14-1+USH

Abby Regan 2/27/12 Mr. Masterson USHCP

Key Terms: Scientific Management: Theory promoted by Frederick W. Taylor; held that every kind of work could be broken down into a series of smaller tasks and that rates of production could be set for each individual task. Model T: Popular low cost automobile developed by Henry Ford in 1908. Assembly Line: Production system created by Henry Ford to make goods faster by moving parts on a conveyer belt past workers. Auto-Touring: A craze that encouraged Americans to take long sightseeing trips in their automobiles. Installment Plan: A way of purchasing goods in which consumers pay for goods in small increments over time. Planned Obsolescence: Practice of manufacturing products that are designed to go out of style.

Key People: Frederick W. Taylor: An early promoter of the Scientific Management theory. Henry Ford: An automobile manufacturer. Alfred P. Sloan: The head of General Motors (GM).

Summary:

Prosperity and Productivity
 * After the war, the U.S had great economic times because of tax cuts, Republican pro-business policies, and business leaders' confidence.
 * Because of the business growth, workers started getting higher wages and could afford more modern appliances.
 * The use of electricity in homes was growing, which meant that more electrical products were developed, such as mixers and washing machines.
 * Many businesses tried to experiment with new ways of being efficient and productive.

The Growth of The Automobile Industry
 * These new ways of being productive, such as scientific management, were particularly important in the automobile industry.
 * Ford wanted to make his new car, the Model T, more affordable, so he used assembly lines.
 * Workers assembled the 5,000 parts to the Model T as the conveyer belt passed them, while the machinery produced individual parts and carried them to workers.
 * Large car manufactures followed Ford's lead, and smaller companies that couldn't afford assembly lines went out of business.
 * Assembly lines made automobiles cheaper so that most Americans could buy them.
 * The automobile industry, which used lots of glass, steel, and rubber was the nation's biggest business.

Changes in Work
 * Assembly lines increased productivity, but also made work more repetitive, and increased rates of employee turnover.
 * Most unskilled factory workers and immigrants couldn't get a job besides working at the assembly line, because most of higher level positions required a high school education.

Ford and His Workers
 * Ford was known best for increasing wages and shortening workdays, but he also tried to regulate the morality and personal behavior of his workers.
 * Ford grew up being a talented engineer, and knew what it was like to have to work hard.
 * Because his assembly line limited workers to one or two specific tasks, which bored them, Ford got them to stay by increasing the wages to five dollars and shortening the workday to eight hours.
 * Workers loved this, but some still believed increased wages didn't change working conditions.
 * In order to earn the full $5, workers had to meet company standards both at work and outside of work, and offer plans to solve any problems that Ford and his company saw.
 * Ford tried to mold workers into the proper people he wanted them to be, and hated tobacco and alcohol use.
 * Ford monitored his company closely to ensure that everything and everyone was productive, and when the Great Depression brought his profits down, he transferred ownership to his grandson.

The Impact of New Products
 * The more use of electrical products there were, the more housework jobs (maids, servants, etc.) were lost.

A Land Of Automobiles
 * Trucks, cars, and buses had replaced horse-drawn carriages, trains, and trolley cars.
 * New roads were built to accommodate heavy traffic, and convenient stores, drive ins, and gas stations lined the highways.
 * The automobile allowed people who lived out in the country more access to the city and far away areas.

Auto Tourism
 * Americans used their cars to travel and take vacations.

Family Life
 * The automobile created new social opportunities for teens.
 * Teens used to spend most of their time home with their families, but when the use of the car became more common, they would often leave the house.
 * Critics said that cars lessened people's sense of community.

Creating Consumers:
 * Ford kept manufacturing his Model T until 1927, making very few changes, but other automobile companies decided to make more expensive cars that focused on luxury.

Marketing
 * To allow people to buy their more expensive cars, automobile companies allowed consumers to buy the cars on credit.
 * To attract customers, companies made their products look good as well as function well, and did this with processes such as streamlining.
 * Companies learned that making new models of the same product could bring in more money.
 * The installment plan caused many Americans to go into debt.

Advertising
 * Advertising became the new big business in the 1920s.
 * Most ads were targeted towards women and manipulated consumer's minds by emphasizing hopes and fears.
 * Companies used catchy slogans and jingles to ingrain the product into consumers minds.

A Growing Retail Industry
 * The number of chain stores grew across the country as the number of products grew to meet the demands of the people.