The Principles of Scientific Management. This special Edition printed in February 1911 for Confidential Circulation among the Members of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers with the Compliments of the Author.

First edition, printed for private distribution, of the core text of what is popularly known as "Taylorism" - the management of workers on an entirely rationalized, scientific basis. Though long criticized as dehumanizing human resources - "his methods were anathema to trade unionists almost everywhere" (PMM) - many of the principles have now become core components of modern management. Previously Taylor's works on the subject were technical and for a smaller audience. He established his reputation as the foremost expert on factory management and delivered lectures to businesses on his principles. "In 1911 Taylor converted his standard lecture into a short book, The Principles of Scientific Management, which became an immediate best-seller and ultimately the most popular business book of the first half of the century" (ANB). The private edition was issued in March, preceding the trade edition which was issued in April. It includes a foreword not in the trade edition, and with a slightly different introduction. "Taylor attempted to determine scientifically how much a worker could accomplish in a given time by breaking tasks down into what he termed 'elementary motions', eliminating the unnecessary ones and combining the rest into an optimum series for maximum efficiency. He sought to eliminate the traditional inefficient rules of thumb followed by most labourers, replacing them with precisely determined tasks set out by a managerial planning department and performed with standardized tools and methods" (Norman). The principles were adopted internationally across varying economic systems, from America with its mass-production factories which made possible the consumer age, through to post-First World War Germany where they are credited as contributing to the rapid economic recovery of the country, and to Soviet Russia as a key part of their five-year plans. Downs, Books that changed America 17; Norman 2059; Printing and the Mind of Man 403. Octavo. Original green cloth, spine lettered gilt, covers ruled in blind. Some pencilled marginalia. Neat repair to cloth extremities and inner hinges, repaired short closed tears at head of front free endpaper and following 3 text leaves and at fore edge of pp. 71/2, still a very good copy.…