PURPOSE OF STANDARDIZATION.—­The purpose of standardizing is the same under all types of management; that is, it is the elimination of waste.

STANDARDIZATION FREQUENTLY ATTEMPTED UNDER TRADITIONAL MANAGEMENT.—­In much progressive Traditional Management there is an appreciation of the necessity of standardizing tools and equipment, that is to say, of having these on the “duplicate part system,” that assembling may be done quickly, and repairs made without delay.

The manager notices some particularly successful man, or method, or arrangement of tools, equipment, or the surroundings, and decides to have a record made thereof that the success may be repeated.  These records, if made in sufficient detail, are very valuable.  The difficulty is that so often the man making the records does not observe all the variables.  Hence the very elements which caused the success may be overlooked entirely.

VALUE OF STANDARDIZATION NOT APPRECIATED UNDER TRADITIONAL MANAGEMENT.—­It is surprising, under Traditional Management, to note, in many cases, the years that elapse before any need for standardization is felt.  It is also surprising that, even when some standardization has been done, its importance is seldom realized.  The new standard becomes a matter of course, and the management fails to be impressed enough with its benefits to apply the principle of standardization to other fields.

UNDER TRANSITORY MANAGEMENT STANDARDIZATION BECOMES CONSTANTLY MORE IMPORTANT.—­Not until Motion Study and Time Study have been introduced can the full benefits of standardization be attained.  But as soon as the Transitory Stage of Management appears, the importance of standardization is realized.  This is brought about largely through the records of individual outputs, which constantly call attention to the necessity of making available to all the methods, tools and equipment of the most successful workers.

RECORDS OF SUCCESSES BECOME MORE PROFITABLE.—­The rules which embody successful practice become more profitable as the necessity for more detailed recording of all the variables becomes possible.  An appreciation of what scientific motion study and time study will ultimately do affects the minds of the management until the workers are given directions as to methods to be used, and the incentive of extra pay for following directions.

“SYSTEMS” SHOW AN APPRECIATION OF PSYCHOLOGY.—­The “Systems,” standing orders or collections of written directions, that are evolved at this stage have a permanent value.  This is especially true when the directions, often called “rules,” contain the reason for the rule.  There is a decided awakening to the importance of Psychology in this appeal to the reason of the worker.  He is not affronted by being forced to follow directions for which he is given no reason and which he has no reason to believe have been scientifically derived.  These rules, in a certain typical case, are stated in simple language, some in the form of commands, some in the form of suggestions, and are obviously so prepared as to be understood and obeyed by the workers with the least possible amount of effort, opposition and time.  As ample opportunity is given for suggestions, the worker’s attention and interest are held, and any craving he may have for self-expression is gratified.