American Ground
Hawthorne studies were facilitated by the National research council in 1924 at the Western electric company in Illinois. Consequently, the studies advanced until mid 1930s. The company engineers undertook prior research. The objective of Hawthorne’s studies was to investigate the impact of a variety of productivity’s illumination levels. The study envisioned control group and experimental group formation. Members of the controlled group performed their duties under steady illumination intensity as the experiment group was exposed to different levels of intensity. The expectation was that the people’s output be directly associated to the light intensity. An increase in illumination, in the experiment group, meant an increase in the output in the experiment and control groups (Roethlisberger, 1941).
Other than that, a drop in the level, in the experimental group, meant an increase in productivity in the two groups. There was a decrease in productivity, in the experimental group, only when there was a reduction of the light intensity to the moonlight level. These findings astonished the Western electric company’s engineers who presumed that the levels of illumination were not accountable for productivity that was high. Additional studies were undertaken in the Western electric company, with Elton Mayo joining between 1927 and 1932. Elton Mayo and his work mates performed studies that involved tasting several variables. These comprised worked place, length of rest pause and place, working days duration, duration of work, payment method, and others, in connection to productivity (Roethlisberger, 1941). This paper will look at Mayo's Hawthorne study ideas in achieving organizational goals in relation to the American Ground.
The Hawthorne study also conducted a relay assembly test room. The experiment entailed gathering telephone relays by assembling several small parts. Six women were moved from their usual working areas to different departments. The researchers chose two assemblers who were friends, three others and an operator. The workers were exposed to a sequence of controlled and planned alterations to their working conditions for 13 times. The test room conditions were the same as those in the normal line of assembly. For the period of the experiment, the observer assumed a manner that was friendly, talking to the employees, taking note of their grievances and giving them information about the experiment. There was an increase in the production level. The conclusion that was derived is that the interest of the manager and additional attention towards the workers were the greatest contributors to increased productivity (Roethlisberger, 1941).
The interviewing program was another essential part of the experiments. A substantial interviewing program was initiated to discover more on the feelings of the workers towards their overall working conditions and supervisors. At first those who conducted the interviews used prepared questions based on the workers feelings towards their work. Unfortunately, this technique gave information that was limited. In addition, the workers perceived several questions in the interview as irrelevant (Roethlisberger, 1941). A number of views or ideas can be derived from the Hawthorne studies. These views are essential and can be useful in achieving an organization’s objectives through the cooperation of managers and their workers.
First, the initial finding that the interview assists a person to overcome complicated emotions by dealing with his or her problem in a clear way. This makes the person to give him or herself advice that is appropriate. This technique is better than the one in which a person receives advice from another person. Secondly, the interview shows its capability to help the person to relate more satisfactory, and efficiently with other employees or supervisors whom he or she makes contact with every day. Thirdly, the interview not only develops the worker’s capacity and desire to work effectively with management, but also assists him or her to cooperate well with fellow workers (Roethlisberger, 1941). This signifies the interviewer, acting for the company away from his or her group of workers and enables him or her to work efficiently with fellow workers.
The worker’s ability to cooperate efficiently with fellow workers and managers is a start of the required loyalty to both groups; the organization and his group of workers. After all this is achieved, it is the duty of management to use this start. Fourthly, after all this, interviewing possesses enormous significance for the administrators’ intricate future that faces the entire globe. In most cases, it is thought that the person who conducts interviews cannot undertake any action and more often than not has no authority. Moreover, action can only be undertaken by the suitable officials and with a line of authority that is formally constituted (Roethlisberger, 1941). However, the interviewer gives most of communication facilitation both down and up that line.
The interviewer’s facilitation of communication is done by removing exaggeration and distortion. Secondly, the interviewer’s work advances objective statement that goes past the several protests. A job of this manner is hugely efficient in the judgment and attitude maturity development in the sensitive and intelligent young workers, of an individual’s ideas and opinions, of the human need to provide complimentary advice. The surrender of everything to a more intelligent figure in order to assist express feelings and ideas that cannot be easily revealed is education that is desired (Roethlisberger, 1941). This is more efficient for a person readying him or herself to responsibilities associated with management than a university curriculum, for example, I encourage the hospital employees who help in the hospital’s management to talk freely to their superiors on matters regarding the running of the hospital.
Young women and men should be trained to put forward their ideas, knowledge and information with eloquence. Conversely, if the young men and women want to become administrators, they should be trained to pay attention to what other people are putting across. The only person who can develop several qualities required by a judgment of real maturity is one who can help other people develop efficient expressions. Finally, there are several claims that point out interview as being the source of a management’s source of vast information objective (Roethlisberger, 1941). For example, as a hospital manager, I routinely initiate the training of young doctors and nurses to encourage the sharing of knowledge between them and management with eloquence. The unrelenting problems of organizations are operations systemization, sustained cooperation organization, and science and technical skill application to a commodity or service. This enables me to handle all employees working under me with great respect. The respect that has been created in the hospital has ensured that the clients receive client centered services.
The Hawthorne studies are relevant to the problems illustrated in the case. All the people fail to consider factors that relate to the environment. The Hawthorne studies put more emphasis on the adoption of perspectives that relate to management rather than considering everyone who undertakes his or her activities in an organization. In addition, the experiments in the Hawthorne study take a view that is considered narrow. The study does not take into account the organization’s responsibilities in relation to the operation of the community or society. The Hawthorne study experiments have promoted ideas that relate to enhancing productivity by making the work organization suitable for humans. The study focuses on an effective comprehension of individual’s social and psychological requirements, in addition to improving the management, process (Roethlisberger, 1941).
Reference
Roethlisberger, F. (1941). Management and morale. Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.
