Psychological problems in industry.

THiS is a title which could cover an enormous range of articles. It is difficult to know where to begin, any response is partial and it may be accounted some measure of success if more is suggested than included. Details proliferate, concepts are confused. This paper will deal with some general principles. Naturally the first step was to look for references to published work and to consult some of the authorities. The result was surprising, but not altogether unexpected. One great medical library had an almost complete blank. The headings were sparse and the articles quoted very few, in fact most of them were 20 years old. A librarian at one famous institute said "I don't think you would get much agreement, its such a vast subject." Another said, "I could not pick out any titles specially, there are so many different approaches. So much new work is being done of varied quality. Some might call a paper good and others dismiss it as trivial." Another said that medical thinking was in a flux and that it would be very difficult to get any broad areas of agreement. As the late Professor Joad used to say "It all depends on what you mean by....." The dividing line between the normal and the abnormal is a very fine one and a matter of social attitudes, tolerance and interpretation. In particular, the individual bias of the doctor towards a physical or a psychological diagnosis for presenting symptoms will produce enormous variation in the apparent incidence of psychological problems. Industry is after all only a section of the total human situation, and is organically related to the problems of society as a whole. A famous historian, Sir Lewis Namier, said that the development of a nation could be traced through the history of development and relation of the armed forces to the state. The impulse and discipline of war and authority resolves into many patterns of relationship between civilian and the services, from domination to relegation. War was once a major industry, and many have remarked on the close analogy of problems in the services and problems in industry. The great generals have all shown care for men, care for communication and care for logistics. War is out of fashion, but it is fashionable to quote authority. Here a reference to one of the outstanding leaders of the first world war is apt; his words echo those of many before and after. General Monash, commanding the Australian troops wrote:-