Engineering Management

Spring 2020

Department of Electrical Engineering

INSTITUTE OF SPACE TECHNOLOY
Management Approaches
 Behavioral Management Approaches
 The behavioral management theory is often called the
human relations movement because it addresses the
human dimension of work.
 Behavioral theorists believed that a better understanding
of human behavior at work, such as motivation, conflict,
expectations, and group dynamics, improved productivity.
 The study of how managers should behave to motivate
employees and encourage them to perform at high levels
and be committed to achievement of organizational goals
 Mary Parker Follett's management theory –on Effective Work
Group

Principles of Coordination
Direct contact. Direct contact between employees and managers
helps organizations avoid conflict and misunderstandings.
Early stages. Coordination is essential during early stages of
endeavor No employee should feel less important than the next.
Reciprocal relationship. Every worker, regardless of their level in
hierarchy, is responsible and integrating with the rest of the
organization. No one person should be trying less or more than
another – it's a team effort.
Continuous process. Coordination must be maintained.
Mary Parker Follett's management theory –on Effective Work Group

Principle of Management
• Integration
• Power with
• Team power
 Mary Parker Follett's management theory –
on Effective Work Group
Integration
Workers of all levels should integrate to reach
the organization's goals. If conflict arises, there
should be a conscious effort to pull instead of
push, and to work together as a team. 
 Mary Parker Follett's management theory –
on Effective Work Group
Power with
Rather than establishing a strict hierarchy and
delegating power to certain individuals over
others, Follett believed that workers should
practice co-active power. Powering with their
team is better than powering over them;
 Mary Parker Follett's management theory –
on Effective Work Group
Group power
Group power should be valued over personal
power. Organizations do not exist for one
person's benefit, but rather the entire company
of workers.
 MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

Hierarchy of Needs has often been represented in a

hierarchical pyramid with five levels. The four levels (lower-
order needs) are considered physiological needs, while the
top level of the pyramid is considered growth needs. The
lower level needs must be satisfied before higher-order
needs can influence behavior.
 MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS
Physiological
Maslow considered physiological needs to be the most essential of our needs.
If someone is lacking in more than one need, they’re likely to try to meet these
physiological needs first. For example, if someone is extremely hungry, it’s hard
to focus on anything else besides food. Another example of a physiological
need would be the need for adequate sleep. It also includes air, water, and
other factors towards homeostasis, etc.
 MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS
Safety
Once people’s physiological requirements are met, the next need that
arises is a safe environment. includes security of environment,
employment, resources, health, property, etc.
Love and Belonging
According to Maslow, the next need in the hierarchy involves feeling loved
and accepted. This need includes both romantic relationships as well as
ties to friends and family members. It also includes our need to feel that we
belong to a social group. Importantly, this need encompasses both feeling
loved and feeling love towards others.
 MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS
Esteem
Esteem needs involve the desire to feel good about ourselves. According to
Maslow, esteem needs include two components. The first involves feeling self-
confidence and feeling good about oneself. The second component involves
feeling valued by others; that is, feeling that our achievements and
contributions have been recognized by other people. When people’s esteem
needs are met, they feel confident and see their contributions and
achievements as valuable and important. However, when their esteem needs
are not met, they may experience what psychologist Alfred Adler called
“feelings of inferiority.”
 MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS
Self-Actualization
Self-actualization refers to feeling fulfilled, or feeling that we are
living up to our potential. One unique feature of self-actualization is
that it looks different for everyone. For one person, self-actualization
might involve helping others; for another person, it might involve
achievements in an artistic or creative field. Essentially, self-
actualization means feeling that we are doing what we believe we
are meant to do. According to Maslow, achieving self-actualization
is relatively rare, and his examples of famous self-actualized
individuals include Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, and Mother
Teresa.
 Theory X and Theory Y
 Douglas McGregor formulated Theory X and
Theory Y
 two aspects of human behaviour at work, or in
other words, two different views of individuals
(employees)
 one of which is negative, called as Theory X and
the other is positive, so called as Theory Y.
 the perception of managers on the nature of
individuals is based on various assumptions.
 Assumptions of Theory X
• An average employee intrinsically does not like work and tries
to escape it whenever possible.
• Since the employee does not want to work, he must be
persuaded, compelled, or warned with punishment so as to
achieve organizational goals. A close supervision is required on
part of managers. The managers adopt a more dictatorial style.
• Many employees rank job security on top, and they have little
or no aspiration/ ambition.
• Employees generally dislike responsibilities.
• Employees resist change.
• An average employee needs formal direction.
 Assumptions of Theory Y
• Employees can perceive their job as relaxing and normal. They exercise
their physical and mental efforts in an inherent manner in their jobs.
• Employees may not require only threat, external control and coercion to
work, but they can use self-direction and self-control if they are
dedicated and sincere to achieve the organizational objectives.
• If the job is rewarding and satisfying, then it will result in employees’
loyalty and commitment to organization.
• An average employee can learn to admit and recognize the responsibility.
In fact, he can even learn to obtain responsibility.
• The employees have skills and capabilities. Their logical capabilities
should be fully utilized. In other words, the creativity, resourcefulness
and innovative potentiality of the employees can be utilized to solve
organizational problems.
• 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
 The Hawthorne Studies
• The Hawthorne studies were conducted on
workers at the Hawthorne plant of the Western
Electric Company by Elton Mayo and Fritz
Roethlisberger in the 1920s
• The Hawthorne studies w focus on managerial
strategy incorporating the socio-psychological
aspects of human behavior in organizations.
• Human relation movement began with
Hawthorne experiments
 Four Parts of Hawthorne Studies /
Experiments
• Part I - Illumination Experiments (1924-27)
• Part II - Relay Assembly Test Room Study
(1927-1929)
• Part III - Mass Interviewing Programme (1928-
1930)
• Part IV - Bank Wiring Observation Room
Experiment (1932)
 Part I - Illumination Experiments (1924-27)

These experiments were performed to find out the

effect of different levels of illumination (lighting) on
productivity of labour. The brightness of the light
was increased and decreased to find out the effect
on the productivity of the test group. Surprisingly,
the productivity increased even when the level of
illumination was decreased. It was concluded that
factors other than light were also important.
 Part II - Relay Assembly Test Room Study (1927-1929)

Under these test two small groups of six female

telephone relay assemblers were selected. Each group
was kept in separate rooms. From time to time,
changes were made in working hours, rest periods,
lunch breaks, etc. They were allowed to choose their
own rest periods and to give suggestions. Output
increased in both the control rooms. It was concluded
that social relationship among workers, participation
in decision-making, etc. had a greater effect on
productivity than working conditions.
Part III - Mass Interviewing Programme (1928-1930)

21,000 employees were interviewed over a

period of three years to find out reasons for
increased productivity. It was concluded that
productivity can be increased if workers are
allowed to talk freely about matters that are
important to them.
Part IV - Bank Wiring Observation Room Experiment (1932)

A group of 14 male workers in the bank wiring room

were placed under observation for six months. A
worker's pay depended on the performance of the
group as a whole. The researchers thought that the
efficient workers would put pressure on the less
efficient workers to complete the work. However, it
was found that the group established its own
standards of output, and social pressure was used to
achieve the standards of output
Conclusions of Hawthorne Studies / Experiments

 The social and psychological factors are

responsible for workers' productivity and job
satisfaction. Only good physical working
conditions are not enough to increase
productivity.
 The informal relations among workers
influence the workers' behaviour and
performance more than the formal relations in
the organisation.
Conclusions of Hawthorne Studies / Experiments

 Employees will perform better if they are

allowed to participate in decision-making
affecting their interests.
 Employees will also work more efficiently,
when they believe that the management is
interested in their welfare.
 When employees are treated with respect and
dignity, their performance will improve.
Conclusions of Hawthorne Studies / Experiments

 Financial incentives alone cannot increase the

performance. Social and Psychological needs must
also be satisfied in order to increase productivity.
 Good communication between the superiors and
subordinates can improve the relations and the
productivity of the subordinates.
 Special attention and freedom to express their
views will improve the performance of the
workers
Criticism of Hawthorne Studies / Experiments

 Lacks Validity
The Hawthorne experiments were conducted under
controlled situations. These findings will not work in real
setting. The workers under observation knew about the
experiments. Therefore, they may have improved their
performance only for the experiments.
More Importance to Human Aspects
The Hawthorne experiments gives too much importance to
human aspects. Human aspects alone cannot improve
production. Production also depends on technological and
other factors.
Criticism of Hawthorne Studies / Experiments

 More Emphasis on Group Decision-making

The Hawthorne experiments placed too much emphasis on
group decision-making. In real situation, individual decision-
making cannot be totally neglected especially when quick
decisions are required and there is no time to consult others.
 Over Importance to Freedom of Workers
The Hawthorne experiments gives a lot of importance to
freedom of the workers. It does not give importance to the
constructive role of the supervisors. In reality too much of
freedom to the workers can lower down their performance
or productivity.