t
foreman ...A railroad switch was run out into the field, right
along the edge of the piles of pig-iron. An inclined plane was
placed against the side of a car, and each man picked up from
his pile a pig of iron weighing about 92 pounds, walked up the
inclined plank, and dropped it on the end of the car.

We found that this gang were loading on the average of about
12-1/2 tons per man per day in this manner. We were surprised
to find, after studying the matter, that a first-class pig-iron
handler ought to handle between 47 and 48 tons per day, instead
of 12-1/2 tons, which were being handled.

This task seemed so very large that we were obliged to go over
our work several times before we were sure we were absolutely
right.... The task which faced us as managers under the modern
scientific plan ...was ...to see that the 80,000 tons of
pig-iron were loaded on the cars at the rate of 47 tons per man
per day in place of 12-1/2 tons.... It was further our duty to
see that this work was done without bringing on a strike among
the men, without any quarrel with the men, and to see that the
men were happier and better contented with loading at the new
rate of 47 tons than they were when loading at the old rate of
12-1/2 tons.

The first step was the scientific selection of the workmen....
Under ...scientific management ...it is an inflexible rule to
talk to and deal with only one man at a time, since we are not
dealing with men in masses, but are trying to develop each
individual man to his highest state of efficiency and
prosperity. The 75 men in the gang were carefully watched and
studied for three or four days, at the end of which time we had
picked out four men who were believed to be physically able to
handle pig-iron at the rate of 47 tons per day. A careful study
was then made of each of these men.... Finally one man was
selected from among the four as the most likely man to start
with.

This man, who had been receiving $1.15 a day, agreed to follow for $1.85
a day the directions of the time-student, who had determined the
proportion and intervals of rest necessary for the regular accomplishment
of the task, without overstrain or undue fatigue. The worker started to
carry his accustomed load and at regular intervals was told by the
time-student, observi