iciency report to
Babcock and Steele for analysis, and their report offered no answer,
because their experience showed that you _always_ get that kind of
ratio, because of personality differences. The administrative personnel
show more inferiority influences per man, thus less confidence, thus
less efficiency."

"I remember all that," Cutter said.

"Their report also pointed out that this inevitable loss of efficiency
is leveled out, by proportionately smaller wage compensation. The
administrative personnel gets approximately twenty-five percent less
compensation than the skilled labor personnel, and the remaining eleven
point eight percent loss of efficiency is made up by the more highly
efficient unskilled labor receiving approximately the same compensation
as the administrative personnel."

"I remember all that nonsense, too," Cutter reddened faintly with a
sudden anger. He did not believe the statistics were nonsense, only that
you should expect to write off a thirty-six point eight efficiency loss
on the basis of adjusted compensation. A thirty-six point eight
efficiency loss was a comparable loss in profits. You never compensated
a loss in profits, except by erasing that loss. "And so this is supposed
to fix it?"

Quay's head bobbed. "It's worth a try, it seems to me. I've talked to
Sid about it extensively, and he tells me that Bolen, who's developed
this thing, would be willing to install enough units to cover the entire
administrative force, from the department-head level down."

"How?"

Quay motioned a hand. "It's no larger than a slightly thick saucer. It
could be put inside the chairs." Quay smiled faintly. "They sit on it,
you see, and--"

Cutter was not amused. "How much?"

"Nothing," Quay said quickly. "Absolutely nothing. Bolen wants actual
tests badly, and the Institute wouldn't do it. Snap your fingers, and
give him a hundred and fifty people to work on, and it's yours to use
for nothing. He'll do the installing, and he _wants_ to keep it secret.
It's essential, he says, to get an accurate reaction from the subjects
affected. For him it's perfect, because we're running a continuous
efficiency check, and if this thing does the job like it's supposed to
do it, we'll have gained the entire benefits for nothing. How can we
lose?"

Cutter stared at Quay for a moment, his mind working swiftly. "Call
Horner in on this, but nobody else. Absolutely nobody else. Tell Horner
to write up a contract fo