CHAPTER VII
RECORDS AND PROGRAMMES
DEFINITION OF RECORD.--A record is, according to the Century Dictionary--"something set down in writing or delineated for the purpose of preserving memory; specifically a register; an authentic or official copy of any writing, or an account of any fact and proceedings, whether public or private, usually entered in a book for preservation; also the book containing such copy or account."[1] The synonyms given are "note, chronicle, account, minute, memorandum."
FEW WRITTEN RECORDS UNDER TRADITIONAL MANAGEMENT.--For the purposes of this preliminary study of records, emphasis will be laid on the fact that the record is written. Under Traditional Management there are practically no such labor records. What records are kept are more in the nature of "bookkeeping records," as Gillette and Dana call them, records "showing debits and credits between different accounts." In many cases, under Traditional Management, not even such records of profit or loss from an individual piece of work were kept, the manager, in extreme cases, oftentimes "keeping his books in his head" and having only the vaguest idea of the state of his finances.
IMPORTANCE OF RECORDS REALIZED UNDER TRANSITORY MANAGEMENT.--As has been amply demonstrated in discussing Individuality and Standardization, the recognition of the value of records is one of the first indications of Transitory Management. Since this stage of management has Scientific Management in view as "a mark to come to," the records evolved and used are not discarded by Scientific Management, but are simply perfected. Therefore, there is no need to discuss these transitory records, except to say that, from the start, _quality_ of records is insisted upon before quantity of records.
NO "BOOKKEEPING" RECORDS UNDER SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT.--Under Scientific Management there are no "bookkeeping records" kept of costs as such. Instead, there are "time and cost records," so called, of the time and efficiency of performance. From these, costs can be deduced at any time. Items of cost without relation to their causes, on work that is not to be repeated, have little value. Cost records, as such, usually represent a needless, useless expenditure of time and money. It must be emphasized that Scientific Management can in no way be identified with "cost keeping," in the sense that is understood to mean aimlessly recording unrelated costs. Under Scientific Management costs are an ever-present by-product of the system, not a direct product.
RECORDS MUST LOWER COSTS AND SIMPLIFY WORK.--The quantity of records that should be made depends on the amount, diversity and state of development of the work done. No record should be made, which does not, directly or indirectly, actually reduce costs or in some way increase efficiency. The purpose of the records, as of Scientific Management in general, is to simplify work. Only when this is recognized, can the records made be properly judged. Numerous as they may at times seem to be, their number is determined absolutely by the satisfactory manner in which they--
1. Reduce costs. 2. Simplify work. 3. Increase efficiency.
RECORDS OF WORK AND WORKERS.--Records may be of the work or of the worker[2]--that is to say, of material used, tools used, output produced, etc., or of individual efficiency, in one form or another. Records of efficiency may be of workers, of foremen, and of managers, and a record may be made of any man in several capacities; for example, a record is kept of a functional foreman in the form of the work of the men who are under him, while another record might be kept of him as a worker himself; for example, the time being taken that it took him to teach others their duties, the time to learn what was to be done on any new work, etc.
RECORDS OF INITIATIVE.--Records of initiative are embodied in the Suggestion Card. Even under advanced Traditional Management the cards are furnished to the men upon which to write any ideas as to improvements. These suggestions are received, and, if accepted, are rewarded.
Under Scientific Management such suggestions become more valuable, for, as has been shown, they are based upon standards; thus if accepted, they signify not only a real, but a permanent improvement. Their greatest value, however, is in the stimulus that they furnish to the worker, in the information that they furnish the management as to which workers are interested, and in the spirit of cooeperation that they foster.
The worker receives not only a money-reward, but also publicity, for it is made known which worker has made a valuable suggestion. This indicates that the worker has shown good judgment. His interest is thus stimulated, his attention is held to his work, and the habit of initiative comes to him. That this habit of initiative can be fostered, is shown by the actual fact that in many sorts of work the same man constantly makes suggestions. It becomes a habit with him to look for the new way, and as he is constantly rewarded, the interest is not allowed to diminish.
RECORDS OF GOOD BEHAVIOR.--Records of good behavior are incorporated in the White List File. The White List File contains the names of all men who have ever been employed who merit a recommendation, if they should go to work for others, and would deserve to be given work as soon as possible, if they came back. This White List File should be filled out with many details, but even if it contains nothing but a record of the names, and the addresses where the men can be reached when new work starts up, it has a stimulating effect upon the worker. He feels, again, the element of permanence; there is a place for individuality, and not only does the manager have the satisfaction of actually having this list, and of using it, but a feeling that his men know that he is in some way recognizing them, and endeavoring to make them and their good work permanent.
RECORDS OF ACHIEVEMENT.--Records of achievement vary with the amount and nature of the work done. Such records are, as far as possible, marked upon programmes.
RECORDS MADE BY WORKER WHERE POSSIBLE.--Wherever possible the worker makes his own records. Even when this is not advisable he is informed of his record at as short intervals as are practicable.[3]
RECORDS MADE ON THE "EXCEPTION PRINCIPLE."--Much time is saved by separating records for the inspection of the man above, simply having him examine the exceptions to some desired condition,--the records which are exceptionally good, the records which are exceptionally bad. This not only serves as a reward to the man who has a good record, and a punishment for the man who has had a bad record, but it also enables the manager to discover at once what is wrong and where it is wrong, and to remedy it.
The value of the exception principle can hardly be overestimated. It would be of some value to know of exceptionally good or poor work, even if the cause were not known. At least one would be made to observe the signpost of success or of danger. But, under Scientific Management, the cause appears simultaneously with the fact on the record,--thus not only indicating the proper method of repeating success, or avoiding failure, in the future, but also showing, and making clear, the direct relation of cause to effect, to the worker himself.
THIS DISCUSSION NECESSARILY INCOMPLETE.--The records mentioned above are only a few of the types of records under Scientific Management. Discussion has been confined to these, because they have the most direct effect upon the mind of the worker and the manager. Possible records are too numerous, and too diverse, to be described and discussed in detail. They constitute a part of the "how" of Scientific Management,--the manner in which it operates. This is covered completely in the literature of Scientific Management, written by men who have made Scientific Management and its installation a life study. We need only further discuss the posting of records, and their effect.
POSTING OF RECORDS BENEFICIAL.--As has been already noted under Individuality, and must be again noted under Incentives, much benefit is derived from posting records, especially when these are of such a character, or are so posted, that the worker may see at a glance the comparative excellence of his results.
SUMMARY
RESULTS OF RECORDS TO THE WORK.[4]--The results of recording are the same under all forms of management, if the records are correct.
Output increases where records are kept. Under Traditional Management there is the danger that pressure for quantity will affect quality, especially if insufficient records of the resultant quality are kept. Under Transitory and Scientific Management, quality is maintained or improved, both because previous records set the standard, and because following records exhibit the quality.
RESULTS TO THE WORKER.--James says, "A man's social use is the recognition which he gets from his mates. We are not only gregarious animals, liking to be liked in sight of our fellow, but we have an innate propensity to get ourselves noticed, and noticed favorably, by our kind. No more fiendish punishment could be devised, were such a thing physically possible, than that one should be turned loose in society and remain absolutely unnoticed by all the members thereof. If no one turned around when we entered, answered when we spoke or minded what we did, but if every person we met 'cut us dead' and acted as if we were non-existing things, a kind of rage and impotent despair would ere long well up in us, from which the cruelest bodily tortures would be a relief; for these would make us feel that, however bad might be our plight, we had not sunk to such a depth as to be unworthy of attention at all."[5] This recognition the worker gets partly through the records which are made of him.
SELF-KNOWLEDGE ATTAINED THROUGH RECORDS.--Through records of output, and especially through charts of such records, and timed motion-picture films, or micro-motion study pictures the worker may, if he be naturally observant, or if he be taught to observe, gain a fine knowledge of himself.
The constant exhibit of cause and effect of the relation of output to, for example,--drink of alcoholic beverages; to smoking; to food values; to nutrition; to family worries; and to other outside influences;--in fact, the effects of numerous different modes of living, are shown promptly to the worker in the form of records.
Two things should here be noted:
1. The necessity of having more accurate records of the worker and the work, that the relation oL cause to effect may be more precise and authentic.
2. The necessity for so training the worker, before, as well as after, he enters the industrial world, that he can better understand and utilize the lesson taught by his own records and those of others.
EDUCATIVE VALUE OF WORKER MAKING HIS OWN RECORD.--Under Scientific Management in its most highly developed form, the worker makes his own records on his return cards and hands them in. The worker thus not only comes to realize, by seeing them and by writing them down, what his records are, but he also realizes his individual position to-day compared to what it was yesterday, and compared to that of his fellows in the same line of work. Further, he gains accuracy, he gains judgment, he gains a method of attack. He realizes that, as the managers are more or less recorders, so also he, in recording himself, is vitally connected with the management. It is, after all, more or less an attitude of mind which he gains by making out these records himself. It is because of this attitude of mind, and of the value which it is to him, that he is made to make out his own record under the ultimate form of management, even though at times this may involve a sacrifice of the time in which he must do it, and although he may work slower than could a specialist at recording, who perhaps would, in spite of that, be paid less for doing the work.
EXACT KNOWLEDGE VALUABLE.--We cannot emphasize too often in this connection the far-reaching psychological effect upon the worker of exact knowledge of the comparative efficiency of methods. The value of this is seldom fully appreciated; for example, we are familiar with the many examples where the worker has been flattered until he believes that he cannot make mistakes or do inefficient work. This is most often found where the glowing compliments to the manufacturing department, found in the advertising pages of the magazine and in the praises sung in print by the publicity department, oftentimes ends in an individual overconfidence. This unjustified self-esteem is soon shattered by accurate comparative records.
On the other hand, hazing of the new worker and the sneers of the jealous, accompanied by such trite expressions as--"You can't teach an old dog new tricks," have often destroyed self-confidence in a worker, who, in the absence of accurate records of his efficiency, is trying to judge himself at new methods. The jibes and jokes at the new man at the new work, and especially at the experienced, efficient man at unfamiliar work cease, or at least are wholly impotent, so far as discouraging the man is concerned, provided the worker sees by the records of a true measuring device, or method, that his work compares favorably with others of the same experience, made under the same conditions.
DEFINITION OF PROGRAMME.--The word "programme" is defined by the Century Dictionary as "a method of operation or line of procedure prepared or announced beforehand. An outline or abstract of something to be done or carried out."
TWO MEANINGS OF "PROGRAMME" IN MANAGEMENT.--The word "programme" has two meanings in management.
1. the work, as it comes to the management to be done 2. the work as it is planned out by the managers, and handed over to the worker to be done.
Programme as here used is a plan for doing work, the plan which the planning department lays out and hands over for the performers, or the workers, to do.
UNDER TRADITIONAL MANAGEMENT NO ACCURATE PROGRAMME IS POSSIBLE.--Under Traditional Management the plan is at best a repetition of records of unscientifically planned work. The most that the managers can hope to do is to lay out the time in which they expect, after consulting previous elapsed time records, the work to be done. Methods are not prescribed, so there is no assurance that the calendar will be followed, for the times are set by guess, or at best by referring to old unscientifically made records.
UNDER TRANSITORY MANAGEMENT CALENDARS CAN BE DESIGNED.--Under Transitory Management, with the introduction of systems, that is, records of how the work has been done best at various times, come methods and a possibility of a more exact calendar. There is some likelihood under Transitory System of the work being done on time, as the method has been considered and, in many cases, is specified.
UNDER SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT ACCURATE CALENDARS POSSIBLE.--Under Scientific Management programmes are based on accurate records scientifically made and standardized, and a calendar may be made that can be conformed to with exactness.
PROGRAMMES A MATTER OF ROUTING.--The problems of a programme under Scientific Management are two, both problems of routing:--
1. to route materials to the work place. 2. to route the worker to the placed materials.
At first glance it might seem simpler to consider the worker as static and the materials as in motion. The "routing" of the worker is really often not a question of motion at all, as the worker, if he were operating a machine, for example, would not change his position between various pieces of work--except to rest from fatigue--enough to be considered. The word "routing" is used figuratively as regards the worker. He is considered as transported by the management through the day's work.
But, whether the work move, or the worker, or both, programmes must so plan out the progress of each, in detail, for as many days ahead as possible, that the most efficient outcome will ensue.
ROUTING OF WORK.--The work is routed through schedules of materials to buy, schedules of material to handle, and schedules of labor to be performed. The skilled worker finds all the materials for his work ready and waiting for him when he arrives at the task, this being provided for by programmes made out many tasks ahead.
ROUTING OF WORKERS.--The workers themselves are routed by means of the route sheet, route chart, pin plan and bulletin board.
The devices for laying out the work of the workers appeal to the imagination as well as the reason. The route chart is a graphical representation of a large river, starting with the small stream,--the first operation, gathering to itself as the tributaries, the various other operations,--till it reaches its full growth, the completed work.
The pin plan, with each pin or flag representing a worker, or work place, and following his progress on a plan of the work, presents a bird's-eye view in miniature of the entire working force; and the bulletin board, with its cards that represent work ahead, not only eliminates actual delay of shifting from one task to another, but permits studying out one task while doing another, and also destroys all fear of delay between jobs.
IMPOSSIBILITY OF DESCRIBING ROUTING DEVICES ACCURATELY.--These routing devices might all be described at length, but no description could do them justice. A visit to a shop, or factory, or other industrial organization operating under Scientific Management is necessary, in order to appreciate not only their utility, but the interest that they arouse. These programmes are no dead, static things. They are alive, pulsing, moving, progressing with the progress of the work.
PROPHECY BECOMES POSSIBLE UNDER SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT.--The calendar, or chronological chart, becomes a true prophecy of what will take place. This is based on the standardized elementary units, and the variations from it will be so slight as to allow of being disregarded.
SUMMARY
RESULTS OF PROGRAMME TO THE WORK.--Under Traditional Management the tentative calendar might cause speed, but could not direct speed. Under Transitory Management elimination of waste by prescribed methods and routing increases output. This increase becomes greater under Scientific Management. Standardized routing designs the shortest paths, the least wasteful sequence of events, the most efficient speed, the most fitting method. The result is more and better work.
RESULTS OF PROGRAMMES TO THE WORKER.--A programme clarifies the mind, is definite. The Traditional worker was often not sure what he had better do next. The worker under Scientific Management knows exactly what he is to do, and where and how he is to do it.
The attention is held, a field of allied interests are provided for possible lapses, as are also methods for recalling attention.
The programme provides for a look ahead, and the relief that comes from seeing the path before one. This ability to foresee also leads to a feeling of stability. The knowledge that there is a large amount of work ahead, ready to be attacked with no delay, eliminates anxiety as to future employment. This allows of concentration on the work in hand, and a feeling that, this work being properly done, one is free to turn to the next piece of work with the absolute assurance that what has been done will be satisfactory.
RELATION BETWEEN RECORDS AND PROGRAMMES.--No discussion of records and programmes would be complete that did not consider the relation between them.
IMPORTANCE OF THIS RELATION.--The relation between records and programmes in the various types of management is most important, for the progress from one type to another may be studied as exemplified in the change in these relations.
A BROADENING OF THE DEFINITIONS.--In order to understand more plainly the complexity of this relation, we will not confine ourselves here to the narrower definition of a record as a written account, but will consider it to mean a registering of an experience in the mind, whether this expresses itself in a written record or not, A programme will, likewise, be a mental plan.
MANY POSSIBLE TYPES OF RECORDS AND PROGRAMMES.--In order to understand the number of different types of records and programmes that can be made for a worker, the table that follows may be examined (Table I). It exemplifies twelve possible records and twelve possible programmes.
TABLE I
/ / | |1. unconscious record | |2. conscious record, /1. Man -----| | not written | working | |3. written record | for | |4. standardized record | himself \ \ I. | RECORDS----| /1. unconscious record | |2. conscious record, not written | /(a) One of a ---|3. written record | | gang |4. standardized record | | \ /(a) made by man \2. Man -----| |(b) " " manager working | /1. unconscious |(a) made by man for | | record |(b) " " manager another | |2. conscious -|(a) made by man | | record, |(b) " " manager \(b) Individual -| not written |(a) made by man output |3. written |(b) " " manager | record |(a) made by man |4. standardize \(b) " " manager \ record
/ |1. unconscious programme /1. Man ------------------|2. conscious programme | working |3. written programme | for |4. standardized programme | himself \ II. | PROGRAMMES-| | /1. unconscious /(a) made by man | /(a) One of a ---| programme |(b) " " manager | | gang |2. conscious |(a) made by man | | | programme, |(b) " " manager \2. Man --| | not written -|(a) made by man working | |3. written |(b) " " manager for | | programme |(a) made by man another \(b) Individual -|4. standardized |(b) " " manager output | programme |(a) made by man \ \(b) " " manager
INTERRELATION OF THESE TYPES.--The man is classified first, as working for himself, or working for another. There will usually be a fundamental difference, at the outset, in the minds of these two men, for the man working for himself will be of a more independent cast of thought. There will be no question as to the man's output showing up separately, unless he chooses to prevent this by having others work with him. Neither will there be any question but that, if a record is made, he makes it himself, unless someone who is not vitally connected with the work, as some onlooker, interested or disinterested, should make the records for him. But the typical case of the man working for himself would be that he was working as an individual, and that the record was made by himself. There would then be four kinds of records--an unconscious record, a conscious record not written, a written record and a standardized record. The "unconscious record" would be, in reality, no record at all. It would simply be, that somewhere in the man's mind there would be a record of what he had done, which, except as a "fringe of consciousness" would not particularly influence his programme. What we mean by a "conscious record" would be more of a set habit, the man knowing that he had done the work in a certain way. This would begin to influence, more or less, his programme, and also his knowledge of his capacity for work. With a written record, would come a thorough knowledge on his part of what he had done and how he had done it, and we must note that with this written record comes the possibility for some sort of a set programme, the man knowing what it will be possible to do, and how he had best do it. With the standardized record comes the standardized method.
RELATIONSHIPS COMPLEX.--When we consider the man working for another, he may either be one of a gang, or one whose work is considered as that of an individual. In either case, any of the four sorts of records can be made of his work that have been already described for the man working for himself. Each one of these records may be made by the man, or by the management; for with the man working for another, naturally the second mind, that of the other, or the manager, enters in, and a great many more combinations are possible.
For example,--there might be an unconscious record made by the man and a conscious record, or a written record, made by the manager. There might be a conscious record made by the man, but an unconscious or a written record made by the manager, etc. There are too many combinations made to be here considered. Each one of these combinations would have a definite and a different effect, both upon the mind of the man, and upon the mind of the manager; and also upon their relation to each other. The second half of this chart is similar, but treats of programmes, as many variables enter here.
It may be thought that the details of the preceding chart and the three following charts are uninteresting, obvious, and show too many possible combinations. If this be so, then it is most necessary to include them to illustrate the conditions that are passed through and slipped back into too often in our schools, our apprenticeship and in all but the best of managements.
The outline of advancement must be known and recognized if the quality of teaching, efficiency, and management is to be graded in its right class.
When we consider that each type of record bears a relation to each type of programme, the complexity of the problems involved become apparent. This will be better shown in Table II.
TABLE II
1. Unconscious record, unconscious programme. 2. Conscious record, unconscious programme. 3. Unconscious record, conscious programme. 4. Conscious record, conscious programme. I. Man working 5. Unconscious record, written programme. for himself. 6. Written record, unconscious programme. 7. Conscious record, written programme. 8. Written record, conscious programme. 9. Written record, written programme. 10. Standardized record, standardized programme.
ILLUSTRATION OF THIS COMPLEXITY.--Table II represents the man working for himself, with subdivisions under it showing the possible relationship between his record and his programme. We find that these are at least ten, reaching all the way from the unconscious record and unconscious programme of the migrating transitory laborer to the standardized record and the standardized programme of the manager who manages himself scientifically.
Each one of these represent a distinct psychological stage. The progression may not be regular and smooth as is here given,--it may be a jump, possibly even from one to nine. It may, however, be a slow progression from one stage to another, largely to be determined by the type of mind that is considered, and the opportunities for development along scientific lines which are afforded. It is the writer's intention to discuss these at length at some other time. Here it is only possible to enumerate, in order to show the size and complexity of the problem which is here involved.
The table does not indicate, as perhaps it should, the fact that the relationship between an unconscious record and an unconscious programme is slight, while the relation between a written programme and a written record is very close indeed. In Table IV this will be indicated.
TABLE III
1. One of a gang, unconscious record, unconscious programme, on part of both manager and man. II. Man working for another. 2. Individual output,--standardized record and programme, known to, or made by, both manager and man.
ELIMINATION OF WASTE POSSIBLE.--The third table--that of the man working for another man--attempts to do no more than indicate the first and last step of a long series, beginning with the man, one of a gang, an unconscious record, and an unconscious programme, on the part of both the manager and the man, down to the final stage of individual output, with the written record and programme known to both manager and man. It would be a most interesting problem to work out the various steps stretching between these two, and the various ways in which progression might be made through these steps, either taking one step after another slowly or making the various possible jumps long and short. A psychological discussion of each step would be of value, and certainly must in time be made, but this book has not the scope, nor can the time be devoted to such a discussion.
If this third chart had no other purpose, it would be useful to suggest to the student the wide tracts which still remain for study and development. It must not be thought that any of the steps omitted on this chart are not in existence. Every single possible combination of record and programme is in existence to-day, and must be studied by the manager of men. Not until these are all discovered, described, and standardized, the progression noted, and standard progressions outlined, can methods of least waste be adopted.
With a more thorough experimental study of the mind will come a possible prediction as to which stages the various types of mind must pass through. So, too, with the training of the young mind in the primary schools and in the methods of Scientific Management, will come the elimination of many stages now necessary, and the possibility, even, that the final stage may be introduced at the outset, and the enormous waste of time, energy and wearing of unnecessary brain paths be absolutely abolished.
THE PROGRAMME DERIVED FROM THE RECORD.--Having considered the various records and programmes and their relation, we will now consider the four stages of the record,--(1) unconscious, (2) conscious, (3) written, (4) standardized, and trace the derivation of the programme from each stage.
TABLE IV ============================================================ I. Record unconscious. Programme cannot be definite. Method is indefinite. ============================================================ II. Record conscious. Programme becomes more definite. Method becomes more definite. ============================================================ III. Record written. Programme yet more definite. Method definite. ============================================================ IV. Record standardized. Programme standardized, i.e., Results predictable. Methods standard. ============================================================
UNCONSCIOUS RECORDS MEAN INDEFINITE PROGRAMMES.--First, then, suppose that the records are unconscious. What does this imply? It implies in the first place that the worker has no idea of his capacity; never having thought of what he has done, he has no idea what can be done, neither has he a comparative idea of methods, that is, of how to do it. It is impossible for a definite programme to be laid out by such a worker,--that is to say, no predictions by him as to the time of completing the work are possible. Neither could a method be derived by him from his previous work.
Note here the alarming amount of waste. All good methods which the worker may possibly have acquired are practically lost to the world, and perhaps also to him. Not only this, but all bad methods which he has fallen into will be fallen into again and again, as there are no warning signs to keep him out of them.
As there is no possibility of an accurate chronological chart, the worker may undertake more than he can do, thus delaying work which should have been done by others. On the other hand, he may underestimate his capacity, and be left idle because work he should have done has been assigned to others. Either of these leads to a sense of insecurity, to wavering attention, to "hit or miss" guess work, "rule-of-thumb methods," which are the signs of Traditional Management.
WITH CONSCIOUS AND WRITTEN RECORDS COME DEFINITE PROGRAMMES.--We turn now to the case where the record is conscious,--that is, where the worker keeps in mind exactly what he has done. With this conscious record the idea of capacity develops. The man realizes what he can do. So also, the idea of method develops, and the man realizes how he can do the work. Third, there comes gradually an idea of a margin; that is, of a possible way by which capacity can be increased for a higher speed, or methods can be slightly varied to meet any particular deviation in the work to be done.
From this ability to estimate capacity, and to plan the method ahead, comes the ability to lay out a more definite programme. When the record becomes written the exactness of the programme increases. Methods also become written, and, though accurate prediction is not possible, such prediction is more and more nearly approached. This increasing accuracy is the work of Transitory System in all its stages.
STANDARD RECORDS PERMIT OF STANDARD PROGRAMMES.--In the last case, the record is standardized, that is, the result of the method of processes of analysis and synthesis. Through this process, as has been shown, the reason for success is discovered and rendered usable. The programme becomes standard, results can be predicted accurately, and methods by which these results can be best obtained are also standard.
It may at first escape notice that these standardized records, of the ultimate or scientific management type, imply _not_ a greater rigidity, but a greater elasticity. This because of the nature of the elements of the records, which may, in time, be combined into a great number of different, predictable programmes.
SUMMARY
RESULTS OF RELATIONS BETWEEN RECORDS AND PROGRAMMES ON THE WORK.--The most noteworthy result of the closer relations between records and programmes which appear during the evolution of Scientific Management is the fact that they cause constant simplification. The more carefully records are standardized, the simpler becomes the drafting of the programme. As more and more records become standard, the drafting of programmes becomes constantly an easier and cheaper process.
PROGRAMMES BECOME RECORDS.--Under Traditional Management the record that follows a programme may appear very different from the programme. Under Scientific Management the record that follows a programme most closely resembles the programme. Improvements are not made between the programme and the following record,--they find their place between the record and the following programme. Thus programmes and records may be grouped in pairs, by similarity, with a likelihood of difference between any one pair (one programme plus one record) and other pairs.
RESULT ON THE WORKER.--The greatest effect, on the worker, of these relations of record to programme under Scientific Management is the confidence that he gains in the judgment that is an outcome of Scientific Management. When the worker sees that Scientific Management makes possible accurate predictions of times, schedules, tasks, and performance; that the methods prescribed invariably enable him to achieve prescribed results, his confidence in Scientific Management grows. So also does the manager's confidence in Scientific Management grow,--and in this mutual confidence in the system of management is another bond of sympathy.
The place left for suggestions and improvements, in the ever-present opportunities to better standards, fulfills that longing for a greater efficiency that is the cause of progress.
CHAPTER VII FOOTNOTES: =============================================
1. Gillette and Dana, _Cost Keeping and Management Engineering_, p. 65. 2. H.L. Gantt, Paper No. 1002, A.S.M.E., page 2. 3. Gillette and Dana, _Cost Keeping and Management Engineering_, p. VII. 4. H.L. Gantt, Paper No. 1002, A.S.M.E., p. 1336. 5. William James, _Psychology, Briefer Course_, p. 179.
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