Henry Dennison and Employee Representation: A Counterpoint in Management Thought

Abstract

Although the period from approximately 1900 until the late 1920's is commonly seen as a time in which mechanistic models of management and organization predominated, several outstanding humanistic management writers and practitioners also emerged. An outstanding example of these industrial humanists was Henry Dennison. Among his employee-centered innovations at Dennison Manufacturing Company was that firm's employee representation plan. This plan opened upward channels of communications for employees and contributed to the granting of numerous employee benefits. While such contributions would be judged as modest by today's standards, the representation plan was an innovation for its time and was typical of the employee-oriented programs instituted by Dennison.