Frank Bunker Gilbreth

Frank Bunker Gilbreth (July 7, 1868-June 14, 1924), born in Fairfield, Maine, was a proponent of Taylorism and a pioneer of time-motion studies. With his wife and collaborator, Lillian Moller Gilbreth, he sought to understand the work habits of industrial employees and to find ways to increase their output. He and Lillian were partners in their own management consulting firm, Gilbreth, Inc., which focused on such endeavors.

Related Topics:
July 7 - 1868 - June 14 - 1924 - Fairfield, Maine - Taylorism - Time-motion studies - Lillian Moller Gilbreth

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Writing in The History of Management Thought, Claude George (1968) said that Gilbreth refined the hand motions into 17 basic motions. These included ?grasp,? ?transport loaded,? and ?hold.? Gilbreth named the motions, therbligs, which is Gilbreth spelled backwards with the ?th? transposed. The emphasis ?on the one best way? including the 17 basic motions seemingly overlooked the late 20th century understanding that repeated motions can lead to physical repetitive motion disorders of the worker. However, George also observed that the Gilbreths were above-all scientists and they sought to teach managers that everything should be constantly questions and its feasibility and applicability should be discarded if an improvement is found. It is a quest for the one best way, that predates the development of continuous quality improvement (CQI). (Reference, (George, C. S. Jr. (1968). The History of Management Thought. Engle Wood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. P. 98)

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Gilbreth was a prolific researcher and often used his large family (and himself) as guinea pigs in his experiments. Their exploits are lovingly detailed in the book Cheaper by the Dozen, which was written by his son Frank Jr. and daughter Ernestine Gilbreth Carey and published in 1950. The book has since inspired two movie versions, one in 1950 and the second in 2003. The first, starring Clifton Webb and Myrna Loy, is considered by many to be superior to the 2003 version, which stars comedians Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt and takes considerable liberties with the original story.

Related Topics:
Guinea pig - Cheaper by the Dozen - 1950 - 2003 - Clifton Webb - Myrna Loy - Comedian - Steve Martin - Bonnie Hunt

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Gilbreth died suddenly of heart failure in Montclair, New Jersey on June 14, 1924, leaving behind 11 surviving children and a wife, who subsequently raised the children on her own. Their subsequent adventures are outlined in a second book by Frank Jr. and Ernestine, Bells on Their Toes, which was published in 1952.

Related Topics:
Heart failure - Montclair, New Jersey - June 14 - 1924 - Bells on Their Toes - 1952

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See also Therblig

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