The Psychology of Management by Lillian Moller Gilbreth
3. that under them general welfare is considered;
1156 words | Chapter 121
the objections to such study will vanish.
MOTION STUDY IS DETERMINING METHODS OF LEAST WASTE.--Motion
Study is the dividing of the elements of the work into the most
fundamental subdivisions possible; studying these fundamental units
separately and in relation to one another; and from these studied,
chosen units, when timed, building up methods of least waste.
TIME STUDY IS DETERMINING STANDARD UNIT TIMES.--Time study
consists of timing the elements of the best method known, and, from
these elementary unit times, synthesizing a standard time in which a
standard man can do a certain piece of work in accordance with the
finally accepted method.
Micro-motion study is timing sub-divisions, or elements of
motions by carrying out the principles of motion study to a greater
degree of accuracy by means of a motion picture camera, a clock that
will record different times of day in each picture of a moving
picture film together with a cross sectioned background and other
devices for assisting in measuring the relative efficiency and
wastefulness of motions. It also is the cheapest, quickest and more
accurate method of recording indisputable time study records. It has
the further advantage of being most useful in assisting the
instruction card man to devise methods of least waste.[11]
MOTION STUDY AND TIME STUDY MEASURE INDIVIDUAL EFFICIENCY.--
Motion Study and Time Study measure individual capacity or
efficiency by providing data from which standards can be made. These
standards made, the degree to which the individual approaches or
exceeds the standard can be determined.
MOTION STUDY AND TIME STUDY MEASURE METHODS.--Motion Study and
Time Study are devices for measuring methods. By their use, old
methods are "tried out," once and for all, and their relative value
in efficiency, determined. By their use, also, new methods are
"tried out." This is most important under Scientific Management.
Any new method suggested can be tested in a short time. Such
elements of it as have already been tested, can be valued at the
start, the new elements introduced can be motion studied and time
studied, and waste eliminated to as great an extent as possible,
with no loss of time or thought.
Under Scientific Management, the men who understand what motion
study and time study mean, know that their suggested methods will be
tested, not only fairly, but so effectively that they, and everyone
else, can know at once exactly the worth of their suggestions.
COMPARISON OF METHODS FOSTERS INVENTION.--The value of such
comparative study can be seen at a glance. When one such method
after another is tried out, not only can one tell quickly what a new
method is worth, but can also determine what it is worth compared to
all others which have been considered. This is because the study is
a study of elements, primarily, and not of methods as a whole. Not
only can suggested methods be estimated, but also new methods which
have never been suggested will become apparent themselves through
this study. Common elements, being at once classified and set aside,
the new ones will make themselves prominent, and better methods for
doing work will suggest themselves, especially to the inventive mind.
BOOKS OF PRELIMINARY DATA NEEDED.--In order that this
investigation may be best fostered, not only must books of standards
be published, but also books of preliminary data, which other
workers may attack if they desire, and where they can find common
elements. Such books of preliminary data are needed on all
subjects.[12]
MOTION STUDY AND TIME STUDY MEASURE EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS.--Time
and motion study are measuring devices for ascertaining relative
merits of different kinds of equipment, surroundings and tools.
Through them, the exact capacities of equipment or of a tool or
machine can be discovered at once, and also the relative value in
efficiency. Also motion study and time study determine exactly how a
tool or a piece of equipment can best be used.
In "On The Art of Cutting Metals" Dr. Taylor explains the effect
of such study on determining the amount of time that tools should be
used, the speed at which they should be used, the feed, and so
on.[13] This paper exemplifies more thoroughly than does anything
else ever written the value of Time Study, and the scientific manner
in which it is applied.
THE SCOPE OF TIME AND MOTION STUDY IS UNLIMITED.--It is a great
misfortune that the worker does not understand, as he should, that
motion study and time study apply not only to his work, but also to
the work of the managers. In order to get results from the start,
and paying results, it often happens that the work of the worker is
the first to be so studied, but when Scientific Management is in
full operation, the work of the managers is studied exactly to the
same extent, and set down exactly as accurately, as the work of the
worker himself. The worker should understand this from the start,
that he may become ready and willing to coöperate.
DETAILED RECORDS NECESSARY.--Motion study and time study records
must go into the greatest detail possible. If the observations are
hasty, misdirected or incomplete they may be quite unusable and
necessitate going through the expensive process of observation all
over again. Dr. Taylor has stated that during his earlier
experiences he was obliged to throw away a large quantity of time
study data, because they were not in sufficient detail and not
recorded completely enough to enable him to use them after a lapse
of a long period from the time of their first use. No system of time
study, and no individual piece of time study, can be considered a
success unless by its use at any time, when new, or after a lapse of
years, an accurate prediction of the amount of work a man can do can
be made.
All results attained should invariably be preserved, whether
they appear at the moment to be useful or valuable or not. In time
study in the past it has been found, as in the investigations of all
other sciences, that apparently unimportant details of today are of
vital importance years after, as a necessary step to attain, or
further proof of a discovery. This was exemplified in the case of
the shoveling experiment of Dr. Taylor. The laws came from what was
considered the unimportant portion of the data. There is little so
unimportant that time and motion study would not be valuable. Just
as it is a great help to the teacher to know the family history of
the student, so it is to the one who has to use time and motion
study data to know all possible of the hereditary traits,
environment and habits of the worker who was observed.
SPECIALIZED STUDY IMPERATIVE.--As an illustration of the field
for specialized investigation which motion study and time study
present, we may take the subject of fatigue. Motion Study and Time
Study aim to show,
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