hawthorne studies
TRANSCRIPT
Hawthorne Hawthorne StudiesStudies
1927-1933 1927-1933 WESTERN ELECTRIC CO.WESTERN ELECTRIC CO.
Cicero, IllinoisCicero, Illinois
Hawthorn PlantHawthorn Plant
Dr. Elton MayoDr. Elton Mayo
Hawthorne StudiesHawthorne Studies
¨ Conducted in late 1920’s
¨ Western Electric Hawthorne plant
¨ Showed importance of the individual in the workplace
¨ Showed the presence of a social system in the workplace
Hawthorne studies Hawthorne studies defineddefined A series of experiments in which A series of experiments in which
the output of the workers was the output of the workers was observed to increase as a result observed to increase as a result of improved treatment by their of improved treatment by their managers.managers.
Named for their site, at the Named for their site, at the Western Electric Company plant Western Electric Company plant in Hawthorne, Illinois.in Hawthorne, Illinois.
Originally intended to examine effects Originally intended to examine effects of lighting on productivityof lighting on productivity– Scientific management proposed that Scientific management proposed that
physical conditions affect productivityphysical conditions affect productivity Result: Productivity increased Result: Productivity increased
regardless of lighting levelregardless of lighting level Conclusion: Increased productivity Conclusion: Increased productivity
was due to workers’ receiving was due to workers’ receiving attentionattention
Hawthorne Studies: Hawthorne Studies: Workplace LightingWorkplace Lighting
Illumination StudiesIllumination Studies
The The firstfirst illumination study was illumination study was made in three departmentsmade in three departments
The illumination level in each The illumination level in each department was increased at department was increased at stated intervalsstated intervals
Puzzling resultsPuzzling results– Increased production did not Increased production did not
correspond with increased lightingcorrespond with increased lighting– Reduced production did not Reduced production did not
correspond with reduced lightingcorrespond with reduced lighting
Illumination StudiesIllumination Studies
The The secondsecond illumination study illumination study utilized a test group and a control utilized a test group and a control group.group.
Illumination intensities were varied Illumination intensities were varied in the test group and compared to in the test group and compared to the control group.the control group.
Both groups showed increases in Both groups showed increases in production rates that were not only production rates that were not only substantial but also nearly identical.substantial but also nearly identical.
Illumination StudiesIllumination Studies
The The thirdthird illumination study reduced illumination study reduced the lighting for the test group and the lighting for the test group and held the control group constant.held the control group constant.
Efficiency of both groups increased.Efficiency of both groups increased. Production rates increased in the Production rates increased in the
test group until the light became so test group until the light became so poor that the workers complained.poor that the workers complained.
Illumination StudiesIllumination Studies
Conclusions:Conclusions:– Employee output was not Employee output was not
necessarily related to lighting necessarily related to lighting conditions, andconditions, and
– Too many variables had not been Too many variables had not been controlled in the experiments.controlled in the experiments.
¨ Examined effects of group piecework pay system on productivity
¨ Workers under piecework system should produce as much as possible¨ Scientific management assumes that people are
motivated only by money
¨ Result: Production less than maximum¨ Conclusion: Social pressure caused workers to
produce at group-norm level
Hawthorne Studies: Hawthorne Studies: Piecework PayPiecework Pay
ILLUMINATION STUDYILLUMINATION STUDYILLUMINATION STUDYILLUMINATION STUDY
RELAY ROOM STUDYRELAY ROOM STUDY
BANK WIRINGBANK WIRING
Elton Mayo &Fritz Roethlisberger
Elton Mayo &Fritz Roethlisberger
Study BackgroundStudy Background
Hawthorne studies were conducted Hawthorne studies were conducted from 1927 to 1932 by from 1927 to 1932 by HarvardHarvard Business School Professor Elton MayoBusiness School Professor Elton Mayo..
Purpose of study was to Purpose of study was to examine examine what effect monotony and fatiguewhat effect monotony and fatigue had had on productivity and how to control on productivity and how to control them with variables such as rest them with variables such as rest breaks, work hours, temperature, and breaks, work hours, temperature, and humidity.humidity.
Normal conditionsNormal conditions
Under normal conditions, the Under normal conditions, the work week was 48 hours, work week was 48 hours, including Saturdays. There were including Saturdays. There were no rest pauses.no rest pauses.
Experiment OneExperiment One
The workers were put on The workers were put on piece-piece-workwork for eight weeks. for eight weeks.
Output went up.Output went up.
Experiment TwoExperiment Two
The workers were given The workers were given two rest two rest pauses, five minutespauses, five minutes each, in the each, in the morning and afternoon for a morning and afternoon for a period of five weeks.period of five weeks.
Output went up again.Output went up again.
Experiment ThreeExperiment Three
The rest The rest pauses were increased pauses were increased to ten minutes eachto ten minutes each..
Output went up sharply.Output went up sharply.
Experiment FourExperiment Four
The workers were given The workers were given six five six five minute breaks.minute breaks.
Output fell slightly.Output fell slightly.
The workers The workers complained that the complained that the work rhythm was brokenwork rhythm was broken by by frequent pauses.frequent pauses.
Experiment FiveExperiment Five
The The two original rest pausestwo original rest pauses were were put back in place, and the put back in place, and the workers were given a workers were given a free hot free hot mealmeal by the company. by the company.
Output went upOutput went up..
Experiment SixExperiment Six
The workers were The workers were dismissed at dismissed at 4:304:30 p.m. instead of 5:00 p.m. p.m. instead of 5:00 p.m.
Output went up.Output went up.
Experiment SevenExperiment Seven
The workers were The workers were dismissed at dismissed at 4:004:00 p.m. p.m.
Output remained the same.Output remained the same.
Experiment EightExperiment Eight
All improvements were taken All improvements were taken away and the away and the workers returned to workers returned to their original working conditionstheir original working conditions..
Output was the highest ever Output was the highest ever recorded!recorded!
CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION Level of production is set by Level of production is set by social social
normsnorms, not by physical capacities, not by physical capacities Non-economic rewardsNon-economic rewards and sanctions and sanctions
affect the behavior of workersaffect the behavior of workers Often workers react as Often workers react as members of a members of a
groupgroup, not as individuals, not as individuals Management should recognize group Management should recognize group
behaviorbehavior and act accordingly and act accordingly
Hawthorne StudiesHawthorne Studies
Hawthorne Effect:Hawthorne Effect:
The phenomenon that The phenomenon that employees perform better employees perform better when they feel singled out for when they feel singled out for attention or feel that attention or feel that management is concerned management is concerned about their welfareabout their welfare
THE HAWTHORNE THE HAWTHORNE STUDIES:STUDIES:SOME PUZZLING SOME PUZZLING RESULTSRESULTS
100
108
116
124
132
Standard workconditions
Tw
o 5-
min
. res
tsT
wo
5-m
in. r
ests
Tw
o 1
0-m
in. r
ests
Tw
o 1
0-m
in. r
ests
Six
5-m
in. r
ests
Six
5-m
in. r
ests
15-m
in. r
ests
+ lu
nch
15-m
in. r
ests
+ lu
nch
Sam
e +
4:3
0 p
.m. s
top
Sam
e +
4:3
0 p
.m. s
top
Sam
e +
4 p
.m. s
top
Sam
e +
4 p
.m. s
top
15-m
in. r
ests
+ lu
nch
15-m
in. r
ests
+ lu
nch
Sam
e +
Sat
. a.m
. off
Sam
e +
Sat
. a.m
. off
Sta
nd
ard
Sta
nd
ard
15-m
in. r
ests
+ lu
nch
15-m
in. r
ests
+ lu
nch
In general, productivityincreased with each change
in work conditions
Per
cen
tage
of
Sta
nd
ard
Ou
tpu
tP
erce
nta
ge o
f S
tan
dar
d O
utp
ut
Hawthorne Study Hawthorne Study ResultsResultsTest Room/Control RoomTest Room/Control Room
– Changes to work conditions do not produce Changes to work conditions do not produce linear responses to productivity.linear responses to productivity.
– Workers appear to respond to management’s Workers appear to respond to management’s attempts to attempts to improve work placeimprove work place..
Bank Wiring RoomBank Wiring Room– Workers will Workers will scale back productivityscale back productivity to suit to suit
group norm.group norm.– Organizations are social systemsOrganizations are social systems in which in which
human interactions play a critical role.human interactions play a critical role.
Explanation of Explanation of FindingsFindings The experimental group had The experimental group had
considerable freedomconsiderable freedom of movement of movement compared to other workers in the compared to other workers in the plant. plant.
The group developed an increased The group developed an increased sense of responsibilitysense of responsibility and discipline and discipline no longer needed to come from a no longer needed to come from a higher authority, it came from within higher authority, it came from within the group.the group.
Real World ExampleReal World Example
Workers improve their productivity Workers improve their productivity when they believe management is when they believe management is concerned with their welfareconcerned with their welfare and and pay particular attention to them.pay particular attention to them.
Productivity can also be explained Productivity can also be explained by by paying attention to the workers’ paying attention to the workers’ social environment and informal social environment and informal groupingsgroupings..
An ExerciseAn Exercise
What kinds of issues affect your What kinds of issues affect your productivity?productivity?
What can a What can a principal/superintendent do to principal/superintendent do to increase or decrease your increase or decrease your productivity?productivity?
