Evening star., 1953-06-07
By Richard FrykIund

Teams Of British technicians,
country to learn the secret of Amer
ica's incredibly high rate Of produc-
tivity have now agreed on a report
which reveals simply this:
There is no special Yankee in
genuity" or mysterious American
know-how" that makes our pro-
ductivity the envy of the world
only a more intensive use Of the
same production techniques that are
common all over Europe.
The British specialists who studied
Americas industrial techniques did
not come here out Of curiosity or out
of desire to do homage to the Ameri-
can Way Of Life.
Two Questions
They were sent by the British
government to find an answer to
two questions vital to England's
future:
. Why does Americas produc-
tivity rate soar while Britain'S fall
ters?
Q Can Britain adapt itself to
the American technique?
In the past so years Britain'S pro-
ductivity-output per worker-haS
climbed slowly in good years. at a
rate of about w per cent year,
and has fallen in bad years. During
that period the American rate OF
productivity has risen by about 3 per
cent a year. output per worker has
tripled here since 1900.
The higher rate of productivity
has permitted the American standard
of living to go one and half to
four times as high as that of Euro
pean countries, after an almost even
start SO years ago. Britain has not
raised its standard of living since
1899. American consumption per
person has risen so per cent from
the prewar level.
Even allowing for Americas
larger population, her larger free
market, her raw materials, her free
dom from war damages and for
Britain's loss Of colonial invest
ments, the difference still is amaz-
ing and deeply significant tic
Englishmen. Unless they also can
increase their rate of productivity.
British people know that they will
continue to lose their position as
world traders and that their stand
ard of living inevitably will decline.
But they believe that If they can
raise their output per man to the
American level, they will solve most
of their domestic economic prob
lens and save their position in
world trade.
That is why 66 teams Of British
experts Swarmed over American
factories during the last four years.
The final report on their studies
was just completed.
In the British view, Americas
productive might is based on good
management and on labor-manage-
ment cooperation. Here is how
John Bull describes the work Of
American managers:
The American technique of man
agement is measurement. Every
factor relating to productivity is
continually and carefully measured.
The goal is greater output per per-
son and less cost per unit by close
control over all factors of produc-
ton. American managers do not
work in the dark or rely on rough
guesswork.
Measurement permits careful plan
ming, from acquisition of the raw
materials to development of a sales
campaign which will unload the
final product. Before a product is
undertaken. each step will have
been worked out in detail.
Planning Benefits
Planning permits more use Of
standardization (reduction in the
variety of necessary models, SIM
pliflcation (uSe of common, inter-
changeable parts) and Specialize
tion concentration of one plant on
one part and concentration of one
worker on one simple operation).
Standardization, :Hmplification
and specialization permit American