incorporated time-motion studies aiming to maximize efficiency and profitability while considering worker development.
Step-by-step explanation:
The individual who began their career by observing and studying the activities of top managers to understand the daily realities of management was Fredrick Winslow Taylor. His approach, known as scientific management or Taylorism, involved conducting time-motion studies to improve efficiency by standardizing work. Taylor's book The Principles of Scientific Management, published in 1911, laid out his theory that management's primary goal should be maximizing profitability while also ensuring the best outcome for the employee through systematic training and development. His methods were a blend of efficiency and standardization principles, which were pioneering at the time but also controversial among workers who felt their autonomy was reduced.
Elton Mayo's work in the 1930s at Western Electric's Hawthorne Works also contributed to the field, moving beyond employee placement to encompass more complex problems like interpersonal relations and motivation, marking the origins of organizational psychology. In another instance, Kurt Lewin's research explored the effect of leadership styles, team structure, and group dynamics on job satisfaction.