The Psychology of Management by Lillian Moller Gilbreth
2. That, as soon as work is placed on the bonus basis, the
1262 words | Chapter 204
first bonus that is given is for doing work in accordance
with the prescribed method.
Even before the bonus is paid, the worker will not vary for any
slight reasons, if he positively knows at the time that he must
account for so doing, and that he will be considered to have
"stacked his judgment" against that of the manager. Being called to
account for deviations gives the man a feeling of responsibility for
his act, and also makes him feel his close relationship with the
managers.
NO SET TIME FOR USING SYSTEMS.--There is, under this type of
management, no set time for the study of the systems.
SYSTEMS INELASTIC.--Being written, these systems have all the
disadvantages of anything that is written. That is to say, they
require considerable adaptability on the part of the man who is
using them. He must consider his own mind, and the amount of time
which he must put on studying; he must consider his own work, and
adapting that method to his work while still obeying instructions.
In the case of the system being in great detail, he can usually find
a fairly detailed description of what he is going to do, and can use
that. In the case of the system being not so complete, if his work
varies, he must show intelligence in varying the system, and this
intelligence often demands a knowledge which he has not, and knows
not where to obtain.
WASTE OF TIME FROM UNSTANDARDIZED SYSTEMS.--The time
necessitated by the worker's laying out details of his method is
taken from the total time of his working day, hence in so far cuts
down his total product. Moreover, if no record is kept of the
details of his planning the next worker on the same kind of work
must repeat the investigation.
LATER TRANSITIONAL MANAGEMENT EMPHASIZES USE OF
STANDARDS.--Later Transitional Management eliminates this waste of
time by standardizing methods composed of standardized timed units,
thus both rendering standards elastic, and furnishing details.
TEACHING MOST IMPORTANT UNDER SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT.--Teaching
is a most important element under Scientific Management not only
because it increases industrial efficiency, but also because it
fosters industrial peace.[2]
IMPORTANCE DEPENDS ON OTHER ELEMENTS OF SCIENTIFIC
MANAGEMENT.--As we have seen, Scientific Management has as a basic
idea the necessity of divided responsibility, or functionalization.
This, when accompanied by the interdependent bonus, creates an
incentive to teach and an incentive to learn. Scientific Management
divides the planning from the performing in order to centralize and
standardize knowledge in the planning department, thus making all
knowledge of each available to all. This puts at the disposal of all
more than any could have alone. The importance of having this
collected and standardized knowledge conveyed best to the worker
cannot be overestimated. Through this knowledge, the worker is able
to increase his output, and thus insure the lowered costs, that
provide the funds with which to pay his higher wages,--to increase
his potential as well as actual efficiency, and best to coöperate
with other workers and with the management.
IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING ELEMENT BEST CLAIM TO PERMANENCE OF
SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT.--Upon the emphasis which it places on
teaching rests/a large part of the claim of Scientific Management
for permanence.[3] We have already shown the derivation of the
standards which are taught. We have shown that the relation between
the planning and performing departments is based largely on means
and methods for teaching. We have only to show here that the
teaching is done in accordance with those laws of Psychology that
are the laws of Pedagogy.
TEACHING IN SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT NOT THE RESULT OF THEORY
ONLY.--The methods of teaching under Scientific Management were not
devised in response to theories of education. They are the result of
actual experience in getting work done most successfully. The
teachers, the methods, the devices for teaching,--all these grew up
to meet needs, as did the other elements of Scientific Management.
CONFORMITY OF TEACHING TO PSYCHOLOGICAL LAWS PROOF OF WORTH OF
SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT.--The fact that teaching under Scientific
Management does conform, as will be shown, to the laws of
Psychology, is an added proof of the value of Scientific Management.
CHANGE FROM TEACHING UNDER TRADITIONAL MANAGEMENT.--Mr. Gantt
says, "The general policy of the past has been to drive; but the era
of force must give way to that of knowledge, and the policy of the
future will be to teach and to lead, to the advantage of all
concerned."[4] This "driving" element of Traditional Management is
eliminated by Scientific Management.
NECESSITY FOR PERSONALLY DERIVED JUDGMENT ELIMINATED.--So also
is eliminated the old belief that the worker must go through all
possible experiences in order to acquire "judgment" as to best
methods. If the worker must pass through all the stages of the
training of the old-fashioned mechanic, and this is seriously
advocated by some, he may fail to reach the higher planes of
knowledge afforded by training under Scientific Management, by
reason of sheer lack of time. If, therefore, by artificial
conditions caused by united agreement and collective bargaining,
workmen insist upon forcing upon the new learners the old-school
training, they will lose just so much of the benefits of training
under those carefully arranged and carefully safe-guarded processes
of industrial investigation in which modern science has been
successful. To refuse to start in where others have left off, is
really as wasteful as it would be to refuse to use mathematical
formulas because they have been worked out by others. It might be
advocated that the mind would grow by working out every possible
mathematical formula before using it, but the result would be that
the student would be held back from any further original
investigation. Duplicating primary investigations might be original
work for him, but it would be worthless as far as the world is
concerned. The same is absolutely true in management. If the worker
is held back by acquiring every bit of knowledge for himself instead
of taking the work of others as the starting point, the most
valuable initiative will be lost to the world.
BAD HABITS THE RESULT OF UNDIRECTED LEARNING.--Even worse than
the waste of time would be the danger of acquiring habits of bad
methods, habits of unnecessary motions, habits of inaccurate work;
habits of inattention. Any or all of these might develop. These are
all prevented under Scientific Management by the improved methods
of teaching.
VALUABLE ELEMENTS OF TRADITIONAL MANAGEMENT CONSERVED.--There
are, however, many valuable elements of the old Traditional system
of teaching and of management which should be retained and not be
lost in the new.
For example,--the greatest single cause of making men capable
under the old plan was the foreman's unconscious ability to make his
men believe, before they started a task, that they could achieve it.
It must not be thought that because of the aids to the teacher
under Scientific Management the old thought of personality is lost.
The old ability to convert a man to the belief that he could do a
thing, to inspire him with confidence in his foreman, with
confidence in himself, and a desire to do things, is by no means
lost, on the contrary it is carefully preserved under Scientific
Management.
TEACHING OF TRANSITORY MANAGEMENT SUPPLEMENTED.--In the
transforming of Transitory into Scientific Management, we note that
the process is one of supplementing, not of discarding. Written
system, which is the distinguishing characteristic of Transitory
Management, is somewhat limited in its scope, but its usefulness is
by no means impaired.
SCOPE OF TEACHING UNDER SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT.--Under Scientific
Management teaching must cover
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