The Psychology of Management by Lillian Moller Gilbreth
4. mixed.
993 words | Chapter 222
IT ALSO REALIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF PRODUCTIVE
IMAGINATION.--Scientific Management realizes that one of the special
functions of teaching the trades is systematic exercising and
guiding of imaginations of apprentices and learners. As Professor
Ennis says,--"Any kind of planning ahead will result in some good,"
but to plan ahead most effectively it is necessary to have a
well-developed power of constructive imagination. This consists of
being able to construct new mental images from old memory images; of
being able to modify and group images of past experiences, or
thoughts, in combination with new images based on imagination, and
not on experience. The excellence of the image arrived at in the
complete work is dependent wholly upon the training in image forming
in the past. If there has not been a complete economic system of
forming standard habits of thought, the worker may have difficulty
in controlling the trend of associations of thought images, and
difficulty in adding entirely new images to the groups of
experienced images, and the problem to be thought out will suffer
from wandering of the mind. The result will be more like a dream
than a well balanced mental planning. It is well known that those
apprentices, and journeymen as well, are the quickest to learn, and
are better learners, who have the most vivid imagination. The best
method of teaching the trade, therefore, is the one that also
develops the power of imagination.
SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT ASSISTS PRODUCTIVE IMAGINATION.--
Scientific Management assists productive, or constructive,
imagination, not only by providing standard units, or images, from
which the results may, be synthesized, but also, through the
unity of the instruction card, allows of imagination of the outcome,
from the start.
For example,--in performing a prescribed cycle of motions, the
worker has his memory images grouped in such a figure, form, or
sequence,--often geometrical,--that each motion is a part of a
growing, clearly imagined whole.
The elements of the cycle may be utilized in other entirely new
cycles, and are, as provided for in the opportunities for invention
that are a part of Scientific Management.
JUDGMENT THE RESULT OF FAITHFUL ENDEAVOR.--Judgment, or the
"mental process which ends in an affirmation or negation of
something,"[41] comes as the result of experience, as is admirably
expressed by Prof. James,--"Let no youth have any anxiety about the
upshot of his education whatever the line of it may be. If he keeps
faithfully busy each hour of the working day, he may safely leave
the final result to itself. He can with perfect certainty count on
waking up some fine morning, to find himself one of the competent
ones of his generation, in whatever pursuit he may have singled out.
Silently, between all the details of his business, the _power of
judging_ in all that class of matter will have built itself up
within him as a possession that will never pass away. Young people
should know this truth in advance.[42] The ignorance of it has
probably engendered more discouragement and faint-heartedness in
youths embarking on arduous careers than all other causes put
together."[43]
TEACHING SUPPLIES THIS JUDGMENT UNDER SCIENTIFIC
MANAGEMENT.--Under Scientific Management this judgment is the result
of teaching of standards that are recognized as such by the learner.
Thus, much time is eliminated, and the apprentice under Scientific
Management can work with all the assurance as to the value of his
methods that characterized the seasoned veterans of older types
of management.
TEACHING ALSO UTILIZES THE JUDGMENT.--The judgment that is
supplied by Scientific Management is also used as a spring toward
action.[44] Scientific Management appeals to the reason, and workers
perform work as they do because, through the Systems and otherwise,
they are persuaded that the method they employ is the best.
THE POWER OF SUGGESTION IS ALSO UTILIZED.[45]--The dynamic power
of ideas is recognized by Scientific Management, in that the
instruction card is put in the form of direct commands, which,
naturally, lead to immediate action. So, also, the teaching written,
oral and object, as such, can be directly imitated by the
learner.[46]
Imitation, which Dr. Stratton says "may well be counted a
special form of suggestion," will be discussed later in this chapter
at length.[47]
WORKER ALWAYS HAS OPPORTUNITY TO CRITICISE THE SUGGESTION.--The
worker is expected to follow the suggestion of Scientific Management
without delay, because he believes in the standardization on which
it is made, and in the management that makes it. But the Systems
afford him an opportunity of reviewing the reasonableness of the
suggestion at any time, and his constructive criticism is invited
and rewarded.
SUGGESTION MUST BE FOLLOWED AT THE TIME.--The suggestion must be
followed at the time it is given, or its value as a suggestion is
impaired. This is provided for by the underlying idea of coöperation
on which Scientific Management rests, which molds the mental
attitude of the worker into that form where suggestions are quickest
grasped and followed.[48]
"NATIVE REACTIONS" ENUMERATED BY PROF. JAMES.--Prof. James
enumerates the "native reactions" as (1) fear, (2) love, (3)
curiosity, (4) imitation, (5) emulation, (6) ambition, (7)
pugnacity, (8) pride, (9) ownership, (10) constructiveness.[49]
These are all considered by Scientific Management. Such as might
have a harmful effect are supplanted, others are utilized.
FEAR UTILIZED BY ANCIENT MANAGERS.--The native reaction most
utilized by the first managers of armies and ancient works of
construction was that of fear. This is shown by the ancient rock
carvings, which portray what happened to those who disobeyed.[50]
FEAR STILL USED BY TRADITIONAL MANAGEMENT.--Fear of personal
bodily injury is not usual under modern Traditional Management, but
fear of less progress, less promotion, less remuneration, or of
discharge, or of other penalties for inferior effort or efficiency
is still prevalent.
FEAR TRANSFORMED UNDER SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT.--Under Scientific
Management the worker may still fear that he will incur a penalty,
or fail to deserve a reward, but the honest, industrious worker
experiences no such horror as the old-time fear included. This is
removed by his knowledge
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