technology of engineering materials

This it not to say that this book it without value—farfrom it. It will give increased breadth to the studentmanager's concept of management, and should stimu-late his use of the bibliography. The book provides achallenge to viewpoint to those practising managerswho are already interested in scientific management anda spur to the too numerous managers who are not.

L.J.S.4521.7 WORKSHOP PRACTICE : PRODUCTION

METHODS" Technology of Engineering Materials '*, by

B. Richard Hilton. London, Butterworth's ScientificPublications, 1953. 389 pages. Illustrated.Diagrams. £1 . 16s. Od.There are two types of useful textbook : one which

is mainly descriptive, and therefore makes interestingreading, and the second consisting of tables and calcula-tions, which is really a reference book.

In the " Technology of Engineering Materials",there is a combination of both types with the descriptivepart exceptionally detailed.

The work, of nearly 400 pages, is divided into fourmain sections. The first part deals with pattern-making which is normally entirely neglected. Thesubject is covered from wooden patterns to investmentmoulding. The average designer can obtain informationhere, which, when applied, will make the ProductionEngineer's job much easier.

The next section is concerned with the production ofiron and steel. It starts with mining and concludeswith heat-treatment of steel and deals with most ferrousalloys—methods of forming, protective treatment, etc.

Following this, the next few chapters deal with non-ferrous metals and alloys. In this case, there aredescribed processes which, being used more with non-ferrous materials are dealt with in greater detail, suchas pressure die-casting, wire drawing, extruding,drawing, rubber press work, etc.

An unusual feature of this book is the glossary withwhich it concludes. This consists of nearly 500 terms,the meanings of which, are given in a clear and concisemanner.

This book appears to be intended for studentsbecause of the questions at the end of the chapters.Do not let this deter other people, such as designers,planners, etc.

Most materials books date easily, but by keeping tothe more established processes, this book can easilybe kept up to date by further editions when theybecome necessary.

In all, this is a high-class textbook and comparativelyrare by the comprehensive manner in which it dealswith its subject. R.E.M.

331.2 WAGES : PAY" Wage Incentives in Printing—Incentives Committee

of the British Federation of Master Printers " AReport by the Incentives Committee. London, theFederation, 1952. 40 pages.This is a Report of the Incentives Committee, set

up by the British Federation of Master Printers in 1951,to investigate methods of increasing production andintroducing incentive schemes in the printing industry.The Report is fundamentally a critical analysis of thevarious forms of Incentive Scheme operating in theprinting industry, giving a brief description of each,the arguments for and against, and its suitability forfirms of various sizes.

The authors of the Report point out that the moresimple forms of incentive scheme based on MeritAssessment, Comparison with Past Output Records(expressed in quantity or value), or combinations ofthese factors have the advantage of low installation andrunning costs and are easily understood by the opera-tives. On the other hand, they consider that theseschemes may result in standards which are not fairor equitable between different firms and are unlikelyto yield large increases in productivity.

Work Measurement schemes are described in somedetail, the particular merits of such schemes and the

considerable cost of installation and maintenance bothbeing adequately stressed. The Report recognises thata sound Work Measurement scheme can only be in-stalled with the assistance of a trained industrialconsultant, and demands a high standard of managerialskill to obtain full advantage of its benefits.

The Report does not recommend any one type ofscheme in preference to another, but concludes thatno one type is universally applicable to all printing"firms. It stresses that financial incentives are only onemeans of increasing productivity and are no substitutefor good management; also that the successful applica-tion of any incentive scheme should be a central partof a general overhaul and calls for considerable skilland effort on the part of management. The need forco-ordinating the general principles of incentive schemesin such an integrated industry is stressed, as is thedifficulty of co-ordinating detailed Work Values set forwidely verying methods and conditions of working.

Throughout the Report, attention is drawn to thesuitability of incentive schemes for small firms. Thereason for this is apparent from the analysis of firms-by size which is given in an appendix. This showsthat over 60% of the firms engaged in general printing"employ fewer than 25 persons while only 9 % employover 100. It is interesting to note in another appendixthat only 2% of the firms operate incentive schemes andthat with the exception of Piecework and Profit Sharing"schemes the average number of employees in thesefirms is between 150 and 200. The particular problemsinvolved in applying Work Measurement schemes insmall firms are covered in a separate appendix basedon the recommendations of three firms of IndustrialConsultants.

The general presentation of the Report, its clarityand conciseness, are of an unusually high standard,as are the supporting Appendices. G.A.H..

OTHER ADDITIONS159.9 PSYCHOLOGY

Smith, May " Introduction to Industrial Psychology."'(5th ed.). London, Cassell, 1952. 295 pages.12/6d.

Tiffin, Joseph. " Industrial Psychology." London,Allen & Unwin, 1951. 553 pages. Illustrated.Charts. £1 . 15. 0.

331.12 ORGANIZATION OF DEPARTMENTSNational Society of Professional Engineers, Washington.

" How to Improve the Utilization of EngineeringManpower: Executive Research Survey Number2." Washington, The Society, 1952. ' 55 pages.Illustrated. $2.00.

331.124 FOREMANSHIP; SUPERVISIONConference for Supervisors, Roffey Park, Horsham,.

1951. "Report." Belfast, Short Bros. & Har-land Ltd., 1951. 74 pages typescript.

Morton, F. J. Burns. " Information for Foremen.**Birmingham, Institute of Industrial Supervisors

[1953] 24 pages. 2/6d.331.152 CO-OPERATIVE ADMINISTRATION;

JOINT CONSULTATIONRenold, Sir Charles, and others. " Working of Joint

Consultation." Birmingham, Industrial Adminis-tration Group of the College of Technology, 1953.40 pages. 3/6d.

338.9 PRODUCTIVITYCook, P. H. ** Productivity Team Technique.'*

London, Tavistock Institute of Human Relations*1951. 84 pages. 5/-.

370 EDUCATIONGreat Britain—Ministry of Education. " Education in-

1952, being the Report of the Ministry of Educa-tion and the Statistics of Public Education forEngland and Wales- London, H.M.S.O., 1953.180 pap,es. 5/-. (Cmd. 8835.)

*' Careers Encyclopaedia." Edited by G. H. ChafTe.London, Avon Press Ltd., 1952. 737 pages.£1 . 5. 0.

Universities and Industry Conference, Leamington Spar1952. Report of the . . . Conference; organised

417