福特(Ford)

althoughhenryfordsnameiscloselyassociatedwiththeconceptofmassproduction,heshouldreceiveequalcreditforintroducinglaborpracticesasearlyas1913thatwouldbeconsideredadvancedevenbytodaysstandards.

safetymeasureswereimproved,andtheworkdaywasreducedtoeighthours,comparedwiththeten-ortwelve-hourdaycommonatthetime.inordertoaccommodatetheshorterworkday,theentirefactorywasconvertedfromtwotothreeshifts.

inaddition,sickleavesaswellasimprovedmedicalcareforthoseinjuredonthejobwereinstituted.thefordmotorcompanywasoneofthefirstfactoriestodevelopatechnicalschooltotrainspecializedskilledlaborersandanenglishlanguageschoolforimmigrants.someeffortswereevenmadetohirethehandicappedandprovidejobsforformerconvicts.

themostwidelyacclaimedinnovationwasthefive-dollar-a-dayminimumwagethatwasofferedinordertorecruitandretainthebestmechanicsandtodiscouragethegrowthoflaborunions.fordexplainedthenewwagepolicyintermsofefficiencyandprofitsharing.

healsomentionedthefactthathisemployeeswouldbeabletopurchasetheautomobilesthattheyproduced-ineffectcreatingamarketfortheproduct.inordertoqualifyfortheminimumwage,anemployeehadtoestablishadecenthomeanddemonstrategoodpersonalhabits,includingsobriety,thriftiness,industriousness,anddependability.

althoughsomecriticismwasdirectedatfordforinvolvinghimselftoomuchinthepersonallivesofhisemployees,therecanbenodoubtthat,atatimewhenimmigrantswerebeingtakenadvantageofinfrightfulways,henryfordwashelpingmanypeopletoestablishthemselvesinamerica.