The Psychology of Management by Lillian Moller Gilbreth
3. Clearing up. This is the only type used by Scientific
1084 words | Chapter 175
Management.
DIRECTIONS, PAY ALLOWANCE AND TIME ALLOWANCE ESSENTIAL.--
The Instruction Card under Scientific Management must contain
directions, and state the pay allowance and time allowance.
Directions as to how the work shall be done eliminate waste by
cutting out all wrong methods and prescribing the right method
exactly.
The setting of a time in which the work is to be done is a great
stimulus to the worker, and is also necessary, because upon the
attainment of this set time depends the ability of the managers to
pay the bonus to the worker, and also to maintain a schedule, or
time-table, that will make possible the maintaining of necessary
conditions for others, in turn, to earn their bonuses. It cannot be
too often emphasized that the extra wages are paid to the men out of
the savings, and are absolutely dependent upon the fact of there
being savings. It is only when the worker does the work within the
time prescribed, that the managers do save enough to warrant the
payment of the extra wages that compensate the man for doing the
stipulated quantity of work.
The instruction card contains a statement of the wage or bonus
that will be earned for the complete performance of the task set
therein, thus furnishing an incentive at the time that the work
is done.
STANDARD DIVISION OF INSTRUCTION CARD NECESSARY.--There are many
reasons for dividing an instruction card in the present standard
way, namely,--
(a) to reduce the amount of time study observation
necessary to be taken,
(b) to reduce the difficulties of synthesizing the time
studied element,
(c) to locate quickly just where the worker needs help and
instruction to enable him to achieve his task,
(d) to keep up the interest of the worker by having short
time elements with which to measure his relative
ability,
(e) to present the subject-matter of instruction in such
natural subdivisions that resting places are
automatically provided that allow the mind to recover
from its absorption of each subdivision. This provides
definite stopping places between co-related units of
instruction holding the attention as a complete unit
against distraction, and a complete resting place
between subdivisions that permits the mind to relax and
wander without losing complete grasp of each unit as
a whole.
DETAILED INSTRUCTION EDUCATIVE.--The greater the perfection of
the detail of the instruction card, the greater the educative value
of this plan of management. The educative value of the instruction
card will be discussed at length under Teaching.
Those inexperienced in Scientific Management have complained
that the detail of Instruction Cards and other parts of Scientific
Management is tiresome. Dr. Taylor has answered such objectors in
Discussions, and also in his own directions for planning the
Instruction Card, which are to be found in "Shop Management."
The advantages of the detailed instruction card are more than
might appear on the surface. Not only does the man whose attention
is easily distracted keep to his work better if he is told every
possible detail, but also the cards when filed can be taken out
again, and every detail and item of the method reviewed at length
and revised if necessary.
The experienced worker who gets to know the instruction by rote
is not bothered by extreme detail. On the contrary, he grasps it at
a glance, and focuses his mind upon any new feature and upon the
speed and exactness of muscular action needed for compliance with
the card.
LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION CARD IMPORTANT.--The language in which
instructions and commands are transmitted on the instruction card is
of sufficient importance to warrant careful consideration. It would
be helpful if the instruction card clerk and the man who is to use
the instruction cards were both masters of English, but this is
hardly to be expected. The best substitute for such special English
training is a "System" for the use of the instruction card clerk
that will give him some outline of English that will by degrees make
his wording terse, simple and unambiguous.
He should be impressed with the value of short sentences, and of
sentences that will require no punctuation other than a period at
the end. The short sentence is the most important step toward
brevity, terseness, conciseness and clear thinking.
The second most important feature is that the instruction card
clerk always uses the same standard wording for the same
instructions. Repetition of phrasing is a virtue, and the use of the
same word for the same thing and the same meaning repeatedly is very
desirable. The wording, phrasing and sentencing should be standard
wherever possible.
STANDARD PHRASING DESIRABLE.--After a short time a phrase or
sentence that is often repeated will be recognized as quickly as
will a word or a letter. Men who cannot read and write at all are
comparatively few. Men who can read and write but little are many.
It is entirely possible to teach such men standard groupings, which
they can recognize on the Instruction Card and use in a very
short time.
For example,--laborers who do not even know their alphabets will
learn quickly to read setting marks on cut stone.
Just as mnemonic symbols save time and effort, so standard
phrasing aids toward finding out what is to be done, and remembering
how it is to be done.[5] Both of these can be accomplished if the
standardization is so complete that directions can be read and
remembered almost at a glance.[6]
SPECIFIC TERMS HELPFUL.--To be most effective, directions should
be in the imperative form, and in specific terms.
The history and growth of language shows that the language of
the savage consisted of vague general terms as compared to the
specific individual terms of the modern language of civilized man.
There are examples to be seen on every hand to-day where the oral
language of instructions and orders to proceed, that are given to
the worker, are still more vague, comparatively, than the language
between savages.
SIMILARITY OF FORM AND SHAPE ADVISABLE.--As for the form and
shape, as Dr. Taylor says, "anything that will transmit ideas by
sketch or wording will serve as an instruction card." He advises,
however, taking advantage of the saving in time to be gained by
having the instruction cards as nearly alike as possible. They may,
for convenience' sake, vary as to length, but in width, ruling,
spacing and wording they should be as nearly alike as possible.
STANDARD SURROUNDINGS VALUABLE.--Standard environment, or
surroundings, of the worker are valuable for two reasons:
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