Five Dollar Day Research Paper

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FIVE DOLLAR DAY Wake up, hope for the best, work nine hour days, and still only make $2.25 per day. People were wrestling the economy, but one day the people woke up, hoping for the best, and continuing the same routine, when the origin of “five dollar day” transpired. On January 5, 1914, it was the rise of Henry Ford, when he announced a change that stunned the world. He revealed that Ford Motor Company was doubling its workers’ wages to five dollars a day. Reducing a workweek from six to five days and shifts from nine hours to eight hours. The wealthy industrialist sharing profits with workers on such a scale was unprecedented.
Henry ford was a entrepreneur who basically invented the modern age. He was the founder of Ford Motor Company.
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Along with the “good deal” came requirements that were enforced like: no drinking, no gambling, learning English (immigrants), and wives had to work at home. As for the women, they were not eligible for the bonus unless they were single and supporting the family. The five dollar day was about half pay and half bonus. These requirements were enforced by the Socialization Organization. This was a committee that would visit homes of the employees to ensure that they were doing things the "American way.” The Ford Company always wanted to promote an ideal home life for its employees. “We believe that in order to live properly every man should have more time to spend with his family.” That March after the decision, according to an article published in The New York Times the company explained that “Every man needs more than one day a week for rest and recreation.” Because of the five-day work week, productivity was increased. Manufacturers all over the country, and the world, soon followed Ford’s lead, and the Monday to Friday work week became standard practice. “In the end, Ford’s business goals were realized and his wage increase had its intended effect: turnover declined sharply, and profits doubled to $60 million from $30 million from 1914 to

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