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My Life and Work

Henry Ford (with Samuel Crowther)

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Summary

Henry Ford’s autobiography, written with Samuel Crowther, follows his early experiments and the growth of his car business. Ford explains his approach to production, prices, wages and service. He describes how changes in factory layout and work methods reduced assembly time, and sets out his views on waste, finance and the wider role of industry.

  • SourceHenry Ford and Samuel Crowther, My Life and Work · Title page, Introduction and chapters V Production and VIII Wages

Why read it Our view

Read for the sequence of small production experiments behind Ford’s factory system. His account offers concrete questions about work design, waste and the link between prices and wages.

Decisions from the book

Testing a moving assembly line
  • Decision: A worker needed about 20 minutes to assemble a flywheel magneto.
  • Action: Ford’s team tested a moving line and split the job into 29 operations.
  • Outcome: Ford reports that assembly time fell to 13 minutes and 10 seconds.
SourceMy Life and Work, assembly-line experiment · Chapter V Production; flywheel magneto experiment beginning around April 1, 1913

Written about

  • Henry FordAuthorship
    Ford wrote this account of his life and industrial methods in collaboration with Samuel Crowther.
    Source