The Importance and Impact of Hawthorne Studies (Essay Sample)

Hawthorne Studies
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Hawthorne Studies
The Hawthorne studies look at the effects of one's work conduct and attitude on physical, economic, and social factors. The research was carried out in five phases. The Relay Assembly Test Room Study was the first stage, and it offered a new incentive structure and subject monitoring. The Second Relay Assembly Group Study, which offered a new incentive scheme, was the second stage. The Mica Splitting Test Room Study was the third stage, which merely offered new supervision. The fourth stage was the Interviewing Program, which was used to determine how the participants' attitudes had changed. Finally, there came stage five, The Bank-Wiring Observation Study, which looked at how teams were organized in the workplace (Sundstrom et al., 2000).
Output had risen by approximately 30% during stage one. By this time, the investigators were convinced that the physical changes in work circumstances had been minor and that the observed rise was due mainly to a shift in workers' "mental attitude" due to new supervisory techniques. Putting numerous inputs provides unclear evidence of causes of increased output. Thus this test seems to be on the wide side of the inquiry. However, it was acknowledged that physical working circumstances had little bearing on a person's productivity but that a change in supervisory practices may have a beneficial effect on workers. Workers were also provided rest breaks within the time slots, demonstrating that taking breaks throughout the day reduced tiredness significantly. There is a greater connection within the workplace when supervision affects the working environment positively, resulting in a more productive output of work. In the second stage, the employees were given a monetary incentive scheme based on the average production of the five workers. Even though their production increased by 12.6%, there was a gap amongst the workers. "Inter-group rivalry" was to blame for the rise. Even if production rises, there is still a sense of unease among the workers. It is accepted that, although production may rise quickly, competition may create a hostile work atmosphere, resulting in a reduction in long-term productivity. Positive monitoring, a shift in work hours, different rooms, and rest intervals were all part of stage three. There was a constant variation in production throughout stage three.