The Hawthorne Studies
There were actually four phases of the Hawthorne Studies namely: Illumination
Experiments ( 1924 – 1927), Relay Assembly Room Expirements ( 1927 – 1928), Mass
Interviewing Program ( 1928 – 1930) and the Bank Wiring Room Study ( 1931 – 1932).
The first phase attempted to examine the effects of lighting or illumination levels
on workers' fatigue and productivity. This experiment was anticipated to prove that the
better the working environment, the higher the output. Two groups of workers were used:
the test group, who were subjected to different changes in lighting, and the control group
for whom no changes had been made in their lighting. However, to the surprise of the
researchers, both groups showed increasing productivity. Only, after the illumination was
dropped to the level of moonlight that the test group’s productivity fail to increase due to
not being able to work efficiently.
This peculiar result made the researchers invite Elton Mayo and his
contemporaries. In the second phase of the study, the group of Mayo introduced another
aspect of the work context on job performance like coffee breaks, rest periods, and letting
workers make suggestions with the goal still of productivity. The objective of the
requirements was to find out the behavior and attitude of workers at the workplace under
better working conditions. Later, because work performance still increased for both
groups despite changes in these working conditions, the researchers agreed to change
the payment schedule for either group to rule out financial incentives as a factor. Based
on the result of this Relay assembly room experiment, Mayo and his co-researchers
concluded that the attention given by management and the development of a unified
group influenced job satisfaction and productivity.
The second phase of the Hawthorne studies failed to produce the reason for the
intense response to little special attention and formation of group bonding. Mayo started
the third phase which is Mass interviewing program. He interviewed workers and
discovered the significance of informal groups and the social environment of the workers
as vital pressure to productivity.
The Bank wiring room study was the fourth phase. In this experiment, two types of
workers were formed based on the adoption of norm output restrictions to protect their
jobs ratebuster and chiselers. Ratebusters are those who work higher than the group
performance norm. chiselers, on the other hand, are those who are underperformers. The
researcher concluded that the two sets of workers can be considered threats to the group
as a whole. The ratebusters posed as a threat since they exposed to managers how quick
the job could be done. The chiselers did not do their share of the work so they where look
down.
The Result of the Hawthorne Studies experiment revealed the following:
1. Employees are not motivated by only money like bonus schemes and incentives.
2. Communication helps the management and employees to have better mutual
understanding that will help problem-solving
3. Social Factors are accountable for deciding the level of output
4. Workers' behavior depends upon their mental level and emotions. Workers began
to influence their group behavior toward management
5. Employees do not like order and command, prefer to maintain amicable
relationships with their co-workers and want cooperative attitude from their
superiors
6. Teamwork and group psychology increases productvity
Douglas McGregor ( 1906 – 1964) - a management professor at the MIT Sloan School
of Management and president of Antioch College made two sets of assumptions
regarding work attitudes and behavior called Theory X ( negative) and Theory Y (positive)
.This approach contributed much to the development of the management and
motivational theory.
Assumptions of Theory X
Assumptions of Theory Y
An average employee intrinsically does employees can perceive their job as
not like work and tries to escape it relaxing and normal. They exercise their
whenever possible.
physical and mental efforts in an inherent
manner in their jobs.
Since the employee does not want to Employees may not require only threat,
work, he must be persuaded, compelled, external control and coercion to work, but
or warned with punishment so as to they can use self-direction and self-control
achieve organizational goals. A close if they are dedicated and sincere to
supervision is required on part of achieve the organizational objectives.
managers. The managers adopt a more
dictatorial style.
Many employees rank job security on top, If the job is rewarding and satisfying, then
and they have little or no aspiration/ it will result in employees’ loyalty and
ambition.
commitment to the organization.
Employees
generally
dislike An average employee can learn to admit
responsibilities.
and recognize responsibility. In fact, he
can even learn to obtain responsibility
Employees resist change
The
employees have
skills
and
capabilities. Their logical capabilities
should be fully utilized
Thus, we can say that Theory X presents a pessimistic view of employees’ nature and
behaviour at work, while Theory Y presents an optimistic view of the employees’ nature
and behaviour at work.
If we correlate it with Maslow’s theory, we can say that Theory X is based on the
assumption that the employees emphasize on the physiological needs and the safety
needs; while Theory X is based on the assumption that the social needs, esteem needs
and the self-actualization needs dominate the employees.
McGregor views Theory Y to be more valid and reasonable than Theory X. Thus, he
encouraged cordial team relations, responsible and stimulating jobs, and participation of
all in decision-making process.