DENNING, Arthur du Pré

Denning was born in Woolwich, near London, probably in 1854 (census records are not clear on the subject). He trained as a barrister, and then served as works secretary for Henry Bostock’s shoemaking firm, Lotus Ltd, in Stafford. It is possible that he is the Dr Arthur du Pré who was appointed secretary of the University of London Appointments Board in 1912. He was the author of Scientific Factory Management, published in 1919. 

Denning’s Rowntree conference paper draws heavily on his book, which he references several times. He also refers to American authorities such as Harrington Emerson and Alexander Hamilton Church. The majority of the paper is devoted to classifying employees according to level and function and establishing lines of communication and control. 

Major works 

Scientific Factory Management, 1919. 

Lecture:  ‘The organisation of factory personnel’, 23 September 1921, Balliol College