Results of Standardization of Supplies

concentration upon specific products and materials, both in production and in use, to the end of bringing about the greatest possible industrial efficiency. In the standardization of supplies for purchase by governmental bodies this means primarily the selection of the optimum number of types, sizes and grades required, and their definition by means of adequate specifications upon the basis of which bids are requested. It must be said at the outset that, while standardization in public purchasing has shown extremely important results, these results can be stated only in general terms, since there is a striking dearth of authoritative numerical data on the amount of savings that have been brought about through such standardization work. As a matter of fact, very few of the states or cities keep their accounts in sufficient detail to show even the total amounts spent for materials and supplies. In general this has been in the past also true of the Federal Government, although the Director of the Budget has stated that in 1922 the federal expenditures for supplies and equipment were approximately $258,000,000. Even in private business there is a great paucity of such numerical results. In fact, so far as I am aware, no publications are available showing the results of adequate studies of typical cases which would give accurately the relative costs, either to producer or to consumer, of standard and non-standard products. CLARIFYING AND SIMPLIFYING PURCHASE ROUTINE

Business · Standardization · Computer Science · Manufacturing Process and Optimization · Quality and Management Systems · Transport Systems and Technology

• Evolution of Performance Measurement Until 1930

  Open Access•Daniel Williams, Daniel W Williams•Administration & Society•2004

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