The flag flown by the successful contestants in the athletic contests, showing which gang or which individual has made the largest output during the day previous, allows everyone who passes to appreciate the attainment of that particular worker, or that group of workers.  The photographs of the “high priced men,” copies of which may be given to the workers themselves, allow the worker to carry home a record and thus impress his family with what he has done.  Too often the family is unable by themselves to understand the value of the worker’s work, or to appreciate the effect of his home life, food, and rest conditions upon his life work, and this entire strong element of interest of the worker’s family in his work is often lost.

RELATION OF INDIVIDUAL RECORDS TO SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT IN GENERAL.—­Any study of Records of an individual’s work again makes clear that no one topic of Scientific Management can be properly noted without a consideration of all other elements.  The fact that under Scientific Management the record with which the man most surely and constantly competes is his own, as provided for by the individual instruction card and the individual task; the fact that under Scientific Management the man need be in no fear of losing his job if he does his best; the fact that Scientific Management is founded on the “square deal";—­all of these facts must be kept constantly in mind when considering the advantages of recording individual output, for they all have a strong psychological effect on the man’s mind.  It is important to remember that not only does Scientific Management provide for certain directions and thoughts entering the man’s mind, but that it also eliminates other thoughts which would surely have a tendency to retard his work.  The result is output far exceeding what is usually possible under Traditional Management, because drawbacks are removed and impetuses added.

The outcome of the records, and their related elements in other branches of Scientific Management, is to arouse interest.  Interest arouses abnormally concentrated attention, and this in turn is the cause of genius.  This again answers the argument of those who claim that Scientific Management kills individuality and turns the worker into a machine.

INDIVIDUAL TASK UNDER SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT.—­Individuality is also taken into consideration when preparing the task.  This task would always be for an individual, even in the case of the gang instruction card.  It usually recognizes individuality, in that,—­

    1.  It is prepared for one individual only, when possible.
    2.  It is prepared for the particular individual who is
       to do it.