Business employments

Front matter

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Preface

When a young man faces the world and has to make his choice of a way to earn his living, three roads open before him, broadly speaking. The first is business, with its many lines. The second is that of the industries, which include all skilled and unskilled labor in the manufacturing and building trades and in agriculture. The third is that of the professions, such as engineering, teaching, law, medicine, journalism, and the fine arts.

This volume deals with the first of these divisions. It discusses the opportunities for employment in business.

But business itself divides into three branches — Manufacture, Trade, and Finance. Manufacturing has a busi» ness side which is just as important as the actual work of making things. Trade is buying and selling. Storekeeping, wholesale and retail, is another name for it. Finance is that branch of business which collects and preserves and distributes the supply of money on which the business world depends. "We are most famiUar with it in the form of Banking.

In this book, then, is collected a large amount of information about the business of manufacturing, the business of trading, and the business of finance. This has been gathered during an investigation which covered several years and extended along many lines. It embodies the facts about business pursuits brought

305020 iv BUSINESS EMPLOYMENTS

« together by the Vocation Bureau from its studies of

many occupations, from that of the machinist to that

of the lawyer.

You will find that this book presents an intensive study of three definite business lines which include and typify the general activities of the business world. The business side of manufacture is treated with shoe manufacture as a concrete example. Modem retail trade is illustrated by the department store. Finance, of course, is illustrated by a study of banking institutions.

The manufacturing industries include all mechanical or manual occupations; retail trade is typical of mercantile and commercial occupations; banking is the center of all pursuits whose nature is distinctly financial. Hence the organization of business firms and corporations, the functions and responsibilities of the yarious officers and business employees, the earnings, opportunities for advancement, and requirements for success, as set forth in these pages, are probably in large degree those found in business employments throughout the field of human activity.

Such is the method of this book. Its purpose is to enable young men to choose intelligently between business and other pursuits, to help make business employees more efficient, and so to render some service to those who are interested in the problems of career

building.

FREDERICK J. ALLEN

The Vocation Bureau, Boston

Chapter I. Business Organization In Manu- Facture : The Executive Offices 5

Choice of VocatLon like Making an Investment, 5 — Growth of the Manufacturing Industries, 6 — Enlargement of Attendant Business, 7 — Organization in Manufacture, 8

— Dissecting an Industry : the Use of Charts, 9 — The Shoe Industry, 10 — Chart of Organization in Manufacture, 11 — Organization in Shoe Manufacture, 12 — Stockholders, 14 — The Manufacturing Corporation, 14 — Officers, 14 — Board of Directors, 16 — Executive Committee, 15 — General Manager, 16 — Mill Agent, 16 — Chairman of the Board of Directors, 17 — Secretary to the President, or Secretary to the Corporation, 17 — Assistant to the President, 18 — Responsibility of the Head of a Concern, 19 — Efficiency Manager, 19 — Efficiency Engineer, 19 — Professional Efficiency Expert, 20 — Line Organization and Staff Organization, 21 — Scientific Management, 21 -r- Chart of Staff Organization in Manufacture, 22 — Requirements for Executive Officers, 23 — Salaries of Officers, 24 — Executive Offices, 25 — Employment Opportunities in Executive Offices, 25 — Employment or Labor Department, 26 — Employment-Department Methods, 26 — Application Forms, 26-28— Employee's Record Cards, 29, 80, 33— Typical Regulations for Employees, 30-33 — Training of Employees, 33

— A Division of the Department, 33 — A Central Employment Office, 34 — Positions in Employment Department, 34

— Employment Manager, 34 — The Supply of Labor, 35 — The Turn-Over of Labor, 36— The Employment Problem, 37 — The Industrial Counselor, 38 — The Industrial Development Expert, 38 vi BUSINESS EMPLOYMENTS

PAGE

Chapter II. The General Offices 39

The General Offices, 39 — The Office Manager, 39 — Chart of the General Offices of a Manufacturing Company, 40 — The Order Department, 41 — The Receipt and Handling of Orders, 41 — Order Form, 42 — Special Schedule and the Day Sheet, 48 — A Typical Day Sheet, 43, 44 — Positions in the Order Department, 44 — The Correspondence Department, 44 — Positions in the Correspondence Department, 45 — The Stenographic Department, 45 — The Bookkeeping Department, 45 — Positions in the Bookkeeping Department, 46 — A Typical Balance Sheet, 46, 48, 49— The Credit' and Collection Department, 46 — Positions in the Credit and Collection Department, 46 — The Credit Manager, 47 — A Statement from an Employer, 50 — The Purchasing Department, 50 — Positions in the Purchasing Department, 51 — The Purchasing Agent, 51 — The Receiving Department, 52 — The Job Room, 53 — Positions in the Receiving Department, 53 — The Publicity Department, 53 — General Advertising, 54 — Local Advertising, 55 — The Art Department, 55 — The Advertising Manager, 56 — The Display Rooms, 56 — Positions in the Advertising Department, 56 — The Mailing Department, 57 — Positions in the Mailing Department, 57 — The Sales Department, 58 — Other Methods of Securing Business, 59 — A Statistical Division, 60 — The Sample Rooms or Sample Department, 60 — Positions in the Sales Department, 60 — The Sales Manager, 61 — The Traveling Salesman, 61 — Educational or Other Requirement, 62 — A Typical Quotation, 62 — A Salesman's Advantages, 63 — A Salesman's Pay and Routine, 63 — Disadvantages in a Salesman's Life, 65 — The Rise of the Modem Traveling Salesman, 66 — The Other Business Departments, 67 — The Information Office, 68 — Requirements for Service in the General Offices, 68 — Training and Promotion in the Business Offices, 69

Chapter III. The Factory Offices 71

Factory Routine, 71 —The Factory Offices, 72 — Chart of the Factory Offices of a Manufacturing Company, 73 ^- The Department of Advance Information, 74 — Positions in the Department of Advance Information, 75 — The Tag

CONTENTS vii

PAGE

Department, 75 — The Foreman's Tag, 76, 76 — Positions in the Tag Department, 76 — The Dispatch Department, 76 — The Day-Sheet Section of the Dispatch Department, 77 — The Tracing Section of the Dispatch Department, 78 — Positions in the Dispatch Department, 78 — The Efficiency Department, 78 — Example of a Firm Conducting Efficiency Work, 79 — A Conservative View of Efficiency Work, 79 — Positions in the Efficiency Department, 80 — The Raw- Material Office or Department : Upper-Leather Office, 80 — Positions in the Upper-Leather Office, 81 — The Supply Department, 81 — Positions in the Supply Department, 82 — A Typical Requisition Form, 82 — The Schedule Department, 82 — Positions in the Schedule Department, 83 — The Checking Department, 83 — Positions in the Checking Department, 83 — The Pay-Roll Department, 83 — Employee's Weekly Record Card, 84 — Piece- Worker's Card, 85 — Positions in the Pay-Roll Department, 85 — The Cost Department, 86 — The Expense Department, 86 — The Messenger Service, 87 — Promotions from the Messenger Service, 87 — Industrial Service, 88 — Positions in the Industrial-Service Department, 89 — The Requirements for Service in the Factory Offices, 90

Chapter IV. The Manufacturing Industries: Statistics 91

The Purpose of this Chapter, 91 — The Nature of Manufacture, 91 — The Thirteenth Census, 91 — Earlier Censuses, 92 — The Figures for 1909, 92 — The Increase from 1899 to 1909, 92 ^ Comparison of Earnings on the Business Side and on the Manufacturing Side, 93 — The Probable Increase since 1909, 94 — Explanation of Census Statistics, 94 — Industrial Statistics and Business Opportunities, 96 — Value of Products, by Industries : 1909 and 1899, 97 — Continental United States and Noncontiguous Territory : 1909, 98 — General Comparison for the United States : 1909, 1904, and 1899, 99 — Comparison with Earlier Censuses, 100 — Accompanying Statement, 101 — Manufacturing Centers of the United States, 102 — Per Cent Distribution of Average Number of Wage Earners, by Industries : 1909, 103 — List of the States according to Numbers of Wage Earners in viii BUSINESS EMPLOYMENTS

PAQB

Manufacture: 1909, 104 — List of Leading Cities in the United States according to Numbers of Wage Earners in Manufacture : 1909, 106 — Distribution according to Size of Communities, 106 — Summary of Persons engaged in Manuf acture in the United States : 1909, 107 — Comparison of Occupational Status of 1904 and 1909, 108 — Sex and Age Distribution by Industries, 108 — The Percentage of Persons on the Business Side of Manufacture, 109

PAET TWO. MODERN EETAIL TRADE AS ILLUS- TRATED BY THE DEPARTMENT STORE

Chapter V. The Department Store 113

. Its Nature, 113 — From the Public Point of View, 114 — The Rise of the Department Store, 116 — Competition, 117

— Future, 117 — Method of Treatment, 118 — Chart of Department-Store Organization, 119 — Four Major Divisions,119 — Departmentsof Merchandise, 120 — The General Manager, 120 — The Board of Managers, 121

Chapter VI. Merchandising Or Buying .... 122

The Receiving Room, 122 — The Marking Room, 123 — The Stock Room, 123— The Division of Buying, 123 — The Buyer, 124 — The Assistant Buyer, 125 — Tlte Merchandise Manager, 125 — The Assistant Merchandise Manager, 126 — Diagram of the Merchandise Department, 127 — The Boy in the Merchandise Department, 127

Chapter VII. Superintending And Selling . . 129

Divisions and Positions, 129 — Employment Office, 129 — Floor Superintending, 130 — Selling and its Positions, 130

— The Educational Department, 131 — The Division of Expense, 131 — The Division of Supply and Construction, 131

— The Mail-Order Department, 132 — The Delivery System, 132 — The More Important Positions and Features of Superintending and Selling, 132 — The Store Manager, 133 — Diagram of Store Management, 133, 134 — The Store Superintendent, 133 — The Floor Manager, 135 — Requirements

CONTENTS ix

FAGS

for Successful Salesmanship, 135 — Diagram of Salesmanship Requirements, 136 — The Boy in the Selling Department, 136— The Basis of Pay in Selling, 137

Chapter VIII. The Office Department .... 188

Its Nature, 138 — Simple Office Divisions, 138 — Divisions in Office Work in the Highly Organized Store : 1. The Credit and Collection Department, 138 ; 2. The Charge Account Bookkeeping, 139 ; 3. The Cashier's Office or Accounting Room, 139 ; 4. The C.O.D. Division, 139 ; 5. The Auditing Department, 139 ; 6. The Purchase-Records Department, 139 ; 7. The Payment Department, 139 ; 8. The Stock-Record Department, 140 ; 9. The Statistical Department, 140 — Diagram of the Office Department, 140 — Positions in the Office Department in the Highly Organized Store, 140 — The Bookkeeper, 141 — An Actual Case of Advancement, 141 — The Boy in the Office Department, 142

Chapter IX. The Advertising Department . . 143

Its Nature, 143— The Modern Trend, 143 — Divisions in Store Advertising, 144 — Positions, 144 — The Publicity Manager, 144 — Diagram of the Advertising Department, 146 — Important Assistant Positions, 145 — The Boy in the Advertising Department, 146 — Work Producing Advertising Men, 147

Chapter X. Conditions Of Service 148

Hours of Employment, 148 — Seasonal Increase in Trade, 148 — Seasonal Increase and Decrease in the Number of Employees, 148 — Diagram of Seasonal Changes, 149 — Vacation, 150 — Physical Conditions, 150 — Influences Making for Fatigue, 160 — Competition in Service, 151 — Where the Way Divides, 151

Chapter XI. Social-service Work 153

The Nature of this Work, 153 — Three Lines of Opportunity, 154 — Educational Training, 164 — The School of Salesmanship, 164 — Administrative Ti*aining: 1. Efficiency Bulletins, 155 ; 2. Merchandise Conferences, 166 ; 3. Efficiency Records, 156 ; 4. School Enrollment, 156 — Social Features: 1. A Mutual-Aid Association, 157 ; 2. An

X BUSINESS EMPLOYMENTS

PAQB

Insurance or Mutual-Benefit Association, 167 ; 3. A Savings-Deposit System, 157 ; 4. A Medical Department, 157 ; 5. The Lecture Committee, 167 ; 6. The Library Committee, 167 ; 7. The Suggestion Committee, 167 ; 8. The Entertainment Committee, 167 ; 9. The Club-House Committee, 168; 10. The Music Committee, 168; 11. A Store Paper, 158 — Workers in this Division, 168 — A Sample Daily Club Keport, 168-160

CHAPTEK XII. THE EMPLOYEE, PAY, AND PRO- MOTION 161

Suggestions from an Employer to Young Persons who may wish to enter this Occupation, 161 — Some Qualities Required, 163 — Educational Training, 164 — Pay, 166 — Promotion, 167 — Advice from a Store Manager, 168 — Actual Cases of Advancement, 169-171 — Quotation from a Government Investigation, 171 — Summary of Positions : Members of the Firm or Corporation, or High Officials, 172 ; The Merchandise Department, 173 ; Superintending and Selling, 173; The Office Department, 176; The Advertising Department, 176 — Positions not limited to the Department Store, 176 — The Furrier, 176 — The Store Detective, 176 — Additional Activities, 176 — Heads of Factories, 177 — Statistics from the Thirteenth Census of the United States : Number and Proportion of Persons in -the General Divisions of Occupations. Number and Per Cent of Distribution, 1910, Table 8, 178 ; Number and Proportion of Persons in the General Divisions of Occupations. Number and Per Cent of Distribution by Decades, 1880-1890, Table 9, 179 ; Distribution by General Divisions of Persons 10 Years of Age and Over Engaged in Gainful Occupations by Divisions and States, 1910. Trade and Transportation, Table 10, 180, 181 ; Number of Persons 10 Years of Age and Over Engaged in Specified Occupations. Arranged According to the Classification of 1900, for Both Sexes and for Each Sex separately, 1880-1910, Table 15, 182, 183

CONTENTS xi

BY BANKING

PAGE

Chapter XIII. Banking 187

The Business :, Its Nature, Divisions, and Future, 187-190 — The Board of Directors, 190 — Executive Officers, 190 — The President and Vice President, 190 — The Cashier and Assistant Cashier, 191 — Departments of Bank Work, 191 —The Paying Teller, 192 — The Receiving Teller, 192 — Discount Clerk, 192 — Collection Clerk, 193 — Corresponding Clerk, 193 — Mail Clerk, 193 — Exchange Clerk, 193 — The Bookkeeping Department, 193 — The Head Bookkeeper, 194 — The General Bookkeeper, 194 — The Auditor, 194 — The Department of Advertising, 194 — The Advertising Manager and his Assistants, 195 — Pay, Positions, and Opportunities, 195 — The Boy; Qualities and Training Required, 196 — Suggestions from a Banker to a Boy who v^ishes to enter this Occupation, 196, 197 — The Annual Report of the Comptroller of the Currency, 198 — Statistics Compiled from the Reports of the United States Comptroller of the Currency for 1900, 1905, and 1910 : A. Grov^th in Numbers of Banks, 1900, 1905, and 1910, 199 ; B. Growth of National Banks from 1900 to 1910, 199 ; C. Chief Items of the Aggregate Resources and Liabilities of National Banks in 1900, 1905, and 1910, 200 ; D. Chief Items of the Aggregate Resources and Liabilities of State Banks for 1910, 200 ; E. Chief Items of the Aggregate Resources and Liabilities of Loan and Trust Companies in 1910, 200 ; F. Number of Savings Banks in the United States, Number of Depositors, etc., 1900-1910, 201 — Other Forms of Business, 201

BIBLIOGRAPHY 203

BUSINESS AND TRADE JOURNALS 209

INDEX 213