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Motion Study: A Method for Increasing the Efficiency of the Workman
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!
115 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1921
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About the author
Frank Bunker Gilbreth
49 books5 followersFrank Bunker Gilbreth Sr. was an early advocate of scientific management and a pioneer of motion study, and is perhaps best known as the father and central figure of Cheaper by the Dozen.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
December 27, 2018
Frank Gilbreth’s “Motion Study” does for Bricklayers what Frederick Winslow Taylor’s “Scientific Management” did for iron workers; however there are subtle differences.
Taylor gets abused quite regularly, but little is ever discussed in “improvement circles” about the Gilbreths (Lillian and Frank) and their contribution to Scientific Management. Both camps began studying management about a half century after the industrial revolution in America. At that time few laborers were educated beyond a primary school level – a trade was a prized goal. Both camps saw the laborer as a critical cog in the industrial machine. They all agreed that telling people to work faster or they were fired, carrot and stick approach, was not a way to best utilize the people. Both camps felt that there needed to be a scientific method to getting the most out of your labor without over burdening them. Taylor’s approach seemed to fit the man to the method. Strong, ignorant types should be moving the pig iron at scheduled intervals with scheduled rest breaks. This was at a time when companies were not required to give breaks. Gilbreth chose to study the motions and their impact on quality, cost and worker performance.
The version I read wasn’t designed for a Kindle Reader so it had some challenges; however, I found the text fascinating and Gilbreth’s insights quite on par with today’s top lean thinkers. One example Gilbreth discusses that you should not simply look to see if a motion is wasteful and can be eliminated, but rather look at the entire process for removal. He frequently references a standard work card and acknowledges how difficult it is to change the habits of an experienced person verses a newbie. Problems still discussed regularly in Lean circles.
I feel these early pioneers get a very bad rap…I’ll agree if we measure them to today’s standards they are crude and opinionated, especially Taylor with his “workers work and managers think” attitude, but Taylor and Gilbreth were the true Patriarchs of continuous improvement. I do feel that they tried to toe the line between what is best for company and what is best for labor. With minimal predecessors to look up to these pioneers changed the way people thought about manufacturing forever.
Final notes on the relevance of these original texts….Shigeo Shingo, sensei to many, references in many of his book how he was inspired by Scientific Management. Gwendolyn Gallsworth, visual thinker extraordinaire, discusses using visual workplace to eliminate motions.
Taylor gets abused quite regularly, but little is ever discussed in “improvement circles” about the Gilbreths (Lillian and Frank) and their contribution to Scientific Management. Both camps began studying management about a half century after the industrial revolution in America. At that time few laborers were educated beyond a primary school level – a trade was a prized goal. Both camps saw the laborer as a critical cog in the industrial machine. They all agreed that telling people to work faster or they were fired, carrot and stick approach, was not a way to best utilize the people. Both camps felt that there needed to be a scientific method to getting the most out of your labor without over burdening them. Taylor’s approach seemed to fit the man to the method. Strong, ignorant types should be moving the pig iron at scheduled intervals with scheduled rest breaks. This was at a time when companies were not required to give breaks. Gilbreth chose to study the motions and their impact on quality, cost and worker performance.
The version I read wasn’t designed for a Kindle Reader so it had some challenges; however, I found the text fascinating and Gilbreth’s insights quite on par with today’s top lean thinkers. One example Gilbreth discusses that you should not simply look to see if a motion is wasteful and can be eliminated, but rather look at the entire process for removal. He frequently references a standard work card and acknowledges how difficult it is to change the habits of an experienced person verses a newbie. Problems still discussed regularly in Lean circles.
I feel these early pioneers get a very bad rap…I’ll agree if we measure them to today’s standards they are crude and opinionated, especially Taylor with his “workers work and managers think” attitude, but Taylor and Gilbreth were the true Patriarchs of continuous improvement. I do feel that they tried to toe the line between what is best for company and what is best for labor. With minimal predecessors to look up to these pioneers changed the way people thought about manufacturing forever.
Final notes on the relevance of these original texts….Shigeo Shingo, sensei to many, references in many of his book how he was inspired by Scientific Management. Gwendolyn Gallsworth, visual thinker extraordinaire, discusses using visual workplace to eliminate motions.
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