EXPERIENCE WITH FIVE-DAY WEEK 43

less than 109 of the plants that reported maintained or increased
 production are in the 40-hour per week group. As a
rule, plants in which production was maintained or increased
were the larger ones, and reduced output was reported by
the smaller establishments.
Character of product or nature of process, although less
important than management, have no doubt something to do
with the effect upon production of a reduced work schedule.
A clothing establishment employing 250 workers shortened
its work week from forty-eight to forty hours in changing to
+he five-day week, and reported a decrease in output approxi
mately equivalent to the eight hours productive time lost.
A larger company manufacturing paper products made a
similar reduction in hours of work but found a decided increase
 in the weekly volume of output. A third company
reduced its weekly working schedule by eleven hours and still
found weekly production increased, while in a fourth company
 the shortening of the work schedule by one hour per
week resulted in a lower output per week.
One company, with a product which permits an accurate
standard of comparison, gave the following results for the
veriod since the adoption of the five-day week, with the
statement that this change must not be considered necessarily
attributable to the shorter working schedule. It is apparent,
however, that the reduction in hours per week from fifty-five
to forty-eight did not seriously affect efficiency of operation.
The figures given are as follows:

1920... ..
\g21.....
922...
23...
"4,
25.
"26...
F227. iawn snipes
928 (First half year).

VALUE oF Propuer SuippED PER DoLrar oF Wace Cost
$7.11
. a0
< 40
ny
"26
77
“3

Contradictory experiences are a warning that too much
stress may easily be placed upon the supposed effect upon
production of a change in the working schedule. Apparently,
the adoption of the five-day week has been responsible alike