Efficiency Methods
An Introduction to Scientific Management

THE INSTALLATION OF EFFICIENCY METHODS 199 finally put his choice on—“ Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath.” The operation is invariably a lengthy one, even when conditions are most favourable. Taylor spoke of its taking from three to five years to complete. There are two main reasons for its being slow. In the first place so much work of standardization is required before there can be any detailed planning or costing. And as the general principles of the standards, the classification, and so on, once set up must remain— for it would be most inconvenient to alter them—a very large amount of careful investigation and fore- thought is necessary for their formulation. In the second place, the human elements concerned must receive constant and concentrated attention. Swift, drastic changes in any organization are apt to produce a restless feeling among the members, which is itself a cause of inefficient and incoherent working. In many cases it will take an individual six months to be thoroughly familiar with his new conditions and responsibilities. But, further, rapid change may produce actual hostility towards and mistrust of the administrative heads, which will be a hopeless barrier against any realization of co- operation between manager and subordinate. Then many of the characteristics of efficiency methods are already regarded with prejudice and suspicion by workers. Experience under management of the old school has taught them that the appearance of a man with a stop-watch has usually presaged a cut in piece-rates. And as we have already said, there