The Psychology of Management Part 5

PSYCHOLOGICAL USE OF FUNCTIONALIZATION.--The word "Function" is in constant use by modern psychologists, especially by those who believe that--"Psychology is the science of the self in relation to environment,"[1] or that "Psychology is a scientific account of our mental processes."[2] Sully defines a function as "a psychologically simple process,"[3] and compares its elementariness to a muscular contraction as an element of a step in walking.

In investigating the principle of Functionalization as embodied in various forms of Management, we must note that, while Management can, and does under Scientific Management, attempt to functionalize _work_ as far as possible, it will be impossible to come to ultimate results until a psychological study of the requirement of the work _from_ the worker, and results of the work _on_ the worker is made.[4]

FUNCTIONALIZATION IN MANAGEMENT.--"Functional Management"

consists, to quote Dr. Taylor, "in so directing the work of management that each man from the a.s.sistant superintendent down shall have as few functions as possible to perform. If practicable, the work of each man in the management should be confined to the performance of a single leading function."[5]

A study of functionalization as applied to management must answer the following questions:

1. How is the work divided?

2. How are the workers a.s.signed to the work?

3. What are the results to the work?

4. What are the results to the worker?

TRADITIONAL MANAGEMENT SELDOM FUNCTIONALIZES.--Under Traditional Management the principle of Functionalization was seldom applied or understood. Even when the manager tried to separate planning from performing, or so to divide the work that each worker could utilize his special ability, there were no permanently beneficial results, because there was no standard method of division.

THE WORK OF THE FOREMAN NOT PROPERLY DIVIDED.--The work of a foreman was not divided, but the well rounded man, as Dr. Taylor says,[6] was supposed to have

1. Brain 2. Education 3. Special or technical knowledge, manual dexterity or strength 4. Tact 5. Energy 6. Grit 7. Honesty 8. Judgment, or common sense 9. Good health.

Dr. Taylor says--"Plenty of men who possess only three of the above qualities can be hired at any time for laborer's wages. Add four of these qualities together, and you get a higher priced man.

The man combining five of these qualities begins to be hard to find, and those with 6, 7 and 8 are almost impossible to get."

Yet, under Traditional Management these general qualities and many points of specific training were demanded of the foreman. Dr.

Taylor has enumerated the qualifications or the duties of a gang boss in charge of lathes or planers.[7] Careful reading of this enumeration will show most plainly that the demands made were almost impossible of fulfillment.[8]

Another list which is interesting is found in "Cost Reducing System," a long list of the duties of the Ideal Superintendent or foreman in construction work.[9]

QUALIFICATIONS AND DUTIES OF FIRST CLa.s.s FOREMAN

A first cla.s.s foreman must have: bodily strength brains common sense education energy good health good judgment grit manual dexterity special knowledge tact technical knowledge.

He must be: able to concentrate his mind upon small things able to read drawings readily able to visualize the work at every stage of its progress, and even before it begins a master of detail honest master of at least one trade.

His duties consist of: considering broad policies.

considering new applicants for important positions.

considering the character and fitness of the men.

determining a proper day's work.

determining costs.

determining the method of compensation.

determining the sequence of events for the best results.

disciplining the men.

dividing the men into gangs for speed contests.

fixing piece and day rates.

getting rid of inferior men.

handling relations with the unions.

hiring good men.

installing such methods and devices as will detect dishonesty.

instructing the workman.

keeping the time and disciplining those who are late or absent.

laying out work.

looking ahead to see that there are men enough for future work.

looking ahead to see that there is enough future work for the men.

making profits.

measuring each man's effort fairly.

obtaining good results in quality.

paying the men on days when they are discharged.

paying the men on pay day.

preventing soldiering.

readjusting wages.

retaining good men.

seeing that all men are honest.

seeing that men are shifted promptly when breakdowns occur.

seeing that repairs are made promptly before breakdowns occur, seeing that repairs are made promptly after breakdowns occur.

seeing that the most suitable man is allotted to each part of the work.

seeing that the work is not slighted.

setting piece work prices.

setting rates.

setting tasks.

supervising timekeeping.

teaching the apprentices.

teaching the improvers.

teaching the learners.

In studying these lists we note--

1. That the position will be best filled by a very high and rare type of man.

2. That the man is forced to use every atom of all of his powers and at the same time to waste his energies in doing much unimportant pay reducing routine work, some of which could be done by clerks.

3. That in many cases the work a.s.signed for him to do calls for qualifications which are diametrically opposed to each other.

4. That psychology tells us that a man fitted to perform some of these duties would probably be mentally ill fitted for performing others in the best possible way that they could be performed.

WORK NOT WELL DONE.--Not only does the foreman under Traditional Management do a great deal of work which can be done by cheaper men, but he also wastes his time on clerical work in which he is not a specialist, and, therefore, which he does not do as well as the work can be done by a cheaper man, and this takes more of his time than he ought to devote to it. The result is that the work is not done as well as it can and should be done.

A most perfect ill.u.s.tration of a common form of Traditional Management is the old story of the foreman, who, in making his rounds of the various parts of the work, comes to the deep hole being excavated for a foundation pier and says hurriedly--"How many of yez is there in the hole?" "Seven." "The half of yez come up."

The theoretical defects of the old type of management often seen before the advent of the trained engineer on the work include:--

1. lack of planning ahead.

2. an overworked foreman.

3. no functionalizing of the work.

4. no standards of individual efficiency.

5. unmeasured individual outputs.

6. no standard methods.

7. no attempt at teaching.

8. inaccurate directions.

9. lack of athletic contests.

10. no high pay for extra efficiency.

11. poor investigation of workers' special capabilities.