Archive for January, 1915
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Taylor Society Bulletin – January 1915 – A PROPOSED MODIFICATION OF TASK AND BONUS
In this condensed version of a longer technical paper presented at the Society’s Annual Meeting in 1914, C. W. Mixter proposes a refined variation of the Gantt task and bonus wage system. The modification addresses what Mixter identifies as a psychological flaw in the original system: the abrupt penalty workers face for narrowly missing task times, resulting in a total loss of bonus. His revised model introduces a gradual tapering of bonuses for those slightly over time and modest rewards for those exceeding expectations, thus encouraging consistent effort across a wider performance range. With illustrative diagrams and real-world scenarios, the paper considers human variability, uncontrollable conditions like humidity, and the operational challenges of implementing such a system at scale. The discussion that follows explores the practical implications, drawing comparisons with the differential piece rate system and weighing the feasibility of adoption across industries with variable workloads and time-sensitive tasks.
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Taylor Society Bulletin – January 1915 – THE SUPERVISOR OF PERSONNEL
Delivered at the 1914 Annual Meeting of the Society, Ernest M. Hopkins—then Employment Manager of The Curtis Publishing Company—presents a foundational argument for the strategic role of personnel supervision in modern industry. As manufacturing becomes standardized and profit margins narrow, the selection, training, and development of workers emerge as central to organizational success. Hopkins outlines the evolving responsibilities of employment departments, including health assessments, education programs, and welfare initiatives, emphasizing the need for these functions to be elevated within the corporate structure. He asserts that the future of industrial efficiency lies not only in managing machinery and systems, but in fostering informed, healthy, and motivated human capital. A robust discussion follows, addressing practical challenges in medical liability, psychological testing, labor resistance to exams, and organizational design for workforce development.
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Taylor Society Bulletin – January 1915 – SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZED LABOR
In this landmark 1914 address, industrial counselor Robert G. Valentine explores the evolving relationship between scientific management and organized labor, introducing the concept of an “industrial audit” to assess a company’s human relations alongside financial and operational health. Valentine advocates for the role of the industrial counselor as a nonpartisan guide in aligning labor-management relations with modern business needs, including cooperative planning, fair compensation, and workforce development. The article also outlines how employers can constructively engage unions from the start, using a hypothetical new factory setup to illustrate a proactive, partnership-based approach. A robust panel discussion follows, featuring commentary from prominent business leaders and academics who critique and expand on Valentine’s proposals, particularly around wage stability, seasonal employment, and labor union dynamics.
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Taylor Society Bulletin – January 1915 – CURRENT WAGE THEORIES
This abstract from a 1914 address by Professor C. A. Phillips outlines key contemporary wage theories undergoing scrutiny and refinement during a transitional period in economic science. The marginal productivity and bargaining theories are presented as dominant frameworks, each describing wages as outcomes of labor’s contribution or negotiated value within supply-demand dynamics. Supporting commentary includes a wide range of perspectives—from Wilfred Lewis’s gold-based valuation theory to H. K. Hathaway’s call for systemic stability over speculative debate. Together, the address and discussion reflect the complexity of wage determination during an era of industrial and economic evolution.
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Taylor Society Bulletin – January 1915 – ANNUAL MEETING
A report of the Annual Meeting of the Society held in December of 1914 and reported in the January 1915 Bulletin. Including information on the next meeting of the organization held in New Haven, Connecticut.
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Taylor Society Bulletin – January 1915 – MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
A listing of the January 1915 Membership of The Society to Promote the Science of Management, the original name of the Society for Advancement of Management.
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Taylor Society Bulletin – January 1915
This early bulletin documents the evolving conversation around Scientific Management in 1915, capturing papers, discussions, and organizational developments from the Society’s leadership and members. Topics covered include the dissemination of Frederick Taylor’s principles, the challenges of applying scientific methods to various industries, and the Society’s ongoing efforts to legitimize management as a science. Included are reprints of key speeches, updates from affiliate organizations, and a call for broader engagement among engineers, managers, and industrialists. The bulletin also offers insight into early 20th-century management thinking, including resistance to new efficiency practices and the professionalization of the field.