The Hawthorne Effect - 716 Words

University of Phoenix Material TEAM C The Hawthorne Effect History and definition of Hawthorne Effect | The Hawthorne Effect was first discovered in the 1920s and 1930s, during a research program studying productivity among workers at the Western Electrical Company’s Hawthorne Works in Chicago (McCartney et. al, 2007). It was observed that no matter what circumstantial changes were made, the productivity of the workers increased. This observation was hypothesized as workers performance increased due to an increase of individual attention. In today’s research, the Hawthorne effect is a form of reactivity where individuals alter their behavior to highlight improved aspects of their characteristics during observation. | Example†¦show more content†¦| Strategies to avoid the Hawthorne Effect (at least two) | The Hawthorne Effect appears when we measure employee attitudes or behaviors – when people know they’re being measured, they modify their behavior.One strategy to avoid the Hawthorne Effect would be by r educing the overall measurement effort and accounting for Hawthorne distortion, one can measure less and get a lot more value from the effort. Here are three keys to effective measurement: * Measure what is objectively measurable. Judgment isn’t only objectively measurable. * Measure only what you hope to control. Have in mind actions you can take that directly influence trends in whatever you measure. * Understand the Hawthorne Effect: if people know they’re being measured, they alter their behavior to optimize the measurement (Brenner, 2012).Another strategy to avoid the Hawthorne Effect is by simply doing any measurement by discretion. To do this simply take measurements that are outside the awareness of most of the employees. Depending on the situation, the interpretation can give you some results very clearly or the specific situation. Things to measure are: * Voluntary turnover rate * Company Facebook complaint gripes * Number of sick days and va cation days used (percentage) * Employee Fueds * Percentage of Lateness of employees in days/dollars (Brenner,Show MoreRelatedHawthorne Effect1192 Words   |  5 Pagesthat it was up to the managers to analysis tasks at hand to identify whether or not they could be performed more effectively. One of the most criticised and controversial investigations ever undertaken on workplace relations was known as the Hawthorne Effect. These studies were undertaken at the Bell Telephone Western Electric Manufacturing Plant in Chicago. The studies began in 1924 and continued through until the Depression in 1932. The purpose of the studies was to gain an insight on whether aRead MoreThe Hawthorne s Effect On Human Relations1506 Words   |  7 PagesSummary of Concept The Hawthorne effect is the tendency when people are monitored, watched, or treated differently within a setting they tend to work harder. They may change their behavior due to the attention they are receiving from supervisors rather than manipulation of independent variables. The Hawthorne test studies began in 1924-1933 in three stages at Western Electric Company in Cicero, Illinois. Under the supervision of Elton Mayo, who was an industrial research professor at Harvard UniversityRead MoreAnalysis Of The Experiment Management And The Worker 1485 Words   |  6 Pagesthe experiment report â€Å"management and the worker† in 1939(Gillespie, 1991) the Hawthorne studies have been playing an important role in management, psychology and sociology. Hawthorne studies were the foundation for the modern day management thinking. Hawthorne studies have been subject to many criticisms but it produced the fundamental changes in the development of management thoughts. The great contribu tion Hawthorne studies made to the development of modern management these experiments are identifiedRead MoreImpact Of Management On The Development Of Organizational Behaviour1632 Words   |  7 PagesThe Hawthorne studies were initiated in 1924 by the management of the Hawthorne plant of the Western Electric Company in Chicago (Levitt List 2011). The Studies are referred to as the â€Å"behavior modifying effects of being the subject of social investigation† (Wickstorm Bendix 2000). The leading man behind the experiments Elton Mayo developed the study to make further inquiry into what factors affect productivity in the workplace. Ever since the studies were conducted between 1927 and 1933 (WickstormRead MoreThe Social Sciences Essay1586 Words   |  7 PagesThe Hawthorne Studies is one of the most well-known series of experiments of the social sciences in industrial history. The objective of the experiments were to establish how an individual is influenced not only by their own abilities, but by their working environment and the people they work with, both fellow workers and supervisors. To gain a better understanding of what the Hawthorne studies were, why they were conducted, and how they have impacted management practices, one must first understandRead MoreElton Mayo Contribution to Management and Hr in Particular.1493 Words   |  6 PagesMANAGEMENT IN PARTICULAR. The Hawthorne Experiments and Human Behavior Elton Mayos studies grew out of preliminary experiments at the Hawthorne plant from 1924 to 1927 on the effect of light on productivity. Those experiments showed no clear connection between productivity and the amount of illumination but researchers began to wonder what kind of changes would influence output. Variables Affecting Productivity Specifically, Elton Mayo wanted to find out what effect fatigue and monotony had on jobRead MoreEssay hawthrone studies892 Words   |  4 Pages Hawthorne Studies The Hawthorne Studies, conducted at Western Electrics Hawthorne plant outside Chicago, starting in 1924 and running through 1936, were intended to bring about a greater understanding of the effects of working conditions on worker productivity. The results of the experiments were contrary to the management theory of the time (Scientific Management), and were key in bringing about an understanding of motivation factors in employment Basically, a series of studies on the productivityRead MoreThe Human Relations Movement Of George Elton Mayo949 Words   |  4 Pagesthe Hawthorne study. Two of the main aspects of the study centered around illumination in the work place and varying levels of break time and work hours (Wickstrà ¶m, 2000). The illumination study consisted of four different experiments over the course of three years. In each experiement, there was a control group and a study group. In the varying studies, the researchers experimented with varying levels of light and varying sequences of increasing and decreasing the level of light (â€Å"Hawthorne effect†)Read MoreEssay about Hawthorne Studies1529 Words   |  7 PagesThis essay will review the writings of â€Å"Hawthorne, the myth of the docile worker, and class bias in psychology† an article by D. Bramel and R. Friend. It will then go on to further critique academic articles that both support and disagree with the primary source and demonstrate how the Hawthorne studies have influenced contemporary organizations. The Hawthorne experimental studies conducted at the Western Electric Company Works has attracted considerable amounts of sharp critical scrutiny; itRead MoreHawthorne Studies1495 Words   |  6 Pagesorganisation growth. In 1924, Hawthorne Studies was first initiated by the Western Electrical Company and National Academy of Science to study on the relation of quality and quantity of illumination to efficiency in industry which is known as Illumination studies.(Roethlisberger amp; Dickson, 2003, pg 14). From 1927-1933, a series of experiments were conducted once again at Western Electric Work and analyzed by Professor George Elton Mayo who is famous for Hawthorne Effects after the failure for the