Management's Unsung Theorist: An Examination of the Works of Lillian M. Gilbreth

Dr. Lillian Moller Gilbreth (1878-1972) was a researcher, a management consultant, a university professor, and a working mother. She advanced management theory by introducing a humanistic approach to the field of scientific management. She emphasized training, motivating, and improving the quality of life of the average worker long before these ideas came into vogue. As a consultant and university professor, she worked for the advancement of women, the handicapped, and older workers.