Management's Thorn......

Hello Everyone, back again I am, to share with you all one of the most important topic of management. Every management desires to tap the maximum output from their workers, so that they can maximize the profits. In the process they adopt the process of theory X and Y managers, just like the good cop and bad cop routine adopted by cops for interrogating suspects.

Why have I named it thorn of management? Well you find the answer and let me know. Without further ado I will begin with the discussion of the topic.

Well the legit Name of the topic is "HAWTHORNE EFFECT".  In lay-man's term we can call it the Observer's Effect. It states that the subjects improve or modify an aspect of their behavior when placed under observation, which is being experimentally measured, in response to the fact that they know that they are being studied, not in response to any particular experimental manipulation. 

The term was coined in 1950 by Henry A. Landsberger when analysing older experiments from 1924–1932 at the Hawthorne Works (a Western Electric factory outside Chicago). In November 1924, the first of a series of experiments began at Western Electric’s factory in Cicero, just outside of Chicago. Western Electric was the child of the Bell Telephone Company and parent to AT&T. The factory complex was called the Hawthorne Works, and it was like a small city. It had a hospital, ballpark, library and much more. By the end of the decade, there would be 40,000 workers.

Three initial experiments were conducted between 1924 and 1927. In one of the studies, experimenters 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 (1927–1932) assembling telephone relays.

Output was measured mechanically by counting how many finished relays each worker dropped down a chute. This measuring began in secret two weeks before moving the women to an experiment room and continued throughout the study. In the experiment room, they had a supervisor who discussed changes with them and at times used their suggestions. Then the researchers spent five years measuring how different variables impacted the group's and individuals' productivity. Some of the variables were:

• giving two 5-minute breaks (after a discussion with them on the best length of time), and then changing to two 10-minute breaks (not their preference). Productivity increased, but when they received six 5-minute rests, they disliked it and reduced output.
• providing food during the breaks
• shortening the day by 30 minutes (output went up); shortening it more (output per hour went up, but overall output decreased); returning to the first condition (where output peaked).

Changing a variable usually increased productivity, even if the variable was just a change back to the original condition. However it is said that this is the natural process of the human being to adapt to the environment without knowing the objective of the experiment occurring. Researchers concluded that the workers worked harder because they thought that they were being monitored individually.

Researchers hypothesized that choosing one's own coworkers, working as a group, being treated as special (as evidenced by working in a separate room), and having a sympathetic supervisor were the real reasons for the productivity increase. One interpretation, mainly due to Elton Mayo,^[10] was that "the six individuals became a team and the team gave itself wholeheartedly and spontaneously to cooperation in the experiment." (There was a second relay assembly test room study whose results were not as significant as the first experiment.)

 The photos of women workers in the experiments are:

The women noted that the intimate atmosphere of the test room gave them a sense of freedom not experienced on the factory floor. They felt more at ease to talk and over time developed strong friendships. “We've been the best friends since the day we were in the test room,” one of the operators remembered. “We were a congenial bunch.” Through the years, productivity in the relay assembly test room rose significantly. Mayo reasoned that “the six individuals became a team and the team gave itself wholeheartedly and spontaneously to co-operation in an experiment.”  These views contributed to the conclusion that mental attitudes, proper supervision, and informal social relationships experienced in a group were key to productivity and job satisfaction.

To sum it up in only a few words, the Hawthorne Effect describes the results you receive when you give people attention.  The simple act of showing people that you care about them inevitably spurs them to better job performance. 

The original study was conducted in order to determine if increasing or decreasing the amount of light workers received would increase or decrease worker productivity. The astonishing results were that the productivity increased, but the increase was shown to be due to the personal attention of the researchers to the employee and were not affected by the changes in lighting.  Pretty incredible findings!

The Hawthorne Effect has also been referred to as the “Somebody Upstairs Cares” syndrome.  Because people spend such a large percentage of their time at work it is important to have a sense of belonging.  When people feel like they belong, they are more productive and more creative.

So, the question is still at large. Why have I named it as Management's thorn?.....keep thinking.