Back to Book

The Psychology of Management by Lillian Moller Gilbreth

3. Object-lessons:

748 words  |  Chapter 210

(a) Exhibits. (b) Working models. (c) Demonstrations by the Teacher. (d) Demonstrations by the worker under Supervision. WORKER A SOURCE OF THESE METHODS.--It should be often stated that, ultimately, the elements of all methods are derived from a study of workers, and that the worker should be enabled to realize this. Only when he feels that he is a part of what is taught, and that the teachers are a _means_ of presenting to him the underlying principles of his own experience, will the worker be able to coöperate with all his energy. INSTRUCTION CARDS ARE DIRECTIONS.--Instruction Cards are direct instructions for each piece of work, giving, in most concise form, closely defined description of standard practice and directions as to how each element of the standardized task is to be performed. The makers know that they must make their directions clear ultimately, therefore they strive constantly for clearness. INSTRUCTION CARDS TEACH DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY.--These Instruction Cards not only teach the worker directly best to do his work, but also teach him indirectly how to become a leader, demonstrator, teacher and functional foreman. Study of them may lead to an interest in, and a study of, elements, and to preparation for becoming one of the planning department. The excellent method of attack of the Instruction Card cannot fail to have some good effect, even upon such workers as do not consciously note it.[5] SYSTEMS ARE REASONS AND EXPLANATIONS.--"Systems" or standing orders are collections of detailed reasons for, and explanations of, the decisions embodied in the directions of the Instruction Cards. There is a system showing the standard practice of each kind of work. THEY ENLIST THE JUDGMENT OF THE WORKER.--Under really successful management, it is realized that the worker is of an inquiring mind, and that, unless this inquiring tendency of his is recognized, and his curiosity is satisfied, he can never do his best work. Unless the man knows why he is doing the thing, his judgment will never reënforce his work. He may conform to the method absolutely, but his work will not enlist his zeal unless he knows just exactly why he is made to work in the particular manner prescribed. This giving of the "why" to the worker through the system, and thus allowing his reason to follow through all the details, and his judgment to conform absolutely, should silence the objections of those who claim that the worker becomes a machine, and that he has no incentive to think at his work. On the contrary, it will be seen that this method furnishes him with more viewpoints from which he can consider his work. DRAWINGS, CHARTS, PLANS AND PHOTOGRAPHS MEANS OF MAKING DIRECTIONS CLEARER.--The Instruction Cards are supplemented with drawings, charts, plans and stereoscopic and timed motion photographs,--any or all,--in order to make the directions of the Instruction Cards plainer. STEREOSCOPIC AND MICRO-MOTION STUDY PHOTOGRAPHS PARTICULARLY USEFUL.--Stereoscopic photographs are especially useful in helping non-visualizers, and in presenting absolutely new work. The value as an educator of stereoscopic and synthesized micro-motion photographs of right methods is as yet but faintly appreciated. The "timed motion picture," or "micro-motion study photograph" as it is called, consists of rapidly photographing workers in action accompanied by a specially constructed chronometer that shows such minute divisions of time that motion pictures taken at a speed that will catch the most rapid of human motions without a blur, will show a different time of day in each photograph. The difference in the time in any two pictures gives the elapsed time of the desired motion operation or time unit. SELF-MADE RECORDS EDUCATIVE.--The educative value of the worker's making his own records has never been sufficiently appreciated. Dr. Taylor insists upon this procedure wherever possible.[6] Not only does the worker learn from the actual marking in of the spaces reserved for him, but also he learns to feel himself a part of the record making division of the management. This proof of the "square deal," in recording his output, and of the confidence in him, cannot fail to enlist his coöperation. ORAL INSTRUCTION COMES FROM THE FUNCTIONAL FOREMEN.--The Functional Foremen are teachers whose business it is to explain, translate and supplement the various written instructions when the worker either does not understand them, does not know how to follow them, or makes a mistake in following them. ORAL INSTRUCTION HAS ITS FITTING PLACE UNDER SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT.--Oral instruction under Scientific Management has at least four advantages over such instruction under Traditional Management.
Previous Chapter Chapter List Next Chapter

Chapters

1. Chapter 1 2. CHAPTER I PAGE 3. CHAPTER II 4. CHAPTER III 5. CHAPTER IV 6. CHAPTER V 7. CHAPTER VI 8. CHAPTER VII 9. CHAPTER VIII 10. CHAPTER IX 11. CHAPTER X 12. CHAPTER I 13. 1. Management is a life study of every man who works with other 14. 2. A knowledge of the underlying laws of management is the most 15. 3. This knowledge is to be had _now_. The men who have it are 16. 4. The psychology of, that is, the mind's place in management is 17. 5. It is a division well fitted to occupy the attention of the 18. introduction to psychology and to management, can suggest the 19. 2. what we have defined as the "Transitory" plan of 20. 3. management which not only is not striving to be 21. 4. the distinctive name is the Taylor Plan of Management. 22. 1. To enumerate the underlying principles on which scientific 23. 2. To show in how far the other two types of management vary 24. 3. To discuss the psychological aspect of each principle. 25. 1. The relation of Scientific Management to the other types 26. 3. The relation between the various elements of Scientific 27. 4. The psychology of management in general, and of the three 28. 9. Welfare. 29. 2. Appearance and importance of the idea in Traditional and 30. 3. Appearance and importance of the idea in Scientific 31. 4. Elements of Scientific Management which show the effects 32. 5. Results of the idea upon work and workers. 33. 3. Contrary to a widespread belief that Scientific Management 34. 4. Scientific Management fosters individuality by 35. 5. Measurement, in Scientific Management, is of ultimate 36. 6. These measured ultimate units are combined into methods of 37. 7. Standardization under Scientific Management applies to all 38. 8. The accurate records of Scientific Management make 39. 9. Through the teaching of Scientific Management the 40. 10. The method of teaching of Scientific Management is a 41. 11. Incentives under Scientific Management not only stimulate 42. 12. It is for the ultimate as well as immediate welfare of 43. 13. Scientific Management is applicable to all fields of 44. 14. Scientific Management is applicable to self-management as 45. 15. It teaches men to coöperate with the management as well 46. 17. The psychological element of Scientific Management is the 47. 18. Because Scientific Management is psychologically right it 48. 19. This psychological study of Scientific Management 49. 20. Scientific Management simultaneously 50. 2. Halbert P. Gillette, Paper No. 1, American Society of 51. 6. F.W. Taylor, _Shop Management_, para. 16, Am. Soc. M.E., Paper 52. 9. Morris Llewellyn Cooke, _Bulletin No. 5 of the Carnegie 53. 10. F.W. Taylor, _Shop Management_, para. 234, Am. Soc. M.E., Paper 54. 13. Henry R. Towne, Introduction to _Shop Management_. (Harper & 55. 14. F.W. Taylor, _Principles of Scientific Management_, p. 123. 56. 16. F.W. Taylor, _Principles of Scientific Management_, p. 137. 57. CHAPTER II 58. 1. The importance of the study of the individual, and the 59. 2. The difficulty of the study, and the necessity for great 60. 3. The necessity of considering any one individual trait as 61. 4. The importance of the individual as distinct from the 62. 1. The work is more specialized, hence requires more 63. 2. With standardized methods comes a knowledge to the 64. 3. Motion study, in its investigation of the worker, supplies 65. 1. By psychological and physiological study of workers under 66. 2. By scientific study of the worker made before he comes 67. 1. Determining the capabilities of the boy, that is, seeing 68. 2. Determining the possibilities of his securing work in the 69. 11. Rewards must be prompt and provided for all 70. 12. Appreciation must be shown.[11] 71. 2. It is prepared for the particular individual who is 72. 1. When, where, how, and how much is individuality 73. 2. What consideration is given to the relation of the mind to 74. 3. What is the relative emphasis on consideration of 75. 6. What is the effect toward causing or bringing about 76. 9. L.B. Blan, _A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation_, 77. 11. F.B. Gilbreth, _Cost Reducing System_, Chap. III. 78. CHAPTER III 79. 4. What are the results to the worker? 80. 9. Good health. 81. 1. That the position will be best filled by a very high and 82. 2. That the man is forced to use every atom of all of his 83. 3. That in many cases the work assigned for him to do calls 84. 4. That psychology tells us that a man fitted to perform some 85. 11. poor investigation of workers' special capabilities. 86. 4. assigning competent workers to fitting work. 87. 8. quantity of additional pay that shall be given for doing it. 88. 1. coöperation with the management in obtaining the prescribed 89. 2. the exercise of their ingenuity in making improvements 90. 3. the fitting of themselves for higher pay and promotion. 91. 4. Disciplinarian 92. 8. Inspector 93. 2. a good observer, able to note minute variations of method, 94. 3. a good teacher. 95. 1. the particular place in the field of knowledge in which 96. 2. the change in the type of criticism expected from the 97. 3. the far greater emphasis placed on duties as a teacher. 98. 6. an offense against the system (disobeying orders), falling 99. 1. in doing the work itself, as will be shown at length in 100. 2. outside of the regular working hours, but in connection 101. 2. Decide whether the place can be best handled as one, or 102. 2. the long time job. 103. 5. Gillette and Dana, _Cost Keeping and Management Engineering_, 104. 7. F.W. Taylor, _Shop Management_, para. 221-231. Harper Ed., 105. 12. For excellent example of special routing see: Charles Day, 106. 13. C. Babbage, _Economy of Manufacturers_. p. 172. "The constant 107. 14. F.W. Taylor, _On the Art of Cutting Metals_, Paper No. 1119, 108. 15. C.G. Barth, _Slide Rules for Machine Shops and Taylor System_. 109. 17. Adam Smith, _Wealth of Nations_, p. 2. "The greatest improvement 110. 18. H.K. Hathaway, _The Value of "Non-Producers" in Manufacturing 111. 19. Gillette and Dana, _Cost Keeping and Management Engineering_, 112. 20. Morris Llewellyn Cooke, _Bulletin No. 5, Carnegie Foundation for 113. 21. H.L. Gantt, _Work, Wages and Profits_, p. 120. 114. CHAPTER IV 115. 1. The student will discover, in the books on experimental 116. 2. He will receive priceless instruction in methods of 117. 4. What accurate measurement determines his 118. 3. time for overcoming delays. 119. 3. be willing to coöperate. 120. 2. that all get an ample compensation for what 121. 3. that under them general welfare is considered; 122. 2. the length of time required for a worker to do a 123. 3. the amount of rest and the time of rest required to 124. 3. how best to use them. 125. 4. furnish resulting timed elements to the synthesizer 126. 1. The maintained tension on a belt bears a close relation to 127. 2. The speed of a buzz planer determines its liability to 128. 2. what function it will be best to assign them to and to 129. 2. ability to assign men to the work which they should do, to 130. 3. ability to predict. On this ability to predict rests the 131. 2. The worker's judgment is appealed to. The method that he uses 132. 3. The worker's reasoning powers are developed. Continuous 133. 4. The worker fits his task, therefore there is no need of 134. 5. There is elimination of soldiering, both natural and 135. 1. The worker will become more and more willing to impart his 136. 2. G.M. Stratton, _Experimental Psychology and Its Bearing upon 137. 4. For apparatus for psychological experiment see Stratton, p. 38, 138. 6. Morris Llewellyn Cooke, Bulletin No. 5, _The Carnegie Foundation 139. 12. F.W. Taylor, _Shop Management_, pp. 398-391. Harper Ed., p. 179. 140. 13. President's Annual Address, Dec., 1906. Vol. 28, Transactions 141. 15. R.T. Dana, For Construction Service Co., _Handbook of Steam 142. 20. F.W. Taylor, _Shop Management_, para. 46. Harper Ed., p. 30. 143. CHAPTER V 144. 3. how many elements that it contains are likely to be 145. 4. how many new elements that it contains are likely to be 146. 5. the probable cost of the work after it has been studied-- 147. 6. The loss, if any, from delaying the work until after it 148. 7. the availability of trained observers and measurers, 149. 8. the available money for carrying on the investigations. 150. 2. "labor imposed, especially a definite quantity or amount 151. 3. "a lesson to be learned; a portion of study imposed by a 152. 5. "burdensome employment; toil." 153. 1. The tools and surrounding conditions with which the work 154. 3. The time that the work shall take is scientifically 155. 5. The quality of the output is prescribed. 156. 1. law of no ratio between the foot-pounds of work done and 157. 3. law of classification of work according to percentage of 158. 6. laws that will predict the right speed, feed and cut on 159. 7. laws for predicting maximum quantity of output that a man 160. 8. laws for determining the selection of the men best suited 161. 1. Compare _Mechanical Analysis_. Taylor and Thompson, _Concrete, 162. 9. London, _Engineering_, Sept. 15, 1911. 163. CHAPTER VI 164. 1. to analyze the best practice known into the smallest 165. 4. to synthesize the necessary standard elements into 166. 1. that all management data would be available to 167. 2. that such data, being available also to all standardizers, 168. 4. that, from a study and comparison of the collected data a 169. 8. All of these various savings could be invested in more 170. 9. These more valuable results would again be available to 171. 1. for use as records of successful methods which may be 172. 2. for use by the instruction card clerk in explaining to 173. 3. What to Do. 174. 2. Qualities of Products. 175. 3. Clearing up. This is the only type used by Scientific 176. 1. Because they directly increase output by eliminating 177. 2. Because all surroundings suggest an easy achievement. Knowing 178. 1. It gives the worker immediate knowledge of the prescribed 179. 2. He does not have to worry as to the maximum variation that 180. 3. There is no fear of criticism or discharge for using his 181. 2. The idea of perfection is not involved in the standard of 182. 6. For desirability of standard signals see R.T. Dana, _Handbook of 183. 8. F.W. Taylor, _Shop Management,_ para. 285, Harper Ed., 184. 14. Charles Babbage, _On the Economy of Machinery and Manufactures_, 185. 16. F.A. Parkhurst, _Applied Methods of Scientific Management, 186. 17. H.L. Gantt, paper 928, A.S.M.E., para. 15. 187. CHAPTER VII 188. 3. Increase efficiency. 189. 1. The necessity of having more accurate records of the 190. 2. The necessity for so training the worker, before, as well 191. 2. the work as it is planned out by the managers, and handed 192. 2. to route the worker to the placed materials. 193. 4. Conscious record, conscious programme. 194. 10. Standardized record, standardized programme. 195. 1. One of a gang, unconscious 196. 2. Individual output,--standardized 197. 1. Gillette and Dana, _Cost Keeping and Management Engineering_, 198. 3. Gillette and Dana, _Cost Keeping and Management Engineering_, 199. 5. William James, _Psychology, Briefer Course_, p. 179. 200. CHAPTER VIII 201. 1. "to point out, direct, show;" "to tell, inform, instruct, 202. 3. "to impart knowledge or practical skill to;" "to guide in 203. 1. In that he is required to render reasons in writing for 204. 2. That, as soon as work is placed on the bonus basis, the 205. 2. Teaching of right habits of doing the right methods. 206. 2. Worker has no opportunity under the old industrial 207. 5. Right habits can be instilled. 208. 5. The Management. } 209. 1. Written, by means of 210. 3. Object-lessons: 211. 4. The instruction comes at the exact time that the learner 212. 3. from actual practice in teaching. 213. 10. develops the will. 214. 2. read to oneself aloud--eyes and ears appealed to, also 215. 4. read aloud to one and also read silently by one,-- 216. 5. read aloud, and at the same time copied--eyes, ears, 217. 7. read to one while process is performed by oneself 218. 1. right motions first, that is to say,--the right number 219. 2. speed of motions second, that is to say, constantly 220. 3. constantly improving quality.[25] 221. 2. "The particular one of having images which are not 222. 4. mixed. 223. 3. that he may be sure of advancement with age and 224. 4. that he is sure of the "square deal." 225. 3. Competition with the standard record. 226. 1. During working hours, where the recognition of his 227. 2. Outside the work. He has, under Scientific Management, more 228. 1. A collection of knowledge relating in its entirety to the 229. 2. A definite procedure, that will enable the learner to 230. 12. Opportunities and demands for "thinking" 231. 16. Resultant happiness of worker. 232. 2. H.K. Hathaway, _Prerequisites to the Introduction of Scientific 233. 6. F.W. Taylor, _Shop Management_, para. 289, Harper Ed., 234. 8. W.D. Ennis, _An Experiment in Motion Study, Industrial 235. 9. C.S. Myers, M.D., _An Introduction to Experimental Psychology_, 236. 12. F.B. Gilbreth, _Bricklaying System_, chap. I, _Training of 237. 19. Imbert, _Etudes experimentales de travail professionnel ouvrier, 238. 21. _Ibid._, p. 138. William James, Psychology, Advanced Course. 239. 24. Prof. Bain, quoted In William James' _Psychology, Briefer 240. 30. Attracting the attention is largely a matter of appealing to 241. 39. M.S. Read, _An Introductory Psychology_, pp. 212-213. William 242. 51. For example, see W.D. Scott's _Increasing Efficiency in 243. 52. R.A. Bray, _Boy Labor and Apprenticeship_, chap. II, especially 244. 53. Wilfred Lewis, _Proceedings of the Congress of Technology_, 245. 56. For value of personality see J.W. Jenks's, _Governmental Action 246. 58. Compare with the old darkey, who took her sons from a Northern 247. 61. Morris Llewellyn Cooke, _Bulletin No. 5_ of _The Carnegie 248. 62. A well known athlete started throwing a ball at his son in 249. 63. Meyer Bloomfield, _The Vocational Guidance of Youth_, Houghton 250. 64. A. Pimloche, _Pestalozzi and the Foundation of the Modern 251. 65. Friedrich Froebel, _Education of Man_, "To secure for this 252. CHAPTER IX 253. 1. fines, which are usually simply a cutting down of wages, 254. 3. assignment to less pleasant or less desirable work. 255. 8. Professional standing. 256. 9. coöperative work 257. 3. industrial coöperation. These are defined and discussed at 258. 5. F.W. Taylor, _Shop Management_, para. 310-311, Harper Ed., 259. 6. See also C.U. Carpenter, _Profit Making in Shop and Factory 260. CHAPTER X 261. 3. physical development. 262. 2. Habits, under Scientific Management, 263. 3. Physical development 264. 1. As for habits we must consider 265. 2. General mental development is provided for by the experience 266. 1. Personal responsibility is developed by 267. 2. Responsibility for others is provided for by the 268. 3. Appreciation of standing is fostered by 269. 4. Self-control is developed by 270. 5. "Squareness." This squareness is exemplified first of all by 271. 1. Contentment is the outgrowth of the personal responsibility, 272. 2. The idea of brotherhood is fostered particularly through the 273. 3. The "will to do" is so fostered by Scientific Management that 274. 1. It will educate the worker to the point where workers will 275. 2. It will aid the cause of Industrial Peace. 276. 6. See remarkable work of Dr. A. Imbert, _Evaluation de la Capacite 277. 7. Clark and Wyatt, Macmillan, pp. 269-270. 278. introduction of new, 137.

Reading Tips

Use arrow keys to navigate

Press 'N' for next chapter

Press 'P' for previous chapter