Efficiency Methods
An Introduction to Scientific Management

THE SCHEDULE TIME OR STANDARD TASK 115 So also the more modern managers are usually extremely unwilling to dismiss any worker who has failed in reaching the standard prescribed for any job, unless he is obviously and generally unsatis- factory. The capacity of the worker has been studied, and the particular reason for his not coining up to standard has been noted. Unless labour should be extraordinarily plentiful, good manage- ment will always try to select some different work for an employee, whose good and bad points have been tested, unless the latter greatly preponderate. Scientific management rests on specialized functions as one of its essentials, and therefore expects to have to test, select, and train its workpeople ; it is on the look-out for special aptitudes and special weaknesses, to come out in the time of trial. In conclusion we may say that it seems well established that the difference between first-class work by proper methods, and average work where the operator evolves his own method, is far greater than employers or workmen have ever imagined. Ac- cording to Taylor, three times the quantity of work (always undiminished in quality, if not improved) is no overstatement. It has been said that he would always guarantee twice as much. Certainly many results obtained by students of motion like Mr. Gilbreth and his disciples have been startling and gratifying, and have quite justified the outlay of money on time-study as a lucrative investment. Occasionally, of course, the method that has been spontaneously evolved by an expert worker may