The Psychology of Management - L. M. Gilbreth (read novel full TXT) 📗

find that line of activity which he can follow best and with greatest satisfaction to himself. At present, such bureaus are seriously handicapped by the fact that little data of the industries are at hand, but this lack the bureaus are rapidly supplying by gathering such data as are available. Most valuable data will not be available until Scientific Management has been introduced into all lines.

Progress Demands Coöperation. — Progress here, as everywhere, demands coöperation. 64 The three sets of educators, — the teachers in the school, in the Vocational Guidance Bureaus, and in Scientific Management, must recognize their common work, and must coöperate to do it. There is absolutely no cause for conflict between the three; their fields are distinct, but supplementary. Vocational Guidance is the intermediary between the other two.

SUMMARY

Results to the Work. — Under the teaching of Traditional Management, the learner may or may not improve the quantity and quality of his work. This depends almost entirely on the particular teacher whom the learner happens to have. There is no standard improvement to the work.

Under the teaching of Transitory Management, the work gains in quantity as the methods become standardized, and quality is maintained or improved.

Under the teaching of Scientific Management, work, the quantity of work, increases enormously through the use of standards of all kinds; quantity is oftentimes tripled.

Under the teaching of Scientific Management, when the schools and Vocational Guidance movement coöperate, high output of required quality will be obtained at a far earlier stage of the worker's industrial life than is now possible, even under Scientific Management.

Results to the Worker. — Under Traditional Management, the worker gains a knowledge of how his work can be done, but the method by which he is taught is seldom, of itself, helpful to him. Not being sure that he has learned the best way to do his work, he gains no method of attack. The result of the teaching is a habit of doing work which is good, or bad, as chance may direct.

Under Transitory Management, with the use of Systems as teachers, the worker gains a better method of attack, as he knows the reason why the prescribed method is prescribed. He begins to appreciate the possibilities and benefits of standardized teaching.

The method laid down under Scientific Management is devised to further the forming of an accurate accumulation of concepts, which results in a proper method of attack. The method of instruction under Scientific Management is devised to furnish two things:

1. A collection of knowledge relating in its entirety to the future work of the learner.

2. A definite procedure, that will enable the learner to apply the same process to acquiring knowledge of other subjects in the most economical and efficient way.

It teaches the learner to be observant of details, which is the surest method for further development of general truths and concepts.

The method of attack of the methods provided for in Scientific Management results, naturally, in a comparison of true data. This is the most efficient method of causing the learner to think for himself.

Processes differing but little, apparently, give vastly different results, and the trained habits of observation quickly analyze and determine wherein the one process is more efficient than the other.

This result is, of course, the one most desired for causing quick and intelligent learning.

The most valuable education is that which enables the learner to make correct judgments. The teaching under Scientific Management leads to the acquisition of such judgment, plus an all-around sense training, a training in habits of work, and a progressive development.

A partial topic list of the results may make more clear their importance.

 1. Worker better trained for all work.

 2. Habits of correct thinking instilled.

 3. Preparedness provided for.

 4. Productive and repetitive powers increased.

 5. Sense powers increased.

 6. Habits of proper reaction established.

 7. "Guided original work" established.

 8. System of waste elimination provided.

 9. Method of attack taught.

10. Brain fully developed.

11. "Standard response" developed.

12. Opportunities and demands for "thinking" provided.

13. Self-reliance developed.

14. Love of truth fostered.

15. Moral sentiment developed.

16. Resultant happiness of worker.

Results To Be Expected in the Future. — When the schools, vocational guidance and teaching under Scientific Management coöperate, the worker will not only receive the benefits now obtained from Scientific Management, but many more. There will be nothing to unlearn, and each thing that is learned will be taught by those best fitted to teach it. The collection of vocational guidance data will begin with a child at birth, and a record of his inheritance will be kept. This will be added to as he is educated, and as various traits and tendencies appear. From this scientifically derived record will accrue such data as will assist in making clear exactly in what place the worker will be most efficient, and in what sphere he will be able to be most helpful to the world, as well as to himself. All early training will be planned to make the youth adept with his muscles, and alert, with a mind so trained that related knowledge is easily acquired.

When the vocation for which he is naturally best fitted becomes apparent, as it must from the study of the development of the youth and his desires, the school will know, and can give exactly, that training that is necessary for the vocation. It can also supplement his limitations intelligently, in case he decides to follow a vocation for which he is naturally handicapped.

This will bring to the industry learners prepared to be taught those things that characterize the industry, the "tricks of the trade," and the "secrets of the craft," now become standard, and free to all. Such teaching Scientific Management is prepared to give. The results of such teaching of Scientific Management will be a worker prepared in a short time to fill efficiently a position which will allow of promotion to the limit of his possibilities.

The result of such teaching will be truly educated workers, equipped to work, and to live,65 and to share the world's permanent satisfactions.

The effect of such education on industrial peace must not be underestimated. With education, including in education learning and culture, — prejudice will disappear. The fact that all men, those going into industries and those not, will be taught alike to be finger wise as well as book wise, up to the time of entering the industries, will lead to a better understanding of each other all through life.

The entire bearing of Scientific Management on industrial peace cannot be here fully discussed. We must note here the strong effect that teaching under Scientific Management will ultimately have on doing away with industrial warfare, — the great warfare of ignorance, where neither side understands the other, and where each side should realize that large immediate sacrifices should be made if necessary, that there may be obtained the great permanent benefit and savings that can be obtained only by means of the heartiest coöperation.

 1. F.B. Gilbreth, Bricklaying System, para. 541-545.

 2. H.K. Hathaway, Prerequisites to the Introduction of Scientific Management, Engineering Magazine, April, 1911, p. 141.

 3. H.L. Gantt, paper 928, A.S.M.E., p. 372.

 4. H.L. Gantt, Work, Wages and Profits, p. 116.

 5. H.L. Gantt, paper 928, A.S.M.E., p. 342.

 6. F.W. Taylor, Shop Management, para. 289, Harper Ed., pp. 127-128.

 7. H.K. Hathaway, Engineering Magazine, April, 1911, p. 144.

 8. W.D. Ennis, An Experiment in Motion Study, Industrial Engineering, June, 1911, p. 462.

 9. C.S. Myers, M.D., An Introduction to Experimental Psychology, chap. V, p. 73.

10. G.M. Stratton, Experimental Psychology and Culture, p. 125.

11. William James, Psychology, Briefer Course, p. 171.

12. F.B. Gilbreth, Bricklaying System, chap. I, Training of Apprentices.

13. McClure's Magazine, May, 1911, Dec, 1911, Jan., 1912.

14. As a woodman's keenness of hearing.

15. M.W. Calkins, A First Book in Psychology, chap. III.

16. Stratton, Experimental Psychology and Culture, chap. VII.

17. Compare with an actor's learning a part.

18. As proved by experimenting with a six-year-old child.

19. Imbert, Etudes experimentales de travail professionnel ouvrier, Sur la fatigue engendree par les mouvements rapides.

20. William James, Psychology, Briefer Course, p. 134.

21. Ibid., p. 138. William James, Psychology, Advanced Course. p. 112.

22. F.B. Gilbreth, Bricklaying System, p. 142.

23. Stratton, Experimental Psychology and Culture, p. 214.

24. Prof. Bain, quoted In William James' Psychology, Briefer Course, pp. 145-147.

25. F.B. Gilbreth, Bricklaying System, para. 18-19.

26. M.W. Calkins, A First Book in Psychology, p. 354.

27. James Sully, The Teacher's Handbook of Psychology, p. 119.

28. Stratton, Experimental Psychology and Culture, p. 99.

29. Stratton, Experimental Psychology and Culture p. 240.

30. Attracting the attention is largely a matter of appealing to what is known to interest, for example, to a known ambition.

31. M.S. Read, An Introductory Psychology, p. 183.

32. F.B. Gilbreth, Motion Study, p. 89.

33. Ibid., </>Bricklaying System, para. 555-557.

34. F.B. Gilbreth, Bricklaying System, p. 150.

35. M.S. Read, An Introductory Psychology, pp. 179-194.

36. G.M. Stratton, Experimental Psychology and Culture, p. 42.

37. M.S. Read, An Introductory Psychology, p. 208.

38. William James, Psychology, Advanced Course, Vol. I, p. 667.

39. M.S. Read, An Introductory Psychology, pp. 212-213. William James, Psychology, Briefer Course, p. 302.

40. M.W. Calkins, A First Book in Psychology, p. 25.

41. James Sully, The Teacher's Handbook of Psychology, p. 290.

42. William James, Psychology, Briefer Course, p. 150.

43. W.D. Scott, Influencing Men in Business, chap. II.

44. Ibid., chap. III.

45. W.D. Scott, The Theory of Advertising, p. 71.

46. W.D. Scott, Increasing Human Efficiency in Business, p. 41.

47. G.M. Stratton, Experimental Psychology and Culture, p. 200.

48. F.W. Taylor, The Principles of Scientific Management, p. 36.

49. William James, Talks to Teachers, chap. III.

50. Knight's Mechanical Dictionary, Vol. III, p. 2204.

51. For example, see W.D. Scott's Increasing Efficiency in Business, chap. IV.

52. R.A. Bray, Boy Labor and Apprenticeship, chap. II, especially p. 8.

53. Wilfred Lewis, Proceedings of the Congress of Technology, 1911, p. 175.

54. November, 1910.

55. The Link-Belt Co., Philadelphia, Pa.

56. For value of personality see J.W. Jenks's, Governmental Action for Social Welfare, p. 226.

57. F.W. Taylor, Shop Management, para. 311, Harper Ed., p. 143.

58. Compare with the old darkey, who took her sons from a Northern school, where the teacher was white, in order to send them to a Southern school having a colored teacher that they might feel, as they looked at him, "What that nigger can do, this nigger can do."

59. M.S. Read, An Introductory Psychology, pp. 297-303.

60. Hugo Münsterberg, American Problems, p. 29.

61. Morris Llewellyn Cooke, Bulletin No. 5 of The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, p. 70. William Kent, Discussion of Paper 647, A.S.M.E., p. 891.

62. A well known athlete started throwing a ball at his son in infancy, to prepare him to be an athlete, thus practically sure of a college education.

63. Meyer Bloomfield, The Vocational Guidance of Youth, Houghton Mifflin & Co.

64. A. Pimloche, Pestalozzi and the Foundation of the Modern Elementary School, p. 139.

65. Friedrich Froebel, Education of Man, "To secure for this ability skill and directness, to lift it into full consciousness, to give it insight and clearness, and to exalt it into a life of creative freedom, is the business of the subsequent life of man in successive stages of development and cultivation."

CHAPTER IX INCENTIVES

Definition of Incentive. — An "incentive" is defined by the Century Dictionary as "that which moves the mind or stirs the passions; that which