The Hawthorne Studies
Despite fierce and ongoing arguments of the results delivered by the Hawthorne studies, the significance of the vast degree of contribution is unquestionable. The Hawthorne studies had steered the focal point on Scientific Management introduced by Frederick W Taylor to human relations and motivational issues in the workplace. Indirectly, over the century, the Hawthorne studies had raised several well-known theorists such as Douglas McGregor, Frederick Herzberg and Abraham Maslow to study and invent their own set motivational theories. Yet, this is barely the only repercussion of the Hawthorne studies. Thus, supporting the argument that findings of the Hawthorne studies should not die away in historical records, three findings shall be discussed here. They are mainly (1) the formation of informal groups, (2) leadership and supervision style and (3) the nondirective interviews.
The legacy of the Hawthorne studies began in 1924 in the Hawthorne plant of Western Electric Corporation in Chicago. In this company which manufactures equipment for the Bell Telephone System for its monopoly company, American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) Company, seven studies of which some are discussed in the paper took place with spear headers such as F J Roethlisberger and George Elton Mayo of Harvard University and W J Dickson of Western Electric Corporation (Parsons 1974; Gale 2004). In spite of examining how work conditions could affect productivity which the Hawthorne studies was set out to serve, surprising twist of events sprung and created what was later known as the “Hawthorne Effect” (Kiviat 2007; Shivers 1998).
Almost throughout the whole Hawthorne studies, the formation of a social system is highly evident among employees who were selected to participate in illumination experiments, relay assembly test and bank wiring observation. Despite changes made to variables such as lighting, rest breaks, wages, work schedule, group productivity continue to rise.
The legacy of the Hawthorne studies began in 1924 in the Hawthorne plant of Western Electric Corporation in Chicago. In this company which manufactures equipment for the Bell Telephone System for its monopoly company, American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) Company, seven studies of which some are discussed in the paper took place with spear headers such as F J Roethlisberger and George Elton Mayo of Harvard University and W J Dickson of Western Electric Corporation (Parsons 1974; Gale 2004). In spite of examining how work conditions could affect productivity which the Hawthorne studies was set out to serve, surprising twist of events sprung and created what was later known as the “Hawthorne Effect” (Kiviat 2007; Shivers 1998).
Almost throughout the whole Hawthorne studies, the formation of a social system is highly evident among employees who were selected to participate in illumination experiments, relay assembly test and bank wiring observation. Despite changes made to variables such as lighting, rest breaks, wages, work schedule, group productivity continue to rise.
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