This
principle of short tasks in tire turning was introduced by the writer in
the Midvale Steel Works in 1883 and is still in full use there, having
survived the test of over twenty years' trial with a change of
management.
In another establishment a differential rate was applied to tire
turning, with operations subdivided in this way, by adding fifteen per
cent to the pay of each tire turner whenever his daily or weekly piece
work earnings passed a given figure.
Another illustration of the application of this principle of measuring a
man's performance against a given task at frequent intervals to an
entirely different line of work may be of interest. For this purpose the
writer chooses the manufacture of bicycle balls in the works of the
Symonds Rolling Machine Company, in Fitchburg, Mass. All of the work
done in this factory was subjected to an accurate time study, and then
was changed from day to piece work, through the assistance of functional
foreman ship, etc. The particular operation to be described however, is
that of inspecting bicycle balls before they were finally boxed for
shipment. Many millions of these balls were inspected annually. When the
writer undertook to systematize this work, the factory had been running
for eight or ten years on ordinary day work, so that the various
employees were "old hands," and skilled at their jobs.
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