Frederick W. Taylor, Father of Scientific Management

IN 1911, when John Fritz, that most beloved of old-school engineers, was bringing out his autobiography, Taylor wrote to him apropos of this: " I think no book is more stimulating than the history of a devoted and successful life." It was thoroughly characteristic of Taylor, however, that he refused even to take steps to facilitate the preparation of a biography of himself after he was gone. On at least two occasions it was suggested to him, but his only response was a grimace. For various reasons, not the least of which was the complex nature of Taylor's work, the preparation of his biography has offered difficulties such as the writer could not have coped with unaided j and it needs to be strongly brought out that, besides having had the advantages of access to Mr. Taylor's correspondence and papers and the full cooperation of Mr. Taylor's relatives, friends, and professional associates in general, the writer all along has had the support and counsel of a Committee consisting of Mrs. Taylor and Messrs. Sanford E. Thompson, Morris L. Cooke, and Edward W. Clark, 3rd, with Dr. Harlow S. Person, managing director of the Taylor Society, serving as a sort of informal but none the less important and exceedingly helpful member. The writer, in fact, is indebted to Dr. Person for far more in the way of valuable suggestions than can here be well stated...