RO - Hawthorne Slides

8/3/2019 RO - Hawthorne Slides

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Hawthorne ExperimentsHawthorne Experimentsby Elton Mayoby Elton Mayo

Pooja narayanPooja narayan


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Who is Elton Mayo?Who is Elton Mayo?

George Elton Mayo

Psychologist and sociologist

Active Australian Psychology reader Moved to the United States to participate

in the Philadelphia post opportunity.


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Mayos JourneyMayos Journey

Adelaide University

University of Wueensland

Pensylvannia University Harvard Business School

Retirement

British government advisor


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Thanks to MayoThanks to Mayo

Hhuman Relations Movement

Authored The social problems of an

Industrial Civilization ( 1933) WWII contributed to the Training Within

Industry program for training supervisors


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IlluminationIllumination Studies 1924-1927Studies 1924-1927

Funded by General Electric

Conducted by The National Research Council (NRC) of the NationalAcademy of Sciences with engineers from MIT

Measured Light Intensity vs. Worker Output

Result Each change (including decreases) resulted in higheroutput and reported greater employee satisfaction

Conclusions:

Light intensity has no conclusive effect on output Productivity has a psychological component Researchersinteraction with the workers influenced higher performance

Concept of Hawthorne Effect was created


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Relay Assembly Test ExperimentsRelay Assembly Test Experiments1927-19291927-1929

Western Electric wanted more information

Harvard researchers brought in to analyze the results Elton Mayo & Fritz Roethlisberger

Group of 6 Women (5) Assemblers and (1) Layout Operator

One Observer Explained every incremental change and recorded results

Manipulated factors of production to measure effect on output: Pay Incentives Length of Work Day & Work Week Use of Rest Periods Company Sponsored Meals

Management Visits / Special Attention

Result Most changes resulted in higher output and reported greater employeesatisfaction

Conclusions: Experiments yielded positive effects even with negative influences workers

output will increase as a response to attention

Strong social bonds were created within the test group. Workers are influencedby need for recognition, security and sense of belonging


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Relay Assembly Room #2 - 1928-1929Relay Assembly Room #2 - 1928-1929

Measured output changes with pay incentive changes Special observation room

Relay Assemblers changed from Departmental Incentive toSmall group 1st Session

Adjusted back to Large Group Incentive 2nd

Session Results

Small Group Incentive resulted in new Highest sustainedlevel of production 112% over standard output base

Output dropped to 96.2% of base with return to large group

incentive Conclusion: Pay incentives were a relevant factor in

output increases but not the only factor.


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Mica Splitting Test Group - 1928-1931Mica Splitting Test Group - 1928-1931

Measured output changes with changes in workconditions only: Special Observation Room

Length of Work Day

Use of Rest Periods Workers stayed on established Piece-rate compensation

Result - Productivity increased by 15% over standardoutput base

Conclusions: Productivity is affected by non-pay considerations

Social dynamics are a basis of worker performance


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Plant Interview Program 1925-1932Plant Interview Program 1925-1932

1925-1927 Objective Questions Work Conditions Work Relationships Yes/No Answers

1928-1932 Conversational / Non-directive

Attentive Sympathetic Listening Concern for personal needs Increased in time from 30-90 minutes

Result Remarkable positive employee perceptions: Working Condition Improved (no real changes) Better Wages (no real changes)

Conclusions: New Supervisory Style improved worker morale Complaints reflected personal and/or social barriers that needed attention

in order to raise productivity


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Bank Wiring Observation Group 1931-1932Bank Wiring Observation Group 1931-1932

14 Male Workers

Few Special Conditions Segregated work area No Management Visits Supervision would remain the same Observer would record data only no interaction with workers

New incentive pay rate was established for the small group

Any increases in output would be included in departmental pay incentives

Result No appreciable changes in output

Conclusions: Well established performance norms existed in the group Informal Social Organization dictated little deviation from established

production standards Systemic Soldiering Informal Social Organizations protect workers from managers who

Raise production standards

Cut pay rates Challenge workplace norms


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The Hawthorne StudiesThe Hawthorne Studies

Demonstrated the importance of

understanding how the feelings, thoughts,

and behavior of work-group members and

managers affect performance


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Studies of how characteristics of the work

setting affected worker fatigue and

performance at the Hawthorne Works of

the Western Electric Company from 1924-1932.


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Worker productivity was measured at

various levels of light illumination.

Researchers found that regardless of

whether the light levels were raised or

lowered, worker productivity increased.


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Human relations movement advocates

that supervisors be behaviorally trained to

manage subordinates in ways that elicit

their cooperation and increase theirproductivity


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Implications

Behavior of managers and workers in the

work setting is as important in explaining

the level of performance as the technical

aspects of the task


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Demonstrated the importance of

understanding how the feelings, thoughts,

and behavior of work-group members and

managers affect performance

Documents

RO - Hawthorne Slides