Christie J. The principles of industrial management

New York and London, D. Appleton and company, 1911. — 323 p.The writer has long felt the need of a scientific treatment of industrial management. Hundreds of young men are now in our schools and colleges intending to engage in the world of affairs, and it is exceedingly important that they gain a clear conception of the principles underlying the successful conduct of industrial enterprises.The material in this book is gathered from many sources. Merely to mention the people to whom the author is indebted for data within these covers would fill several pages with names. The writer has endeavored to give full credit in the text for the drawings, plates, and diagrams, and, unless accidentally overlooked, all books and articles from which he has received assistance have been cited. In the text, however, there is no mention of his obligations to Judge Elbert H. Gary and Mr. Richard Trimble, of the United States Steel Corporation, to Mr. Wm. Laughlin, of Armour and Company, Mr. H. C. Folger, Jr., of the Standard Oil Company, Mr. E. Collins, Jr., of the Sauquoit Silk Manufacturing Company, Mr. L. A. Osborne, Vice-President of the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, and Mr. Η. E. Neise, of the American Sugar Refining Company; so he takes this opportunity to thank them for their many favors. He is further indebted to his colleagues in the departments of Economics and Engineering of the University of Illinois, to his former associates at the University of Pennsylvania and Ohio State University. Professors E. H. Waldo and E. L. Bogart, his colleagues at the University of Illinois, have been very helpful; the former read all the chapters pertaining to the engineering matters, in addition to many of the others. Professor Emory R. Johnson, his former teacher at Pennsylvania, read the entire manuscript, and made many improvements in style and expression. This paragraph would be incomplete without special mention of his sister, to whom the writer is indebted for the work of preparing the manuscript for the printer. In addition to that onerous task she has given many suggestions as to form, expression, and selection of contents, which have been of very great assistance.In registering his thanks, however, the writer does not wish to have anyone but himself blamed for any deficiencies which exist in the volume, as the plan and treatment are his own.It is his hope that the book will be of service to the students of accountancy as well as to those of general business. The accountant should have knowledge of more than the mere methods of making entries in books and the drafting of financial statements therefrom. He should be able to appreciate the kind of information which the management needs, and the extentix which accounting records can gather the various types of information. The book is written to give both the accountant and the general student of business a brief presentation of the underlying principles of the science of management.In teaching the subject the writer has found it exceedingly helpful to the instructor and profitable to the student to have frequent visits to modern plants and then have carefully written reports presented which discuss those factors which contribute to the success of the enterprise or tend to its failure. Such trips should be made with the teacher or with some competent guide, and may well be made the basis of interesting class-room discussion.