a fair average rate was, that it made rate-fixing exceedingly simple,
and saved clerk work in the time, cost and record keeping.

A careful time study, however, convinced the writer that for the reasons
given above most of the men failed to do their best. In place of the
single rate and time for all of the work done at a setting, the writer
subdivided tire-turning into a number of short operations, and fixed a
proper time and price, varying for each small job, according to the
amount of metal to be removed, and the hardness and diameter of the
tire. The effect of this subdivision was to increase the output, with
the same men, methods, and machines, at least thirty-three per cent.

As an illustration of the minuteness of this subdivision, an instruction
card similar to the one used is reproduced in Figure 1 on the next page.
(This card was about 7 inches long by 4 inches wide.)

[Transcriber's note -- Figure 1 not shown]

The cost of the additional clerk work involved in this change was so
insignificant that it practically did not affect the problem. 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.