Hawthorne Hard Copy

7/31/2019 Hawthorne Hard Copy

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HAWTHORNES

EXPERIMENTS

BY:ELTON MAYO


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INTRODUCTIONGeorge Elton Mayo (26 December 1880 - 7 September 1949) was anAustralian psychologist , sociologist and organization theorist .

He lectured at the University of Queensland from 1911 to 1923 beforemoving to the University of Pennsylvania , but spent most of his career atHarvard Business School (1926 - 1947), where he was professor of industrial research . On 18 April 1913 he married Dorothea McConnel inBrisbane, Australia . They had two daughters, Patricia and Gael.

Mayo is known as the founder of the Human Relations Movement , and is

known for his research including the Hawthorne Studies and his book ThHuman Problems of an Industrialized Civilization (1933). The research heconducted under the Hawthorne Studies of the 1930s showed theimportance of groups in affecting the behavior of individuals at work.Mayo's employees, Roethlisberger and Dickinson, conducted the practicalexperiments.

The Hawthorne Studies (also knowns as the Hawthorne Experiments)were conducted from 1927 to 1932 at the Western Electric HawthorneWorks in Cicero, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago). This is where professorElton Mayo examined the impact of work conditions in employeeproductivity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychologisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociologisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organization_theoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Queenslandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Pennsylvaniahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_Business_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Industrial_research&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brisbane,_Australiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Relations_Movementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawthorne_Studieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychologisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociologisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organization_theoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Queenslandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Pennsylvaniahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_Business_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Industrial_research&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brisbane,_Australiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Relations_Movementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawthorne_Studies


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STUDIES

Elton Mayo's studies grew out of preliminary experiments at theHawthorne plant from 1924 to 1927 on the effect of light on productivity.Those experiments showed no clear connection between productivity andthe amount of illumination but researchers began to wonder what kind of changes would influence output.

Specifically, Elton Mayo wanted to find out what effect fatigue and

monotony had on job productivity and how to control them throughvariables such as rest breaks, work hours, temperature and humidity. Inthe process, he stumbled upon a principle of human motivation thatwould help to revolutionize the theory and practice of management.

The power of the social setting and peer group dynamics became evenmore obvious to Mayo in a later part of the Hawthorne Studies, when hesaw the flip side of his original experiments. A group of 14 men whoparticipated in a similar study restricted production because they weredistrustful of the goals of the project.

The portion of the Hawthorne Studies that dwelt on the positive effectsof benign supervision and concern for workers that made them feel likepart of a team became known as the Hawthorne Effect; the studiesthemselves spawned the human relations school of management that isconstantly being recycled in new forms today, witness quality circles,participatory management, team building, etc.Originally, the study was expected to last one year, but since thefindings were inexplicable when the researchers tried to relate theworker's efficiency to manipulated physical conditions, the project wasincrementally extended to five years.


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So What Did Mayo Do?

Elton Mayo selected two women, and had those two select an additionalfourfrom the assembly line ,segregated them from the rest of the factory andput them under the eye of an observer who was more of a friendlyobserver than disciplinarian. Mayo made frequent changes in theirworking conditions, always discussing and explaining the changes inadvance.

He changed the hours in the working week, the hours in the workday thenumber of rest breaks. the time of the lunch hour. Occasionally, hewould return the women to their original, harder working conditions.


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Relay Assembly

The investigators selected two girls for their second series of

experiments and asked them to choose another four girls, thus making asmall group of six. The group was employed in assembling telephonerelays - a relay being a small but intricate mechanism composed of aboutforty separate parts which had to be assembled by the girls seated at alone bench and dropped into a chute when completed.

The relays were mechanically counted as they slipped down the chute. Itwas intended that the basic rate of production should be noted at the

start, and that subsequently changes would be introduced, theeffectiveness of which would be measured by increased or decreasedproduction of the relays.


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Relay Assembly


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INTENTIONThe intent was to measure the basic rate of production before makingany environmental changes. Then, as changes were introduced, theimpact of effectiveness would be measured by increased or decreasedproduction of the relays .

Feedback MechanismThroughout the series of experiments, an observer sat with the girls inthe workshop noting all that went on, keeping the girls informed aboutthe experiment, asking for advice or information and listening to theircomplaints


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Work Conditions &Productivity

ResultsThe experiments began by introducing various changes, each of whichwas continued for test period of 4-12 weeks.Under normal conditionswith a 48 hr week, including saturdays and no rest pauses. The girlsproduced 2400 relays a week each.


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Changes And TheResults Observed

Change 1: They were then put on piece of work for 8 weeks.

Observation : Output increased

Change 2 : They were given two 5 mins breaks, One in the morning andOther in afternoon, for a period of 5 weeks.

Observation : Output increased, yet again

Change 3 : The breaks were each lengthened to 10 mins

Observation : Output rose sharply

Change 4 : six 5mins breaks were introduced

Observation : The girls complained that their work rhythm was broken bythe frequent pauses & the Output fell only slightly .


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Changes And TheResults Observed

Change 5: The original two breaks were reinstated, this time, with acomplimentary HOT MEAL provided during the morning break.

Observation: Output increased still further.

Change 6: The workday was shortened to end at 4.30pm instead of 5.00pm.

Observation: Output Increased.

Change 7: The workday was shortened to end at 4.00pm.

Observation: Output leveled off

Change 8: Finally, All the improvements were taken away, the originalconditions before the experiments were reinstated. They were monitoredin this state for 12 more weeks.

Observation: Output was the highest ever recorded averaging 3000relays a week.


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What happened duringthe HawthorneExperiments?

What happened was that six individuals became a team and the teamgave itself wholeheartedly and spontaneously to co-operation in theexperiment. The consequence was that they felt themselves to beparticipating freely and without afterthought and were happy in theknowledge that they were working without coercion from above orlimitation from below.

They were themselves satisfied at the consequence for they felt thatthey were working under less pressure than ever before. In fact regularmedical checks showed no signs of cumulative fatigue and absence fromwork declined by 80 per cent.

It was noted too, that each girl had her own technique of putting thecomponent parts of the relay together - sometimes she varied thistechnique in order to avoid monotony and it was found that the more

intelligent the girl, the greater was the number of variations (similar toMcClelland's research findings into achievement motivated people.)

The experimental group had considerable freedom of movement. Theywere not pushed around or bossed by anyone. Under these conditionsthey developed an increased sense of responsibility and instead of discipline from higher authority being imposed, it came from within thegroup itself.


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The Findings

To his amazement, Elton Mayo discovered a general upward trend inproduction, completely independent of any of the changes he made.

Mayo began to look around and realized that the women, exercising

a freedom they did not have in the factory, had formed a socialatmosphere that also included the observer who tracked theirproductivity. They talked, they joked. they began to meet sociallyoutside of work.

He had secured their cooperation and loyalty which explains whyproductivity rose even when took away their rest breaks.

Mayo had discovered a fundamental concept that seems obviouseven today. Workplaces are social environments and within them,people are motivated by much more than economic self-interest. Heconcluded that all aspects of that industrial environment carriedsocial value.

When the women were singled out from the rest of the factoryworkers, it raised their self-esteem. When they were allowed tohave a friendly relationship with their supervisor, they felt happierat work. When he discussed changes in advance with them, they feltlike part of the team.


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Mayos ConclusionsFlowing from the findings of these investigations he came to certain

conclusions as follows:

* Work is a group activity.

* The social world of the adult is primarily patterned about workactivity.

* The need for recognition, security and sense of belonging is more

important in determining workers' morale and productivity than thephysical conditions under which he works.

* A complaint is not necessarily an objective recital of facts; it iscommonly a symptom manifesting disturbance of an individual's statusposition.

* The worker is a person whose attitudes and effectiveness areconditioned by social demands from both inside and outside the workplant.

* Informal groups within the work plant exercise strong social controlsover the work habits and attitudes of the individual worker.

* The change from an established society in the home to an adaptivesociety in the work plant resulting from the use of new techniques tendscontinually to disrupt the social organization of a work plant and industrygenerally.

* Group collaboration does not occur by accident; it must be plannedand developed. If group collaboration is achieved the human relationswithin a work plant may reach a cohesion which resists the disruptingeffects of adaptive society.


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Mayos Conclusions

* The aptitudes of individuals are imperfect predictors of job

performance. Although they give some indication of the physical andmental potential of the individual, the amount produced is stronglyinfluenced by social factors.

* Informal organization affects productivity. The researchersdiscovered a group life among the workers. The studies also showed thatthe relations that supervisors develop with workers tend to influence themanner in which the workers carry out directives.

* Work-group norms affect productivity. The Hawthorne researcherswere not the first to recognize that work groups tend to arrive at normsof what is "a fair day's work." However, they provided the bestsystematic description and interpretation of this phenomenon.

* The workplace is a social system. The researchers came to view theworkplace as a social system made up of interdependent parts. Theworker is a person whose attitudes and effectiveness are conditioned bysocial demands from both inside and outside the work plant. Informalgroup within the work plant exercise strong social controls over the workhabits and attitudes of the individual worker. * The need for recognition, security and sense of belonging is moreimportant in determining workers' morale and productivity than thephysical conditions under which he works.

The major finding of the study was that almost regardless of theexperimental manipulation, worker production seemed to continuallyimprove. One reasonable conclusion is that the workers were happy toreceive attention from the researchers who expressed an interest inthem.


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HAWTHORNE EFFECT

In essence, the Hawthorne Effect, as it applies to the workplace, can besummarized as "Employees are more productive because the employeesknow they are being studied." Elton Mayo's experiments showed anincrease in worker productivity was produced by the psychologicalstimulus of being singled out, involved, and made to feel important.When people spend a large portion of their time at work, they require a

sense of belonging, of being part of something bigger than themselves.When they do, they are more effective.This effect has been described as the reward you reap when you payattention to people. The mere act of showing people that you'reconcerned about them usually spurs them to better job performance.

That's the true Hawthorne Effect.

In fact, the Hawthorne Effect has also been called the 'SomebodyUpstairs Cares' syndrome.


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The Hawthorne Effect at work:

Suppose you've taken a management trainee and given her specializedtraining in management skills she doesn't now possess. Without saving aword, you've given the trainee the feeling that she is so valuable to theorganization that you'll spend time and money to develop her skills. Shefeels she's on a track to the top, and that motivates her to work harderand better. The motivation is independent of any particular skills orknowledge she may have gained from the training session. That's theHawthorne Effect at work.

In a way, the Hawthorne Effect can be construed as an enemy of themodern trainer. Carrying the theory to the edges of cynicism, somewould say it doesn't make any difference what you teach because theHawthorne Effect will produce the positive outcome you want.


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Looking Back on the Experiments:

For decades, the Hawthorne studies provided the rationale for humanrelations within the organization. Then, in 1978, R. H. Franke and J.D.Kaul used a new procedure called "time-series analyses" with the originaldata and variables, including the Great Depression and the instance of amanagerial discipline in which two insubordinate and mediocre workerswere replaced by two different, productive workers.

They discovered that production was most affected by the replacementof the two workers due to their greater productivity and the effect of the disciplinary action on the other workers. The occurrence of theDepression also encouraged job productivity, perhaps through theincreased importance of jobs and the fear of losing them.

Rest periods and a group incentive plan also had a somewhat positivesmaller effect on productivity. These variables accounted for almost allthe variation in productivity during the experimental period. Socialscience may have been too ready to embrace the original Hawthorneinterpretations since it was looking for theories of employee motivationthat were more humane and democratic.


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Looking Back on the Experiments:

What seemed to be most impactful during the experiments was that sixindividuals became a team and the team gave itself wholeheartedly andspontaneously to cooperation in the experiment. Consequently, they feltas if they were participating freely and were happy in the knowledgethat they were working without coercion from above or limitation frombelow.

The experimental group had considerable freedom of movement. Withthe observer overseeing them, rather than their previous Theory Xmanagers, they weren't pushed around or micromanaged. They weresatisfied with the result of working under less pressure than ever before.In fact, regular medical checks showed no signs of cumulative fatigueand absence from work declined by 80 percent. Under these conditions,they developed an increased sense of responsibility. Instead of receivingdiscipline from higher authority, it emerged from within the group.


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BIBLIOGRAPHY

INFORMATION TAKEN FROM :

1. www.google.com

2. www.wikipedia.com

3. www.accel-team.com

4. www.envisionsoftware.com
http://www.google.com/http://www.wikipedia.com/http://www.accel-team.com/http://www.envisionsoftware.com/http://www.google.com/http://www.wikipedia.com/http://www.accel-team.com/http://www.envisionsoftware.com/


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PRESENTED BY :

FYBMS (A) DIV.GROUP VII

MURTAZA KAPADIA

BURHAN BADRI

AMMAR ELECTRICWALA

ALIASGAR NAKARA

ALIASGAR PIDULLA

ABDEALI VAKIL

BURHAN CHURANWALA

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