Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-12
Choosing Your Career
Merchandising Field of Greater Opportunities
Than Ever Before, Development of Mass Pro-
dnction Technique Bringing New Phase.
BY EDWARD FILENE

This Il the pa,O Of series Of
them and for which they are fitted. Each
article has been prepared by a Leader IN
president and chairman of the board of
William Filene's Sons Co.. Boston. He is
ng 70 m and dstTsR
ton here and abroad.
THERE are more and greater OPP
portunities in the world Of mer-
chandising today than there
l. ever were before; but the way
to succeed is not the way which
successful merchants of the older gen.
Grafton had to travel
It is futile to think of entering upon
a merchandising career today through
opening and operating some little indie
pendent store. You might as well hope
to rise in the automobile industry by
learning the trade of carriage maker.
Merchandising is entering new
phase. The outstanding event OF our
economic evolution during the past two
decades was the development OF the
technique of mass production; ana the
outstanding event of the near future
will be the development of the teen
nique of mass distribution.
One need not be a prophet to per-
ceive this. Mass production has proved
its superiority. Already it dominates our
markets, It Is impossible that we should
return to a less efficient system.
But mass production, in its very ma
ture, demands mass distribution. Things
must not only be produced as eco.
nomically as possible, but they must
be brought to the ultimate consumer at
the lowest possible cost. The enormous
wastes of distribution must be elm
mated: and merchandising from now on
must be principally matter OF the SCI
entific elimination of this waste.
Finer Of Two Arts.
Merchandising, however. is finer art
than is manufacturing. Concelvably, II
one had enough capital, he might pro.
duce an article with a minimum OF
waste; but If masses of people did not
want the article produced and could
not use It simultaneously it would be a
waste of money, time and human NIe
to sell 1t to them, even If the Job could
be accomplished by the magic OF Nigh
pressure craftsmanship.
This new technique OF mass distrlou-
ton will prove immensely prontaole 70
all who master 1t. It cannot be learned
in a little independent store at time
when even our great department stores
are perceiving the necessity OF organlz-
ing into CHAINS. IL can DC ltdIIlcu pcSV'
of course, in the very largest organiza-
lions. and the most successful Of these
are those which are paying the 1.lost at
tention to the need of teaching 1t.
These organizations now make 1t a
practice to initiate new employees into
many different duties, and they main
tain personal and training systems Tor
the purpose of fitting every possible en-
ploye for positions of greater RESPONSE
bility and larger income.
Some rather stable organizations, to
be sure, are not yet doing this. Those
considering merchandising as q career
should take note, and not make the
mistake Of tying up with such organiza-
lions.
The nationwide chain store systems
are now In the vanguard of modern
merchandising. But they ere only In
the pioneer stage as yet, and offer limit
less opportunities to alert, industrious
and thinking employees who will help
them find their way.
The wages of inexperienced beginners
are, because of certain traditions from
which merchandising has not yet freed
itself, not as high as they ought to be