Efficiency Methods
An Introduction to Scientific Management

10 EFFICIENCY METHODS He is assisted in both activities by his wife, who adds to other qualifications that of being a psychologist. Mr. Harrington Emerson has not been so directly as the others under the Taylor influence. His first important work was in reorganization of a railway ; and since then he has installed “ efficiency methods ” in various other plants, and written two text-books on Efficiency. He makes more use of this word to describe his innovations than the Taylor disciples do ; they speak usually of “ management,” qualified by the terms “ scientific ” or “ functional.” Mr. Emerson has a system of payment for efficient work quite different from Taylor’s or Gantt’s. The main characteristic, then, of the new ideas, which should emerge at the outset for the student, is the application of scientific method to the whole industry. All its activities are to be separately observed and minutely analyzed, the results re- corded and classified, and improvements gradually introduced with the idea of getting a standard “ best ” form, but still always susceptible of better- ment. The use of the whole achievement is also according to the ideals of science—pool your results, make them known as widely as possible, avoid the waste due to an individual starting out to find again what has already been recorded, make every worker’s skill, experience and observation available for his fellow-workers and the whole business; also, ideally, for all kindred businesses. The next characteristic follows on this—the adoption of educational methods and ideals. When