Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Discipline
-
- African History (1)
- Asian History (1)
- Cultural History (1)
- Diplomatic History (1)
- European History (1)
-
- History of Gender (1)
- History of Religion (1)
- History of the Pacific Islands (1)
- Intellectual History (1)
- Islamic World and Near East History (1)
- Latin American History (1)
- Law (1)
- Law and Economics (1)
- Legal (1)
- Medieval History (1)
- Military History (1)
- Oral History (1)
- Political History (1)
- Public History (1)
- Social History (1)
- United States History (1)
- Women's History (1)
- Keyword
Articles 1 - 2 of 2
Full-Text Articles in Labor History
Quantitative Literacy And The Humanities, Rachel Chrastil
Quantitative Literacy And The Humanities, Rachel Chrastil
Faculty Scholarship
No abstract provided.
Technology And Learning By Factory Workers: The Stretch-Out At Lowell, 1842, James Bessen
Technology And Learning By Factory Workers: The Stretch-Out At Lowell, 1842, James Bessen
Faculty Scholarship
In 1842 Lowell textile firms increased weaving productivity by assigning three looms per worker instead of two. This marked a turning point. Before, weavers at Lowell were temporary and mostly literate Yankee farm girls; afterwards, firms increasingly hired local residents, including illiterate and Irish workers. An important factor was on-the-job learning. Literate workers learned new technology faster, but local workers stayed longer. These changes were unprofitable before 1842, and the advantages of literacy declined over time. Firm policy and social institutions slowly changed to permit deeper human-capital investment and more productive implementation of technology