"The New Foremanship " A Valuable Publication
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NEW methods are needed to cope with new conditions, and it is the methods which the foreman employs that distinguish the old foremanship from the new. This is the keynote of a book entitled " The New Foremanship," recently published by Messrs. Chapman and Hall, and written by F. I, Burns Morton, F.I.I.A.. A.M.I.P.E., price 12s. 6d.
The first outstanding feature of the new foremanship is a determination to find and face the facts, The old foremanship is distinguished by rough and ready methods; the new gets down to detail, finds the causes, learns the facts, and solves and disposes of the problems once and for all-. Where information is not available, means for its acquisition are introduced
A .foreman should understand the fundatnental principles of time and motion study, but must not be expected to apply them; that is work for a separate staff department. Notwithstanding the importance of time and motion study there still remains an enormous field in industry where piece ates are settled by the foreman in direct negotiation with the worker. The fundamental weakness of the old forerrianshin was its dependence nn bargaining. The new forenianship prefers to work out a rate, the fairness of which can be 'demonstrated,
Thus, in the preliminary sections of his work, the author indicates the
qualities that are essential to-day in a foreman. In subsequent sections he particularizes, dealing first with the foreman's job and then with the selection of foremen. Methods of training foremen—in vogue and recommended-in the United States and in this count try, are dealt with in some detail in successive sections, which: will be found to be of considerable interest.
There are two appendices. _In one is a digest of.the purpose and work of an American organization — " Training Within the Industry," the underlying purpose of which i's to assist war-production industries to meet their manpower needs by training within industry each worker to make the fullest use of his best skill up to the maximum of his individual ability. A bulletin issued by the T.W.I. entitled " Better Supervision," which has a direct bearing on the subject of this book, is given in full. .
In the other appendix there is a description of a typical foreman s association, actually relating to the Deputy Foremen's Association of C'adbu'ry Brothers, 'Ltd.
The book concludes with an extensive . bibliography of books on foremanship and a copious index. It should be of considerable value to all those executives who desire to keep themselves and Their 'business activities up to date under the rapidly changing conditions of to-day.