Review of Men at work

Abstract

Reviews the book, Men at work by C. A. Oakley (1946). It is the apparent purpose of this book to sell top management on the usefulness of the psychologist's efforts and activities, to show the breadth of their scope, and in larger terms the benefits to be derived therefrom. In addition, this book is a British industrial psychologist's contribution to the current major problem of social and industrial restoration of the Empire. With Britain in a post war economic crisis high levels of production are essential for a sound future. But in line with Britain's social philosophy of today the author takes the point of view that production should not be achieved at the expense either of workers' social gains or of social objectives. Indeed, the position is taken that production and social gains can and must go hand in hand and that the former cannot be achieved in any stable manner without accomplishment of the latter. Thus the book is definitely one with a message; to sell top management on the usefulness of psychology as an important means for achieving high production, a means commensurate with current social thinking. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)