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    "label": "\"History of the Technical Assistance Programs of the Marshall Plan and Successor Agencies, 1948-1961\"",
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    "title": "\"History of the Technical Assistance Programs of the Marshall Plan and Successor Agencies, 1948-1961\"",
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    "ocrText": "Box 6\nInitial Observations for Improvement of British Productivity'\nPost-United Kingdom Sector Survey, June 1948\n1.\nPlans be Made for Large Numbers of Plant Managers and Some Labor Representatives to Visit\nComparable Factory Operations in the U.S.\nIt is believed that the differences in efficiency of factory operation between the U.K. and the\nU.S. are too great and involve too many diverse factors to permit improvement of British productivity by\nany other method than very large-scale observation on the part of the British. Studies, commission\nreports, and formal education programs can provide little immediate aid. Since many English plants lack\nexperience in almost every phase of factory operations typical of American mass production, only by\nmeans of on-the-job observation can an integrated understanding be obtained of American methods.\nIt is essential that facilities be provided for far greater numbers of English technicians than\nhave visited the U.S. in the past. To significantly affect the productivity of a given British\nindustry, for example, engineers from virtually every plant in the industry should visit the U.S. Care\nshould be exercised that the technicians selected are factory management personnel, and that several men\nfrom a given factory be sent abroad together.\n2.\nMeans be Provided to Increase the Number and Types of Technical Trade Journals and Make Them\nMore Available to Industry Members\nIt was noted everywhere that factory managers, superintendents, department heads, and even\nforemen expressed an almost avid desire for technical literature, English and American. Periodicals\nwere not easily found purchased, and in many fields such as factory management there was insufficient\nliterature. There appeared to be an absence of semi-technical and popular trade magazines for given\nindustries. Trade journal costs were too high in relation to income, and in many cases American\nmagazines could not be obtained.\n3.\nAn Abstracting Service to be Established Covering Factory Operation, New Equipment, and Product\nImprovements\nThis service to abstract the world press for latest improvements in factory methods and\nequipment and send periodic pamphlets to all plants in each industry. The service to be similar to\npresent chemical and biological abstract programs common to both countries. Abstract services of this\ntype carried on in the United States during the war.\n4.\nIndustry Catalog Literature be Encouraged\nThe wide advertisement of machinery, equipment, products, parts, and supplies would be\nencouraged in all forms. The traditional conservatism of the British manufacturer in adopting new\nequipment and methods should be counteracted by extensive familiarization by means of advertised matter,\nleaflets, and organized catalog literature.\n5.\nMeans be Provided so that Factories Have Accessible Sample Products of Competing Industries\nAbroad\nIt was noted that the majority of factories visited had only occasional access to comparable\nproducts of industries abroad. In some cases, plant engineers had not seen a product of American\nindustry since prior to the war. The shortage of dollars was one reason for this situation, while on\nthe other hand the insular attitude of British management was another. This resulted in a serious lack\nof contact with product and engineering developments achieved, in other countries--many of which\ncontributed to reduced man-hour requirements.\n6.\nA \"Utility\" Concept Program be Developed for Standardized Components Similar to Present Program\nfor End Products\nProductivity is hampered in many industries by an uneconomical variety of special components\nand parts for individual companies, which frequently must be produced on a small scale at high unit\ncost.\nSource: BLS, Productivity Survey of English and French Manufacturing Plants, May 29-July 10, 1948.\n24"
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