What are the contributions of Frank & lillian Gilbreth to management?

Question

What are the contributions of Frank & lillian Gilbreth to management?

Answer 1

Check out the book "Cheaper by the Dozen".

Answer 2

Method of time management.  I had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Gilbreth years ago, and hearing her speak. Worked for an organization (back in the late 50's) which promoted their findings. However, what does this query have to do with genealogy?

Answer 3

They are best known for inventing Efficiency Engineering, the art of saving a step here, a step there, to improve productivity, usually in the manufacturing process.

Frank had laid brick as a young man. He realized that if he could use a little adjustable table that put the bricks at the same height as the row he was working on, he wouldn't have to stoop down to get each brick. He was faster than the people who stooped.

You could make a case for him inventing "MBWA" - "Management By Walking Around". He used to ask to see the "laziest man in the plant", to see how that man was saving steps.

Answer 4

He was the engineer who championed the idea of "time and motion". He would repeat certain activities, usually using his children as his guinea pigs, and see how long they took to perform. That became the basis of an entire production system based on the idea of a production line with predictable quantities in a set period of time. This standardized production could then predict the cost of each piece produced. His timing was everything because it coincided with the creation of Henry Ford's production lines. So each gasket was produced by one group. Each piece of a chassis was standardized and interchangeable, so they could be produced by another group. Then you could minimize costs of production, costs of labor and maximize profits. Cost accounting and labor management were the outcomes of his studies.