Show l I Gre Great t Problems Discussed by Authorities INDUSTRIAL MANAGEMENT IN AMERICA By WALLACE CLARK Consulting Management Engineer In S Scientific America f n l has lias management snide mido o et slides 11 nb Inthe In Inthe the list last twenty five years These Theas methods meth meLh are iro now nor being sought U by European f IHa r. r rot countries n Mr Sr Clark who wh o has saz h been working on the management of cC Polish Industries explains explain some of t the differ differ- erces erce between Industries there and In Inthis Inthis Inthis this country and nd predicts predict prosperity rOT lor 1 roland and Scientific management manage was little known in American manufacturing manua plants twenty five or thirty years ago Storerooms were in a state of confusion In one case within my myown own experience we found in a plant of worldwide reputation eighty eighty- eight years' years supply of one item of stock while many items were entirely out of stock Unbalanced Inventories were common and the turnover of capital was consequently consequent consequent- ly slow Shop organization was also unde unde- Shop foremen were so busy hiring workmen keeping stock of materials and repairing machines that the they were often too busy to have time for the real job of turnIng turnIng turning turn- turn Ing out work In the typical American shop to today today today to- to day such confusion does not exist When material is released from tx-em the storeroom it moves oves at a steady rate through the plant In some Industries Industries Industries Indus Indus- tries this rate of flow of wo work k k Is la determined mechanically by moving belts or platforms s. Tire The phase of f management which has recently occupied the attention of engineers in America Is the genera general general gen gen- era eral administration of a business organization We Ie have hao realized that industry Sa is composed of moving which do not always move at the same rate In some companies companies compa compa- nies ales the production organization moves with more more speed and power than the sales organization In other cases this is reversed AndIn And AndIn Andin In some somo the finances lag behind both sales and production It is the problem of th-s th ohl chief chiC f executive to balance these there forces so that the company as a will whole move forward forward for for- ward at a t steady rate It Is this problem of coordinating alL aIL the various various va va- rious noun activities of or a corporation that engineers are now solving by applyIng applying ap ap- plying to It th the te which has already been developed in production production production tion and sales management American methods are s sometimes regarded ix In inE Europe rope as with mass production But Dut to an anyOne anyone any any- one familiar with industries in the United States State it is la obvious that this is 13 not correct The greater part of our production is not standardized d. It is of course true that mass production pro pro- cannot be developed d to as great greit an extent in Europe as as' as in America because of ot our l' l larger er pur- pur public pu However it would be a a great economic advantage to Poland to carry mass production further than it has been carried In the pat past The mechanical handling o of mate ma ma- te is also one of the features of American n manufacturing which has b been n widely advertised J and nd It is a feature which is not applicable to th the tho same same extent in Europe where Wages Wag are so much lower Jower A A labor labor- savin which would be authorIzed authorized authorized au au- au- au in short time In th United States might th bo De entirely unprofitable unprofitable able in Europe Nevertheless there thele are ore many opportunities In ia Europe Euro for the tho reduction n h of ot labor costs In every Polish plant there Is a great deal dea of pf knowledge and skill which is not being used ConsultIng Consulting Consult Consult- ing engineers therefore work with the various valous members of the management management man man- jn In n setting standards of t performance for fOl each part lart of the business basing the these standards ds on the assumption that every man in the organization wants to do Ms l work as well as it can be done Experience Ex Ex- Ex- Ex has taught that they are ale Justified in the assumption The introduction of science into the management of ot Polish Industries industries indus Indus- tries is making remarkably good progress and this is one one of the most hopeful Indications for fOl a a. more mOle prosperous pros pros- prosPerous erous l Poland oland The country Is to be congratulated on the character of its engineers eng for they have havo a thor thoroughly technical training are arc open minded d courageous courageous' and willIng willIng will- will Ing ins to sacrifice their personal Interest Interest Inter Intel est for the tho public good Copyright 1927 Cosmos Newspaper per Syn Inc Joe c pc p |