GENESIS

EXPLORATION :

HOW THE DISCIPLINE OF

HUMAN & ORGANIZATION BEHAVIOUR
GAINED A FOOT-HOLD &
ASSUMED EMINENCE
IN THE CURRICULUM OF
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT STUDIES
 OB- Historical Perspective

1760 – 1840:
Industrial Revolution

1924 – 1927 :
Hawthorne Experiments

Hawthorne Works – Chicago,

Western Electric Company
 Human Resource Productivity
Hypothesis :

Human Productivity is a function of the caliber of

external conditions that impinge on the Job-Holder’s experience.

Favorable external conditions result in high productivity.

Unfavorable external conditions result in diminished
productivity.
 Experiment at Western Electric Company

Objective :

To study the impact of Workplace Lighting

as a determining factor
on levels of Human Productivity
 Experimental Design
• Experimental Group :
A randomly selected Workers
required to work under varying conditions of lighting.
Productivity measured as a function of Light intensity.

• Control Group :
Remaining Work-force performing under steady, every day lighting conditions

• Common Task :
Assembly of miniature electrical components
 Finding :

Productivity of the Experimental Group kept improving independent

of variations in Lighting.

Conclusion :
Human productivity is impacted by conditions other than external
working conditions.
 Human Attitude Hypothesis

New Hypothesis :

Factors internal to human experience

impact human productivity
to a point where the
negative external conditions
become virtually irrelevant.
 Research Findings : Validation & Productivity

Human beings are endowed with an invincible creative spirit

capable of surmounting constraints in order to generate results.

Self-doubt blocks the expression of this creative capacity and results in

human responses that are defensive and dysfunctional.

The key to unlocking this creative capacity is the experience of Validation.

The human experience of being acknowledged & valued

enables a person to access his inner resources
& consequently flourish.
 Human Resource Development – Purpose

To facilitate the unblocking of the capabilities

of the invincible human creative spirit &

create conditions for its expression

within one’s Job Role.

 EXERCISE : Your Story of Spirited Performance

1. Re-live an experience, when you felt excited about the job you were assigned; when you
worked long hours & gave of your best, without concerns of credit or reward; when the work itself
felt like the Reward and energized rather than tired you.

Reflect on the following dimensions of your Experience:

a. Your Capabilities and Talents that the job called forth.

b. Factors that facilitated your engagement, such as :

- Leadership
- Team Support
- Access to Resources

2. Write a paragraph on : My initial insights on the relevance of Organizational

Behaviour in a Course of Construction Management