• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

r THE APPLICATION OF MUSIC IN INDUSTRY AND ITS EFFECT UPON THE MORALE AND EFFICIENCY OF THE WORKER by John H. ScottJr. W. Scott Libbey Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 9 4 3 THESIS AUTHORIZATION DateJanuary 54 1943 Name brLJD .tt,..Jr. 9 Te Appic.ato.n .. fMusc-in jrtduztxy-azcjJtsEffec. upan- _thLe M-rale-and-Eficlenay .of-the-Worker This is your authority to proceed with the thesis investi- gation as outlined in your preliminary report. Please return this sheet with the original copy of the finished thesis. Signature of the Advisor, indicating completion of a sat-- isfactory preliminary report. Advisor Signature of the Supervisor, indicating proper registration fo- redit, and generally satisfactory progress. and gene l s M. I. T. Graduate House Cambridge, Massachusetts January 11, 1943 Professor George W. Swett Secretary of the Faculty Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts Dear Sir: In accordance with the requirements for graduation, we herewith submit a thesis entitled, The Application of Music in Industry and its Effect upon the Morale and Efficiency of the Worker. We wish to express our gratitude to Professor Douglas McGregor, who has been extremely helpful in the organization of our material. Sincerely yours, QJ Q4 John H. Scott, Jr. W. Scott Libbey TABLE OF CONTEINTS Introduction Purpose 2 Scope 3 Method 4 history 5 Sumiary 7 The Effects of Music 12 Psychology of Music 13 Rhythm 14 Morale 15 Fatigue 22 Physiological Fatigue 22 Psychological Fatigue 24 Decreased Capacity for Doing Wvork 26 Fatigue and the Production Curve 26 Stimulation 29 1Noise 29 Production 31 how Morale and Fatigue influence Cost 31 How Music Saves Time 32 Obtaining Reliable Data 33 Daily Production Curves 36 Possibility of No Effect on Production 38 Scientific Experiments on the Effect of Music on Production Rate 39 The Operadio Experiment 55 Further Evidence of 1viusic's Effect on Production Rate 56 Waste and Quality 57 Safety and health 61 The Application of Music 63 Conditions Under Which hiusic Can be Used 64 Physical Conditions 4hich Must Be Considered 65 Characterjstics of the Work and Worker 68 The Music Installation 75 Ways of Obtaining the Music 7b Equipment 78 Availability of Equipment 81 The Psychology of installation and Operation 82 The Operation of the System 83 Times and Types of Music 85 The Time to play Music 86 The Type of Music 95 The Music Program: Times and Types in Combination 107 Conclusion 109 -I Further Uses for the P.A. System 110 Difficulties iihich May Be Encountered 112 Conclusions 114 Recommendations for the Future 116 Appendices 118 A, Employer's Attitudes 119 B, Reported Effects on Production 123 C, The Music at Work Program of Radio Otation WNYC 126 D, Record Lists 128 E, Case Histories 134 F, Views of the £vanagements of British Industrial Companies 142 Bibliography 144 1 INTRODUCTION 2 PURPOSE The purpose of this thesis is to prepare a report which will set before a manufacturer considering the use of music the facts relative to its application and its effects upon the morale and efficiency of the worker. It is our hope that all of our major premises will be carefully weighed by the manufacturer in view of today's existing knowledge, but we must first pass out the warning that so little scientific work has been carried on in this phase of industrial welfare, that no sure-fire answer has been found for every question. Our presenta- tion attempts to correlate all available information as of the present date. Although we are undoubtedly preju- diced toward the use of music, we shall try to maintain a spirit of impartiality. SCOPE This investigation strives to include only music's place in the industrial organization. Instances of in- creases in milk production by the use of music in barns has come to our attention, but we feel that the limita- tions of our work will exclude the study of music on the farm. We have also placed restrictions upon the method of transmission of music to workers. All glee clubs and band concerts, participated in by the worker, are elimi- nated. Our sole concern is with the use of music played to the worker, no matter how it is presented. Although music played during working hours is our chief interest, rest period and lunch hour music will also be considered. The factory worker receives most of our attention, but the effect of music on the clerical and mental worker will also be considered. 4 IMTHOD For the gathering of our information, all available literature for the past twenty years was first searched. We were thus able to obtain about two hundred names of persons, organizations, and companies displaying interest in music in industry. The main body of our material has come mostly from our contacts with these two hundred corresoondents. 5 HISTORY For centuries music has been playing a significant role in man's work life. Old sea chanteys of the sailors and the use of music in the building of the pyramids are evidence of music's early prominence in history. The first recorded case of the use of music in the modern age is probably Thomas Edison's attempt to use phonographs in a cigar factory. The failure resulted from too much noise which could not be overcome by the weak volume of the phonograph. The necessity of good electrical reproduction was the temporary fly in the ointment. In 1925, Westinghouse Electric Co. at its Newark plant, successfully introduced the playing of records over its loud speakers, but the idea remained rather dormant until the advent of the British studies in 1937. Studies of industrial music were made due to the activities of equipment producers and the interests of the British Industrial Health Research Board. A great impetus was given to music in industry in 1940 by the desire to improve morale and increase production for the benefit of the war effort. Foilowing the British lead, manufacturers in the U.S. are just awakening to the potential value of music in industry. The timeliness of our investigation may be shown by the estimate that last April only 500 plants employed music, while in July, the 6 number had risen to almost 3,000.1 1. Antrim, Doron K., "IMusic for All-Out Production," Forbes, August 15, 1942, p. 16. I 7 SUMMARY 8 kusic has two psychological effects. A spirited melody brings a feeling of gaiety, while a melancholy one produces listlessness and somberness. By the application of the known effects of music, it is possible to use music to advantage in the improvement of the morale and efficiency of the industrial worker. Morale denotes the worker's will to work and satis- faction in his job. Because music provides a genial atmos- phere and indicates to the worker that management is inter- ested in the welfare of its employees, the worker feels happy in his job and way of life. Poorly chosen music will not have beneficial effects, but good music, properly reproduced will help form a bond of friendship between workers and management. The repetition of one task will soon result in fatigue. Whether the fatigue be caused by physical inability or men- tal tiredness, a decrease in production will result. Numerous scientific investigations have shown music's effect upon us mentally and physically. 6tudy of these findings in conjunction with an analysis of the periods of highest fatigue lead to the choice of the most opoortune hours to play music. Management's ultimate interest in the value of music usually concerns its effect upon production. 'The easiest way to effect a production increase is to improve the morale F9 and reduce the fatigue of the worker. Any study of music's effects on production entails the necessity that all other working conditions remain constant. Only two tests under controlled conditions have been made: (1) by Wyatt and Langdon of the Industrial Health Research Board, Great Britain, and (2) by Prof. Burris-Meyer of Stevens Institute of Technology. In both instances, the use of music has brought about an increase in production, while its elim- ination has been followed by a production decrease. It must not be assumed that music will always increase production, however. The application of music warrants a great deal of consideration. For maximum results music requires that there be not too much noise, a concentration of workers, and monotonous work. Individual variances among employees, such as musical training, proportion of men to women, age, and nationality influence the type of music. Employee requests should be used if in accordance with the general program of music. Music in the industrial plant may be obtained in numerous ways. The Viuzak Corporation specializes in "piped in" music while R.C-A. Manufacturing Company puts installations in plants. However, a number of com- panies prefer to make their own installations. WNYC has a noon hour program for radio-equipped plants in the New York area. Operating costs under any of these 10 set-ups is insignificant. Present shortages of Olectrical reproduction equipment raise difficulties in obtaining a music installation, but the feat is far from impossible. Workers sometimes get the idea that the music is being introduced to cause them to work faster; this impression should be discouraged. Almost anyone can operate the music system. This task often falls to the telephone operator. The record library grows larger as it is kept alive with new tunes furnished by the company, and additions sometimes made by the employees. Control of the entire music program and installation should be under the supervision of the Industrial Relations Department.

Load more

  159

Copy Link