Psychologically, the defect of this system undoubtedly is that
it does not rest upon accurate scientific time study, therefore
neither management nor men can predict accurately what is going to
happen. Not being able to predict, they are unable to devote their
entire attention to the work in hand, and the result cannot be as
satisfactory as under an assigned task, based upon time study. The
discussion of this is so thorough in Dr. Taylor's work, and in Mr.
Halsey's work, that it is unnecessary to introduce more here.
PROFIT-SHARING.--Before turning to the methods of compensation
which are based upon the task, it might be well to introduce here
mention of "Cooeperation," or "Profit-sharing," which, in its extreme
form, usually means the sharing of the profits from the business as
a whole, among the men who do the work. This is further discussed by
Schloss, and also by Dr. Taylor in paragraphs 32 to 35, in "A Piece
Rate System"; also in "Shop Management," quoting from the "Piece
Rate System," paragraphs 73 to 77.
OBJECTIONS TO PROFIT-SHARING.--The objections, Dr. Taylor says,
to cooeperation are, first in the fact that no form of cooeperation
has been devised in which each individual is allowed free scope for
his personal ambition; second, in the remoteness of the reward;
third, in the unequitable division of the profits. If each
individual is not allowed free scope, one sees at once that the
entire advantage of individuality, and of personal recognition, is
omitted. If the reward is remote, we recognize that its power
diminishes very rapidly; and if there cannot be equitable division
of the profits, not only will the men ultimately not be satisfied,
but they will, after a short time, not even be satisfied while they
are working, because their minds will constantly be distracted by
the fact that the division will probably not be equitable, and also
by the fact that they will be trying to plan ways in which they can
get their proper share. Thus, not only in the ultimate outcome, but
also during the entire process, the work will slow up necessarily,
because the men can have no assurance either that the work itself,
or the output, have been scientifically determined.
SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT EMBODIES VALUABLE ELEMENTS OF
PROFIT-SHARING.--Scientific Management embodies the valuable
elements of profit-sharing, namely, the idea of cooeperation, and the
idea that the workers should share in the profit.
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