The Years 1910-1940

Taylorism

Frederick Winslow Taylor, American engineer and economist, proposes a new theory on the scientific organization of labor, which he called "Taylorism". This theory early debate in the automotive industry, especially when applied by American industrialist Henry Ford, and marks a real turning point in the history of automobile. The American automaker Ford renames the method of Taylor "Fordism" and 1908, makes his philosophy. He is not alone, and in France, Renault adopts in part. It was not until 1912 to see Renault totally succumb to Taylorism.

Fordism and Taylorism in the automotive industry is a new industrial revolution. Indeed, an industry crafts luxury reserved for the privileged gradually become skilled workers a commoditized product to the general public. Ford knows well at the beginning of the century serious personnel problems: lack of skills, absenteeism, alcoholism, etc.. The implementation of real workflows, as shown Taylorism, requiring little or no skilled labor causes a significant drop in production costs and allows more able to afford this new medium of locomotion.