I.
The Hawthorne Experiments: Management
Takes A New Direction
The “Hawthorne Experiments”
were a series of studies into worker productivity
performed at the Cicero plant beginning in 1924 and
ceasing in 1932, initially conducted by the National
Research Council and later by Western Electric and
Harvard University .
A. Illumination Studies, 1924 -1927
1. The earliest experiment
(1924) ended in 1927 with the NRC exiting
2. This examined the
relationship between light intensity and worker
efficiency. Hypothesis: Increased illumination is
correlated with higher productivity.
3.
Finding: No relationship between lighting and
productivity, as productivity seemingly increase
regardless of manipulation of lighting.
4. “Hawthorne effect”
is a research problem associated with the
researcher influencing the results of a test,
related to "halo effect". The
female workers in the illumination studies were
attempting to please the researchers, whom they
believed expected higher productivity, rather than
responding to the manipulation of light levels.
B. Relay
Assembly Test Room Experiments, 1927-1929
1. Harvard research team sets
up experiment with 5 females from Relay Assembly
area to test iumpact of incentives and work
conditions on worker fatigue
2. There is no
conclusive evidence that these affected fatigue or
productivity. Productivity and worker satisfaction
increase when conditions are improved and made
worse.
C. Mica-Splitting Test group, 1928
– 1930
1. A second experiment conducted
to look at relationship between work conditions
and productivity, by maintaining a piece-rate
incentive system and varying work conditions
2.
Productivity increased by about 15% and
researchers concluded that productivity was
affected by non-pay considerations - Conclusion:
social dynamics were the basis of worker
performance.
D. Plant-wide Interview program,
1928-1931
1. Western Electric implemented
a plant-wide survey of employees to record their
concerns and grievances. From 1928 to 1930, 21,000
employees were interviewed.
2. Data supported the
research conclusion that work improved when
supervisors began to pay attention to employees,
that work takes place in a social context in which
work and non-work considerations are important,
norms and groups matter to workers.
E. Bank Wiring Observation group,
1931-1932
1. The final test studying 14
male workers in the Bank Wiring factory to study
the dynamics of the group when incentive pay was
introduced.
2. There was no effect and
researchers found the work group had established a
work “norm” – a shared expectation about how
much work should be performed in a day and stuck
to it, regardless of pay.
The conclusion: informal groups operate in
the work environment to manage behavior.
F. Importance of the Hawthorne Plant Studies
These studies changed the landscape
of management from Taylor’s engineering approach to a
social sciences approach, leading to "Human
Relations" approach and, later, "Organization
Behavior" approach:
1. Engineering approach is
subordinated to social science approach .
2. Managers = .leaders,
motivators, communicators, and designer of work
conditions
G. Important Participants in
Experiments that influence direction of Management:
1. Elton Mayo - laid out a
programmatic interpretation, which would be called
the “Human Relations” approach that dominated
management thinking until the 1950’s. Mayo’s
views lead to the construction of manager as a
leader supported by knowledge and skills to build
social cooperation.
2. Fritz Roethlisberger and W.J.
Dickson - first to publish comprehensive findings
of the Hawthorne experiments in 1937 and authored Management
and the Worker in 1939, a comprehensive
statement of the research and findings.
3. W. Lloyd Warner - pioneered
the field of social anthropology at Chicago and
Michigan. His
work includes classics in the American class
system and race.
4. L.J. Henderson - contributed
to the development of “systems theory”,
influencing management theorists Chester Barnard
and George Homans
