Synthesized answer
Taylor describes the waste of human effort as going on every day through acts that are "blundering, ill-directed, or inefficient" [5]. These wastes are less visible and tangible than the waste of material things, making them vaguely appreciated [5]. This lack of appreciation stems from the fact that awkward, inefficient, or ill-directed movements of men leave nothing visible or tangible behind them, requiring an act of memory or imagination to perceive [2].
This waste is further exemplified by "systematic soldiering," which Taylor calls the greatest evil from which both workmen and employers suffer [1]. Systematic soldiering is almost universal under ordinary management schemes and results from workers carefully studying their own best interests [1]. An example of this deliberate loafing is seen with bricklayers' unions restricting the number of bricks laid per day, which Taylor considers almost criminal because it increases housing costs for workmen's families and drives trade away from their city [3]. He also notes that men may intentionally slow down their work to avoid doing more than their lazier neighbors, particularly when paid by the hour [1].
Synthesized from the book passages below. Chat with the book on Feynman for follow-up.
From the book
In order to be sure not to do more than his lazy neighbor, he would actually tire himself in his effort to go slow." "These men were working under a foreman of good reputation and highly thought of by his employer, who, when his attention was called to this state of things, answered: 'Well, I can keep them from sitting down, but the devil can't make them get a move on while they are at work.'" "The natural laziness of men is serious, but by far the greatest evil from which both workmen and employers are suffering is the systematic soldiering which is almost universal under all of…
y," are less visible, less tangible, and are but vaguely appreciated. We can see and feel the waste of material things. Awkward, inefficient, or ill-directed movements of men, however, leave nothing visible or tangible behind them. Their appreciation calls for an act of memory, an effort of the imagination. And for this reason, even though our daily loss from this source is greater than from our waste of material things, the one has stirred us deeply, while the other has moved us but little. As yet there has been no public agitation for "greater national efficiency," no meetings have…
ricks laid by each man, and for telling each workman at frequent intervals how many bricks he had succeeded in laying. It is only when this work is compared with the conditions which prevail under the tyranny of some of our misguided bricklayers' unions that the great waste of human effort which is going on will be realized. In one foreign city the bricklayers' union have restricted their men to 275 bricks per day on work of this character when working for the city, and 375 per day when working for private owners. The members of this union are probably sincere in their belief that…
thy is entirely wasted, because almost all of them were immediately given other jobs with the Bethlehem Steel Company. And indeed it should be understood that the removal of these men from pig-iron handling, for which they were unfit, was really a kindness to themselves, because it was the first step toward finding them work for which they were peculiarly fitted, and at which, after receiving proper training, they could permanently and legitimately earn higher wages. Although the reader may be convinced that there is a certain science back of the handling of pig iron, still it is more…
Produced by Charles E. Nichols The Principles of Scientific Management by FREDERICK WINSLOW TAYLOR, M.E., Sc.D. 1911 INTRODUCTION President Roosevelt in his address to the Governors at the White House, prophetically remarked that "The conservation of our national resources is only preliminary to the larger question of national efficiency." The whole country at once recognized the importance of conserving our material resources and a large movement has been started which will be effective in accomplishing this object. As yet, however, we have…