Reviews for Yankee enterprise, the rise of the American system of manufactures

The average rating for Yankee enterprise, the rise of the American system of manufactures based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2014-08-30 00:00:00 Kyle Mcguire A. Introduction 1. This collection aimed to be the first “comprehensive interpretation of the American System of Manufacturers.” 2. Three main objectives a) Provide a reference for current scholarship b) Emphasize the overall historical significance of the American System (relate it to traditional history) c) Provide a synthesis of previous interpretations 3. What is the American System? a) Precision machine tools b) Precision gauges or other instruments of measurement c) Uniformily accepted standards of measurement d) Techniques of mechanical drawing e) Techniques of managerial and administrative control B. “British Origins,” A. E. Musson: Argues that mass production and interchangeable part originated in Great Britain. It was the Industrial Revolution which created a demand for specialized machine tools that made possible mass production. Two of Babbage’s engineers were key to this development. Clement, his chief engineer, and Whitworh both were responsible for many of the gauges, and templates that led to assembly-line production. It was not until after the 1850s that an American System of Manufacturing arose in the United States. C. “Why in America,” Nathan Rosenberg: First was the social factor. There were traditional craft values in Britain which placed pride an emphasis on hard-crafted, individualized goods. They believed that uniformity and standardization resulted in an inferior product. These traditional beliefs did not exist in America and standardized goods were readily accepted. There were two other key factors: economic supply and demand. As for demand, in America there was a rapid rate of growth for certain commodities which encouraged entrepreneurs to adopt new specialized production processes (less general purpose machines). Differences in the supply, the abundant natural resources of America, increased the number of resource intensive machines. Thus, the new machines became resource intensive and labor saving, two key stages for the development of mass production. D. “Military Entrepreneurship,” Merrit Roe Smith: Assess the militaries role (Ordnance Department) in facilitating the rise of the American System. They invested much money which promoted the system. The armory techniques spread to other armoires throughout the country. E. “Measuring Techniques and Manufacturing Practice,” Paul Uselding: Discusses the introduction and development of measuring instrumentation and the effects of production in England and the US. The argument is that machine accuracy depends upon accurate measurement devices. F. “The System; Theory and Practice,” David Hounshell: He says that the key to understanding the American System of Manufacturers is to understand what it is and is not: 1. The American System is the mechanization of industry and the adoption of special tools for minute processes 2. The American System is not the interchangeability of parts. This was only a characteristic of the armory practice G. “The American System and Modern Management,” Alfred Chandler: There is a close connection between the adoption of the American System and the emergence of modern industrial management (Taylorism, specialization of work.) H. “The American System and the American Worker,” Daniel Nelson: What was the effects of the American System on the worker? The American System did not cause the labor problem--the problem was how the workers were managed.

Review # 2 was written on 2007-06-18 00:00:00 Tony Garcia An excellent, abridged biography on Louis Armstrong. The Louis Armstrong You Never Knew is the first among several biographies of Louie that I am going to be reading for my "MUS 110 - Appreciation of Jazz" class in NKU.