A brief history of time

October 8, 2011 9:17 AM

Is there a good popular/not-too-academic history of productivity, time management, etc.? I'd love to read an in-depth account of Ben Franklin, Peter Drucker, and everything in between. Something like this slideshow, but, well, a book. Any ideas?
posted by staboo to Society & Culture (3 answers total)

I don't know how academic or non-academic his work is, but W. Edwards Deming's work is often cited, at least in the context of industry and industrial processes.

It may help to understand whether you're looking for information about how productivity and time management are examined in the context of business (which is Deming's purview) or else other spheres...
posted by dfriedman at 10:33 AM on October 8, 2011

Kind of academiccy, but in line with the post-industrial revolution is The Principles of Scientific Management by Frederick Winslow Taylor.
posted by wocka wocka wocka at 10:43 AM on October 8, 2011

Response by poster: less business and more as a social phenomenon... but anything is helpful, thanks!
posted by staboo at 4:42 PM on October 8, 2011