Hawthorne Experiments

by Elton Mayo
 Who is Elton Mayo?
• George Elton Mayo
• Psychologist and sociologist
• Active Australian Psychology reader
• Moved to the United States to participate
in the Philadelphia post opportunity.
 Mayo’s Journey
• Adelaide University
• University of Wueensland
• Pensylvannia University
• Harvard Business School
• Retirement
• British government advisor
 Thanks to Mayo…
• Human Relations Movement
• Authored The social problems of an
Industrial Civilization ( 1933)
• WWII contributed to the Training Within
Industry program for training supervisors
 Illumination Studies – 1924-1927
• Funded by General Electric
• Conducted by The National Research Council (NRC) of the National
Academy of Sciences with engineers from MIT
• Measured Light Intensity vs. Worker Output

• Result – Each change (including decreases) resulted in higher

output and reported greater employee satisfaction

• Conclusions:
– Light intensity has no conclusive effect on output
– Productivity has a psychological component – Researchers
interaction with the workers influenced higher performance

• Concept of “Hawthorne Effect” was created

 Relay Assembly Test Experiments 1927-1929

• Western Electric wanted more information

• Harvard researchers brought in to analyze the results – Elton Mayo & Fritz Roethlisberger
• Group of 6 Women – (5) Assemblers and (1) Layout Operator
• One Observer – Explained every incremental change and recorded results
• Manipulated factors of production to measure effect on output:
– Pay Incentives
– Length of Work Day & Work Week
– Use of Rest Periods
– Company Sponsored Meals

• Management Visits / Special Attention

• Result – Most changes resulted in higher output and reported greater employee
satisfaction

• Conclusions:
– Experiments yielded positive effects even with negative influences – workers’
output will increase as a response to attention
– Strong social bonds were created within the test group. Workers are influenced
by need for recognition, security and sense of belonging
 Relay Assembly Room #2 - 1928-1929

• Measured output changes with pay incentive changes

– Special observation room
– Relay Assemblers changed from Departmental Incentive to
Small group – 1st Session
– Adjusted back to Large Group Incentive – 2nd Session
• Results
– Small Group Incentive resulted in new Highest sustained
level of production – 112% over standard output base
– Output dropped to 96.2% of base with return to large group
incentive
• Conclusion: Pay incentives were a relevant factor in
output increases but not the only factor.
 Mica Splitting Test Group - 1928-1931

• Measured output changes with changes in work

conditions only:
– Special Observation Room
– Length of Work Day
– Use of Rest Periods
– Workers stayed on established Piece-rate compensation

• Result - Productivity increased by 15% over standard

output base
• Conclusions:
– Productivity is affected by non-pay considerations
– Social dynamics(Relationship) are a basis of worker
performance
 Plant Interview Program – 1925-1932
• 1925-1927 – Objective Questions
– Work Conditions
– Work Relationships
– Yes/No Answers

• 1928-1932 – Conversational / Non-directive

– Attentive Sympathetic Listening
– Concern for personal needs
– Increased in time from 30-90 minutes

• Result – Remarkable positive employee perceptions:

– Working Condition Improved (no real changes)
– Better Wages (no real changes)

• Conclusions:
– New Supervisory Style improved worker morale
– Complaints reflected personal and/or social barriers that needed attention
in order to raise productivity
Bank Wiring Observation Group – 1931-1932
• 14 Male Workers
• Few Special Conditions
– Segregated work area
– No Management Visits
– Supervision would remain the same
– Observer would record data only – no interaction with workers

• New incentive pay rate was established for the small group

• Any increases in output would be included in departmental pay incentives

• Result – No appreciable changes in output

• Conclusions:
– Well established performance norms existed in the group
– Informal Social Organization dictated little deviation from established
production standards – Systemic Soldiering
– Informal Social Organizations protect workers from managers who
• Raise production standards
• Cut pay rates
• Challenge workplace norms
• Regardless of Pay Work-Norm was the
trend
• Stuck to the work within that day
 Sources of Information
• Wren, Daniel A., and Arthur G. Bedeian. The Evolution of Management Thought. 6th ed. Hoboken, NJ: John
Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2009. Print.

• "History of Management." ManagementGuru supports management studies and is maintained by Dr.Makamson.

Web. 16 Nov. 2009. <http://www.mgmtguru.com/mgt301/301_Lecture1Page10.htm>.

• "Baker Library Chronicles Human Relations Movement." Harvard Business School. Web. 16 Nov. 2009.
<http://www.hbs.edu/news/releases/092407_hawthorne.html>.

• "ProvenModels hawthorne effect - Elton Mayo." ProvenModels - Management Models | Management Theory |
Business Models | Michael Porter | Henry Mintzberg | Management Model | Business School. Web. 15 Nov. 2009.
<http://www.provenmodels.com/6/hawthorne-effect/elton-mayo>.

• http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Elton+Mayo:+the+Hawthorne+experiments.-a0151189059

• http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Elton+Mayo