Hawthorne Experiments | Explained | UGC Net Paper 2 | Free Study Material I BBA/MBA Notes

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Hawthorne Experiments

In November 1924, a team of researchers-professors from the renowned Harvard Business School, U.S.A. began investigation into the human aspects of work and working conditions at the Hawthorne plant of Western Electric Company, Chicago. The company was producing bells and other electric equipments for telephone industry.
Prominent professors included in the research team were Elton Mayo (Psychologist), Roethlisberger and Whitehead (Sociologist) ad William Dickson (Company Representative).

The team conducted four separate experimental and behavioural studies over a seven-year period. These were:
1. Illumination Experiments (1924- 1927) to find out the effect of illumination on worker’s productivity.
2. Relay Assembly Test Room Experiments (1927- 1928) to find out the effects of changes in number of work hours and work conditions on worker productivity.
3. Mass Interviewing Programme (1928 -1930) to find out workers attitudes and sentiments towards work, and
4. Bank Wiring Room Experiments (1931 – 1932) to find out social system of an organization.

1. Illumination Experiments (1924-1927)

The experiments were conducted to find out how varying levels of illumination i.e. amount of light at the workplace affected the productivity.
A group of workers were selected and placed in two separate groups – test group and control group.
It consisted of a series of studies of test groups in which the levels of illumination varied but the conditions were held constant.
It was found that as intensity of light was increased in test group, the productivity increased to almost the same rate in both test and control groups selected for the experiments.
In the final experiments it was discovered that output decreased with the decreased illumination level i.e. moonlight intensity.
Thus it was concluded illumination did not have any effect on productivity but something else was interfering with the productivity.

2. Relay Assembly Test Room Experiments (1927- 1928)
The researchers chose two women as test subjects and asked them to choose four other workers to join the test group. Together the women worked in a separate room over the course of five years assembling telephone relays.
Each relays consisted of a number of parts which girls assembled to finished products.
Output depended on the speed and continuity with which girls worked and was measured mechanically by counting how many finished relays each worker produced.

An observer was associated with girls to supervise their work.
The experiments started with introducing numerous changes in sequence with duration of each change ranging from 4 to 12 weeks.
Before each change was introduced the girls were consulted and in some cases they were also allowed to take decisions on matters concerning them.
Following were the changes and resultant outcomes:
(i) the incentive system was changed so that each girl’s extra pay was based on the other five rather than output of larger group say, 100 workers or so. The productivity increased as compared to before.
(ii) Two five-minute rests – one in the morning session and other in evening session were introduced which were increased to 10 minutes. The productivity increased.
(iii) The rest period was reduced to five minutes but frequency was increased. The productivity decreased slightly and the girls complained that frequent rest intervals affected the rhythm of the work.
(iv) The number of rest period were reduced to two of 10 minutes each, but in the morning, coffee or soup was served along with sandwich and in the evening, snack was provided. The productivity increased
(v) Changes in working hours and workday were introduced, such as cutting an hour off the end of the day and eliminating Saturday work. The girls were allowed to leave at 4: 30 p.m. instead of usual 5:00 p.m. and later 4:00 p.m. Productivity increased.
As such change was introduced, absenteeism decreased morale increased and less supervision was required. The researchers then decided to revert to original position i.e. no rest, and no other benefits. Surprisingly productivity increased further instead of going down.

This made the Researchers think that the productivity increased not because of positive changes in physical factors but because of change in the girl’s attitude towards work and their work groups. The employee attitude and sentiments were critically important variables not previously accounted for.