The Hawthome Studies

Western Electric Company, a manufacturer of communications equipment, hired a team of Harvand researchers led by thon Mayo and Fritz Roethlisberger. They were to investigate the influence of physical

working condoons on workers’ productivity and efficiency in one of the company’s factories outside Chces This rearch project, known as the Hawthorne Studst provided some of the most interesting and controversial results in the history of management The Hausbere Studies were senes of experiments conducted from 1924 to 1932 During the first star of the project (the Illumination Experiments), various working conditions, particularly the lighting in the factory, altered to determine the effects of these changes on productivity The researchers found no systemane relationship between the factory lighting and production levels. In some cases, productivity continued to increase even when the illumination was reduced to the level of moonlight. The researchers conchaied that the workers performed and reacted differently because the researchers were observing them

This reaction is known as the Hawthome Effect This conclusion led the researchers to believe productivity may be affected more by psychological and social factors than by physical or objective influences. With this thought in mind, they initiated the other four stages of the project. During these stages, the researchers performed various work group experiments and had extensive interviews with employees Mayn and his team eventually concluded that the informal work group influenced productivity and employee behavior.

The Human Relations Viewpoint

Hentan clations proponents argued that managers should stress primarily employee welfare, motivation, and communication. They believel scal needs had precedence over economic needs. Therefore, management must gain the cooperan of the group and promute job satisfaction and group norms

consistent with the goals of the organization Another noted contribut to the field of human relations was Abraham Maslow In 1943, Maslow suggestol that humans have five level of needs. The most basic needs are the physical needs for food, water, and slichter, the most advanced need in for self-actualization, or personal fulfillment. Maslow argued that people try to anafy their lower level neeils and then progress uputed to the higher level needs Managers can facilitate this process and achieve organizational goals by removing obstacles and encouraging behaviors that satisfy people’s needs and organizational goals simultaneously

Although the human relation approach generated research into leadership, job attitudes, and group dynamics, it drew heavy criticism Crucs believed the philosophy, while scientific management veremphasized the economic and formul aspects of the workplace, human relations ignored the more rational side of the worker and the important characteristics of the formal organization. However, human relatama were a significant step in the development of management thought, because it prompted managers and researchers to consider the prychological and social factors that influence performance

The Challenges of today’s organization Organizations are facing different challenges in

today’s environment like:

Technology

Only 20 years ago, few workers used fu machines ur e-mail, and computers occupied entire rooms, ot deskops Advances in informant and communication technology have permanently abered the workplace by changing the way information is created, stored, used, and shared

Diverse Workforce

A diverse workforce refers to two or more groups
each of whose members are idenufiable and distinguishable based on demographic or other characteristics like gender, age group, education etc. Several harners in dealing with diversity include stereotyping. prejudice, ethnocentrism, discrimination, tokenism, and gender role stereotypics

Multiple Stakeholders

Stakeholders are those who have interests in Dfa Ho the organization Multiple stakeholders for an organization include the customers, suppliers, consumers, investors, lenders, etc

Rapid Changes

Due to changing internal and external environments, rapid changes in the organization occur. The organization has to be flexible to adjust to those changes.