Real World Applications of the Principles

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'The Twelve Principles of Efficiency, like the twelve signs of the zodiac, divide the heavens into twelve parts, thus giving us twelve different directions of attack on inefficiency'

-Harrington Emerson


 Harrington Emerson was one of the leading figures in America when it came to industrial engineering and management and organisational theory. He was a big advocate for standardisation and efficiency. ‘Nearly two hundred companies adopted various features of the Emerson Efficiency System, which included production routing procedures, standardised working conditions and tasks, time and motion studies, and a bonus plan which raised worker’s wages in accordance with greater efficiency and productivity’. What we can gather is that his ideas and organisation schemes have been endorsed by all sorts of firms. There are hundreds of thousands of different companies and workplaces all carrying out very different jobs and requiring very different skill sets. However, one thing that they all share is the need for structure and organisation in order to be successful. A local bakery is just as in need of an efficiency scheme as a large, complex clothing factory. Obviously, the steps will be slightly different to adapt to each place, but the core principles will be the same. 

The 12 principles of efficiency all go hand in hand to one another, but some are much more obvious to spot in day-to-day life. For example, his third principle, competent counsel, can be seen within most of the top companies. There are even businesses within itself to carry out these tasks. One could argue that ‘McKinsey & Company’, a global management consulting firm, is a representation of competent counsel. They are a firm purely there to provide management consulting services and develop plans to restructure business strategy and increase productivity. This is essentially what he means when referring to ‘competent counsel’ however on a much larger scale. 

Another of the principles that is common is patterns and standards, principle 8. In a lot of firms, there are standards to be met, but also incentives to be earned. By having these standards, there is a clear level to maintain and leaves little room for confusion and error. In the long run, efficiency will increase because only those that can keep up with these standards will remain. 

I think whether it be in a workplace, a school or even just as an individual, these 12 principles provide a basis for us all to manage our time and tasks much more efficiently. Often the hardest part of organisation is finding where to start and how to go about it, but when there is a plan made, the only thing left for you to do is stick to it! 


-Alana






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