Efficiency Methods
An Introduction to Scientific Management

TRADES UNIONS 185 good deal of investigation is going on. It is one of the most pressing problems in fatigue-study ; it 3s vitally important in considering output of munitions. Everybody is becoming persuaded that science will be able to make some pronouncement on the subject shortly. Meanwhile the majority of people still assume that work done bears the usual simple proportion relation to hours worked, i.e., that one does in a factory in twelve hours half as much again as in eight hours; and if one puts in two hours’ overtime after that, another quarter of the eight hours’ output will be added. And nearly a century ago Robert Owen had proved that the rule of simple proportion did not hold with regard to output and hours ! The American efficiency leaders have taken their stand on the assertion that facts established by scientific investigation cannot form the subject of bargaining. It is a reasonable hope that the optimum number of hours for each kind of labour, for regular permanent work, will before long be in this position. This optimum may not be eight hours; it may be a little more or less.1 Of course, if workpeople are being paid any sort of bonus for extra work, on a system which is some sort of piece-rate, they may themselves desire to work longer hours than the optimum, to gain more 1 Sir William Lever, in a recent article in the Daily Chronicle (Christmas, 1916), was disposed on general social grounds to suggest six hours.