FORMULATING A THEORY OF WORK MEASUREMENT: 1. Introduction

Most everyone would agree that optimal management decisions can only be made on the basis of sharp information. However, this question has not received much specific attention in the literature, largely because of a preoccupation with formal theories and models. This is quite understandable for, until comparatively recently, there was little theory in the field of management science. This is no longer the case, and the theories have far outrun data-gathering procedures. Indeed, the theories themselves suggest that better data-gathering procedures are needed than have heretofore been available.