208 PART IV.- PREPARA TORY STAGE. 



pursuits generally in a hierarchical order locally, nationally, 

 and internationally, in order to increase productivity and 

 diminish waste. 



(b) The widest dissemination and standardisation of what is 

 found to be of value. 



12. SUMMARY. The radical reconstruction of processes and 

 procedures in order maximally to economise purpose, volition, 

 sensations, memory, and, more especially, (a) movements as 

 such, (b) time in movements, (c) effort and fatigue in move- 

 ments, (d) thought and feeling in movements, (e) locality, accom- 

 modation, furniture, instruments, materials, machinery, and 

 material energies, (/)- products, and (g) individual action. 



Basic Reconstruction. Real economy implies basic reconstruction. "It 

 is as well to recognise first as last that real progress from the best pre- 

 sent method to the standard method can never be made solely by 

 elimination. The sooner this is recognised the better. Elimination is 

 often an admirable makeshift. But the only real progress comes through 

 a reconstruction of the operation, building it up of standardised units, 

 or elements." (F. B. Gilbreth, Motion Study, 1911, p. 91.) 



As might be anticipated, basic reconstruction absorbs much time. 

 "Mr. Gantt says that the setting of each of his tasks meant at least a 

 year's preliminary work at a time and motion-study, general or special, 

 and in some cases two years." (M. and H. D. McKillop, Efficiency Me- 

 thods, 1917, p. 107.) 



Motion-Study. "Motion study has been described as the dividing of 

 the elements of the work into the most elementary subdivisions possible, 

 studying and measuring the variables of these fundamental units sepa- 

 rately and in relation to one another, and from these studied, chosen units, 

 after they have been derived, building up methods of least waste." 

 (Frank B. and Lillian M. Gilbreth, Fatigue Study, 1919, p. 11.) 



Motion study is largely instrumental. "The methods of measurement 

 of activity are motion study, micromotion study, the cyclegraph, the 

 chronocyclegraph, and the penetrating screen." (Ibid., p. 131.) 



Here is an example of concrete motion study. "Gilbreth found that 

 with the customary way of laying bricks eighteen motions were employed 

 in laying a single brick, but eleven of these could be omitted altogether, 

 and some of the others could be combined, so that the required motions 

 were reduced to one and three-quarters." (Frederick S. Lee, The Human 

 Machine and Industrial Efficiency, 1918, pp. 19-20.) 



J^ATIG UE. "Fatigue study is related to motion study in that both 

 are branches of waste elimination." (Frank B. and Lillian M. Gilbreth, 

 Fatigue Study, p. 17.) 



"Even where fatigue is not materially cut down during working hours, 

 because measurement shows that the worker is not getting over-fatigued, 

 the general health is apt to improve because of greater regularity in habits 

 of work, and because of better physical and mental habits while doing 

 the work. The path along this line is a continuous, never-ending upward 

 spiral. Fatigue is eliminated by establishing proper habits. The proper 

 habits improve health. The improved health allows of more work with 

 less fatigue, etc." (Ibid., p. 143.) "At any stage in the process of fatigue 

 elimination the results may be tested. The general health of the worker, 

 his prolonged activity, his posture, his behaviour, act as such tests." 

 (Ibid., p. 151.) 



It is usually the tired motorman who has the collision. The tired 

 locomotive engineer passes the stop signal. The exhausted motorist is 

 in the accident. The tired operator gets his fingers caught in the machine. 

 The overtired sickroom attendant gives the wrong medicine." (Ibid., p. 86.) 



