Contributions of Hawthorne Studies for Management Today - Coursework Example

Contributions of Hawthorne studies for management today Name Date Course Contributions of Hawthorne Studies for Management Today Introduction The purpose of the easy is to critically analyze two major contributions of Hawthorne studies for management today. The studies Hawthorne studies were conducted by from 1927 to 1932 at Western Electric Hawthorne Works in Chicago. It was mainly about the productivity of the workers and it was headed by Professor Elton Mayo (Brannigan & Zwerman, 2001). The productivity of workers is currently one of the most contentious issues in all the industries. Employers in all the industries are concerned with the productivity of their employees. Different companies have put in place measures to promote the productivity of their employees. The success of an organization is currently linked to the productivity of an organization. The essay begins with the analysis of Hawthorne studies. This is followed by a discussion and arguments about the two major contributions of the studies. The counter arguments and other opinions with regards to the studies end the discussion section. In conclusion, the essay will show that the studies made major contributions to the field of management and it also faced some criticism as a result of how the studies were carried out. Today’s managers will therefore find the information useful in terms of managing the productivity in their organizations. Discussion Contributions of the studies The studies were conducted as a result of a preliminary experiment that was carried out at the plant from 1924 to 19827. The experiment was mainly about the effects of light on productivity. The workers at the plant were exposed to different forms of illumination which was had some impacts on their productivity. However during the studies, other factors caught the attention of Mayo and he wanted to establish the effects of fatigue and monotony on the job productivity. The employees at the plant usually worked for 48 hours without any rest or pause. Mayo introduced variables which include work hours, temperatures, humidity, breaks and rest. A group of six women were involved in the study and were watched by an observer throughout the period. The productivity of the girls improved when rest breaks were introduced and food served to the girls (Gale, 2004). They also worked as a team during the period although each of the girls used her own expertise to carry out different activities that were required of them. Ordinarily, the girls would be subjected to strict conditions for the purposes and tough disciplinary actions. However, during the study, the supervision was not strict and the atmosphere was free as compared to their ordinary working environment. The productivity of the girls greatly improved during the period and they also recorded a better performance after they went back to their physical conditions of beginning of the experiment. The studies therefore made important contributions that can be applied to today’s management. Motivation is one of the major contributions that were made by the studies which is applicable to management today. During the experiment, the girls were provided with breaks to allow them to rest before they could continue with their work. This was unlike in the past where the girls were not provided with any rest breaks. This played an important role in terms of motivating the girls as it improved on their performance. Food was also provided to the girls during the break which encouraged them to carry out their duties effectively. According to, Hartley, (2006), in today’s management, motivation of the employees is usually highly prioritized for the purposes of ensuring that they are able to improve on their productivity. The provision of food is similar to the modern management practices where the employees are provided with incentives in order to improve on their productivity. Most of the companies also have policies with regards to the working hours of the employees as well as the breaks that they should take. The management in the modern companies has put in place measures to ensure that the employees do not work for too long without taking breaks. This has greatly motivated the employees in most companies and hence improving their productivity and ability of the companies to retain the employees. Based on personal experience, most of the employees who are motivated usually perform well and this is beneficial to both the company as well as the employees. Legislations have also been put in place in most of the countries for the purposes of ensuring that the working hours are determined. This is for the purposes of ensuring that the employees cannot be subjected to long working hours without rests. The studies have also played an important role in terms of ensuring that the relationship between the management and the employees is improved as part of the motivational process. McQuarrie, (2005), argues that the management team in most cases tries to maintain a good relationship with the employees for the purposes of ensuring that they are motivated. Based on a personal experience, most of the employees who are under strict supervision do not perform well. In most case, the strict supervision de-motivates the employees and hence impacting negatively on their productivity. However, in the presence of a friendly atmosphere, the employees are usually motivated and this in most case has led to improved productivity as well as motivation. Flexible working environment is present in most of the modern organization as a way of motivating them in order to improve on their performance. The output of the employees who are highly motivated is much higher as compared to the employees who are not motivated. This important contribution that was made by the studies therefore impacts positively on the productivity as well as the wellbeing of the employees. Through motivation, a sense of belonging is usually developed among the employees and hence improving on their performance. Communication within an organization is also a major contribution that was made by the studies and it is important to today management. The girls who were involved in the studies were subjected to harsh conditions with little communication from their superiors and one another under the ordinary working situation. However, during the studies, the communication with the supervisor was enhanced which enabled the girls to provide their own opinions. Communication among the six girls during the investigation was also enhanced and this has positive impacts on the production process. In management today, communication is an important tool that is used for interacting with the employees. The smooth operations of an organization require good communication. Sound communication is currently required by the management even in the small organizations (Muldoon, 2012). Diversity among the individuals within an organization is also on the increase. This can be attributed to various factors including globalization. It is only through a sound communication process that the management is able to deal with the issues of diversity and ensure that the individuals work together. The needs of the employees in the current organizations can only be established through communication. This ensures that improvements are made and the performance of the organization is improved. Most of the organizations have currently embraced technology for the purposes of enhancing communication. The use of e-mails to maintain communication between the management and the employees is common for most of the organization. Communication is also important in bridging the gap between the employees and the management and hence leading to improved performance. Change is currently commonly for any organization which can be attributed to various factors. Most of the organizations find it difficult to implement changes as a result of employee resistance. However, through the establishment of proper communication, the organizations can easily implement changes. Providing the employees with adequate information with regards to the changes plays an essential role in eliminating employee resistance to change. This is therefore an important contribution that was made by the studies and it is currently being used by the management. Communication within an organization is essential for higher productivity and efficiency. Porter, (2012), argues that the growth and development of organizations is dependent on communication between the management and the employees. According to personal experience, organizations with a smooth flow of information have a higher level of productivity. The inputs of the employees are usually considered in the presence of sound communication and the management is able to know the problems facing the employees at an early stage. This is useful in avoiding conflicts that may affect productivity. The employee turnover rate is also reduced in the presence of an effective communication process within an organization. Most of the employees find it difficult to carry out their duties in the presence of a poor communication. The presence of a proper communication channel and flow of information also promotes teamwork. This is an aspect that was established in the studies and it contributes to the success of an organization. People are able to work together when the communication process within the organization is effective. Arguments that conflicts claims of contribution Hawthorne studies have come under a lot of criticism due to the methods that were used to carry out the studies. The critics have argued that the needs of the individuals with regards to the motivational process have been generalized in the studies. The studies appear to have put more emphasis on the human personality as opposed to the needs of the individuals (Waddell, Jones & George, 2013). This indicates that the studies could have missed out on the real issues with regards to motivation and the needs of the individuals. The low level of accuracy therefore has the potential of misleading the managers and producing negative results. The hierarchy of needs was not considered in the studies with regards to the needs of the individuals. The study did not take into account that different individuals are motivated by different things. The validity of the study is also in question as there were changes to the reward agreements as well as the test subjects (Waddell, Jones & George, 2013). The methodology that was used during the process of carrying out the studies may have influenced the participants and hence leading to some levels of inaccuracies. The atmosphere that was created could have influenced how the employees were working and hence providing inaccurate results with regards to relevance of communication in management. The observers may have been sympathetic towards the employees during the studies due to the nature of activities that they were carrying out. The reliability issues also make it difficult to determine the levels of accuracy of the studies. Others It has been argued that the results were sexists and to some extent discriminatory due to the use of girls only or men only in most aspects of the studies. Different people think differently and generalizing the statements could affect the outcome of the studies. In some instances the theories that have been associated with the studies have been found to be unrealistic and hence affecting its outcome (Wickstrom & Bendix, 2000). This includes Theory Y and theory X which is associated with the needs of the individuals. However, it has also been argued that the studies have led to advancement in the management practices and theories. The welfare of the workers is a factor of production that could not have been considered if it was not for the theory. The harsh working environment which was common at the time could still be experience. This is an indication that the studies may have contributed to improved working conditions for the workers. It also influenced legislations regarding the treatment of the employees and the working conditions. Conclusion In conclusion, it is evident that the studies contributed towards communication and motivation which is widely used in management today. The studies played an important role in establishing the challenges that the employees were facing with regards to the working conditions. It is also apparent that the studies linked productivity to motivation and sound communication between the employees and the management. However, it is also evident that the study faced some criticism. The focus on personality as opposed to individual needs is one of the issues that have been criticized in the studies. The studies also contributed to the betterment of the working conditions and employee welfare. List of References Brannigan, A & Zwerman, W 2001, ‘The real “Hawthorne effect”’, Society, February, pp.55-60. Gale, EAM, 2004, ‘The Hawthorne studies – a fable for our times?’ QJ Med, 97, pp. 439-449. Hartley, NT 2006, ‘Management history: an umbrella model’, Journal of Management History, Vol. 12, issue 3, pp. 278-292. McQuarrie, FAE, 2005, ‘How the Past is Present(ed): A Comparison of Information on the Hawthorne Studies in Canadian Management and Organizational Behaviour Textbooks’, Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences, 22(3), pp. 230-242. Muldoon, J 2012, ‘The Hawthorne legacy: a reassessment’, Journal of Management History, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 106-119. Porter, C, 2012, ‘The Hawthorne effect today’, Industrial Management, vol. 54, Issue 3, pp. 10-15. Waddell, D, Jones, GR, George, JM 2013, Contemporary Management, 3e, McGraw-Hill Education (Australia) Pty. Ltd. Wickstrom, G & Bendix, T 2000, ‘The “Hawthorne effect” – what did the original Hawthorne studies actually show?’ Scandinavian Journal of Work Environment & Health, 26(4), pp. 363-367. Read More