The Psychology of Management by Lillian Moller Gilbreth

ANALYSIS AND SYNTHESIS DEFINITION OF ANALYSIS.--"Analysis," says the Century Dictionary is "the resolution or separation of anything which is compound, as a conception, a sentence, a material substance or an event, into its constituent elements or into its causes;" that is to say, analysis is the division of the thing under consideration into its definite cause, and into its definite parts or elements, and the explanation of the principle upon which such division is made.[1] DEFINITION OF SYNTHESIS.--"Synthesis" is, "a putting of two or more things together; composition; specifically, the combination of separate elements of objects of thought into a whole, as of simple into compound or complex conceptions, and individual propositions into a system." USE OF ANALYSIS AND SYNTHESIS BY PSYCHOLOGY.--Analysis is defined by Sully as follows: "Analysis" is "taking apart more complex processes in order to single out for special inspection their several constituent processes." He divides elements of thought activity into two "(a) analysis: abstraction (b) synthesis: comparison." Speaking of the latter, he says, "The clear explicit detachment in thought of the common elements which comparison secures allows of a new reconstructive synthesis of things as made up of particular groupings of a number of general qualities." PLACE OF ANALYSIS AND SYNTHESIS IN MANAGEMENT.--Any study of management which aims to prove that management may be, and under Scientific Management is, a science, must investigate its use of analysis and of synthesis.[2] Upon the degree and perfection of the analysis depends the permanent value and usefulness of the knowledge gained. Upon the synthesis, and what it includes and excludes, depends the efficiency of the results deduced. LITTLE ANALYSIS OR SYNTHESIS UNDER TRADITIONAL MANAGEMENT.-- Under Traditional Management analysis and synthesis are so seldom present as to be negligible. Success or failure are seldom if ever so studied and measured that the causes are well understood. Therefore, no standards for future work that are of any value can be established. It need only be added that one reason why Traditional Management makes so little progress is because it makes no analyses that are of permanent value. What data it has are available for immediate use only. Practically every man who does the work must "start at the beginning," for himself. If this is often true of entire methods, it is even more true of elements of methods. As elements are not studied and recorded separately, they are not recognized when they appear again, and the resultant waste is appalling. This waste is inevitable with the lack of coöperation under Traditional Management and the fact that each worker plans the greater part of his work for himself. ANALYSIS AND SYNTHESIS APPEAR LATE IN TRANSITORY MANAGEMENT.-- Division of output appears early in Transitory Management, but it is usually not until a late stage that motion study and time study are conducted so successfully that scientifically determined and timed elements can be constructed into standards. As everything that is attempted in the line of analysis and synthesis under Transitory Management is done scientifically under Scientific Management, we may avoid repetition by considering Scientific Management at once. RELATION OF ANALYSIS AND SYNTHESIS IN SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT TO MEASUREMENT AND STANDARDIZATION.--Analysis considers the subject that is to be measured,--be it individual action or output of any kind,--and divides it into such a number of parts, and parts of such a nature, as will best suit the purpose for which the measurement is taken. When these subdivisions have been measured, synthesis combines them into a whole.[3] Under Scientific Management, through the measurements used, synthesis is a combination of those elements which are necessary only, and which have been proven to be most efficient. The result of the synthesis is standardized, and used until a more accurate standard displaces it. Under Scientific Management analysis and synthesis are methods of determining standards from available knowledge. Measurement furnishes the means. ANALYST'S WORK IS DIVISION.--It is the duty of the analyst to divide the work that he is set to study into the minutest divisions possible. What is possible is determined by the time and money that can be set aside for the investigation. THE NATURE OF THE WORK MUST DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF ANALYSIS PRACTICABLE.--In determining the amount of time and money required, it is necessary to consider--