The Twelve Principles of Efficiency

by Harrington Emerson

The Twelve Principles of Efficiency is a book written by Emerson and Harrington that provides a comprehensive guide to increasing productivity and efficiency in both personal and professional settings. The book outlines twelve key principles that can be applied to any situation, including time management, goal setting, delegation, communication, and problem-solving. Each principle is accompanied by practical tips, examples, and case studies that illustrate how to put the principle into practice. The book also explores the importance of mindset and attitude in achieving efficiency, and offers strategies for overcoming common obstacles such as procrastination and distraction. Whether you are a business owner, manager, or individual looking to improve your own productivity, The Twelve Principles of Efficiency is a valuable resource that can help you achieve your goals and reach your full potential.1913. In this volume, the author defines twelve principles by which efficiency is determined. Five of these concern relations between men, or in the industrial problem, specifically between employer and employee. Seven of them concern methods or institutions and systems established in the manufacturing plant or in the operating and distributing company. These twelve principles are so definite, so constant, so true, that they may be used as gauges. Any industry, any establishment, and operation, may be located and measured by the amount of its failure to conform to one or more of the twelve principles.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

448 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1919

About the author

Emerson was born in Trenton, New Jersey to Edwin Emerson, a Professor of Political science,and Mary Louisa (Ingham) Emerson, daughter of Samuel D. Ingham, a U.S. Congressman and U.S. Treasury Secretary under President Andrew Jackson. Emerson attended private schools in Europe, and from 1872 to 1875 studied engineering at the Technical University Munich.

After returning to the United States in 1876, Emerson was appointed as Professor of Modern Languages at the University of Nebraska, where he was dismissed in 1882 because of his progressive educational ideas. In the years after, Harrington had several jobs, including a frontier banker, land speculator, tax agent, troubleshooter, lecturer, and educator. In 1893, he joined William Jennings Bryan's campaign for the presidential election of 1896, which created the foundation for his career as efficiency engineer.

In 1897, Emerson started focusing on mechanical engineering, and was employed shortly after by the Electric Storage Battery Company in New York. After his new projects during the Alaskan Gold Rush failed, he became the general manager in a small glass factory. In 1900, he established the Emerson Institute in New York City in order to focus on his work as efficiency engineer. Through the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, he got acquainted to the work of Frederick W. Taylor, which he implemented in his own praxis.

Reviews

[Ivo Stoykov]

I was curious to read what had been hot management topics hundred years ago...