Thanks for visiting. The purpose of this website is to tell visitors a little about my work, as well as providing an easy way of contacting me. If you have any questions or comments, I encourage you to get in touch.
I am interested in how ideas of science, technology, industry, and work mesh with political ideas. Moreover, I am interested how these interconnected concepts function in practice. I believe that to understand how these ideas interact in the present day, and how they are implemented, we must address how they've developed towards the important debates and policies which are taking place today.
To focus on this, my Imperial College PhD research examines work efficiency and incentive methods in inter-war and wartime Britain, an important crucible for the forging of modern work methods.
Charlie Chaplin in Modern Times (1934)
Many people will be familiar with the ideas underpinning work efficiency and incentives through concepts such as scientific management, mass production, management consultancy, time and motion study, and Taylorism. Of great interest to me are the utopian socio-economic and political models which contemporaries believed could be obtained by increasing work efficiency. Directly relevant contemporary novels include Yevgeny Yamyatin's We (1921) and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World (1932). In addition, the celebrated movies À Nous La Liberté (1931), Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times (1934) and Cheaper By The Dozen (1950) give excellent insights into the concepts I discuss.
In particular, I am researching the Bedaux system, a highly successful work efficiency method in the period. I am also undertaking extensive research into industrial psychology, a management discipline which was developed and increasingly used in British industry between the wars.
I am currently exploring five groups of individuals who frequently commented on these work efficiency methods in Britain:
i) Scientific managers explored the Bedaux system and industrial psychology, and conducted much significant research into these methods.
ii) Business intellectuals, particularly Conservatives, frequently discussed the Bedaux system, scientific management and related work efficiency methods.
iii) The Communist Party of Great Britain, which vigorously opposed the Bedaux system.
iv) Liberal scientific organisations which researched industrial psychology, work processes, and management techniques.
v) Societies and unions affiliated to the Labour Party, who embraced work efficiency and management in different ways and at different times.
Charles E. Bedaux (standing, left) with the King-Emperor Edward VIII (standing, right).
The Bedaux system was named after the colourful multi-millionnaire Charles E. Bedaux. Throughout the course of my PhD so far, I have made substantial progress in researching Charles E. Bedaux, and discovered many novel primary sources. In addition, the many urban legends surrounding his (almost unbelievable) life story have encouraged me to consider writing a full biography of this fascinating individual.
When time allows I am also preparing an article on juvenile alcohol consumption in wartime Britain.