Question

At the turn of the 20th century, piecework pay was the typical organizational reward system. if an organization with a bunch of bricklayers typically laid bricks at the rate of 100 bricks an hour, but someone new begins work and lays bricks at the rate of 200 bricks and hour, the manager might conclude everyone should be laying bricks at this rate and ______, or lower the pay per brick laid.

Answer 1

The manager might conclude everyone should be laying bricks at this rate and "bust the rate", or lower the pay per brick laid. This is done to try and force the workers to lay the bricks faster. The brick layers will try harder to lay the bricks if they want to make up for their previous slow pace. This type of behavior was typical for managers who received more efficient workers.