|
|
Re: Hawthorne effect and the BoK
Posted:
Apr 11, 2005 7:34 AM
|
> Wes,
> Thanks very much for your reply.
>
> I think that I accept that the Hawthorne Effect
> exists, and it may be a minor point, but if the
> research was flawed shouldn't the ASQ's reference
> material reflect that?
>
> It seems that even if the studies didn't support the
> conclusions they reached they still led to a more
> positive focus, as the author of the link writes "For
> whatever the flaws, in the conduct and subsequent
> interpretations of the Hawthorne studies, they did
> spur effort to humanize the workplace, to find more
> sensitive ways to mobilize workers, rather than
> regarding them as assembly line robots that could be
> kept producing by fear and discipline.">
> Alan
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@2
What a shame the effort to humanize the workplace didn't get through to ALL workplaces. I'm sure many of us can relate to what most enlightened researchers agree are the major "truths" from a five year study completed more than 70 years ago:
(1) The aptitudes of individuals are imperfect predictors of job performance. Although they give some indication of the physical and mental potential of the individual, the amount produced is strongly influenced by social factors.
(2) Informal organization affects productivity. The Hawthorne researchers discovered a group life among the workers. The studies also showed that the relations that supervisors develop with workers tend to influence the manner in which the workers carry out directives.
(3) Work-group norms affect productivity. The Hawthorne researchers were not the first to recognize that work groups tend to arrive at norms of what is "a fair day's work," however, they provided the best systematic description and interpretation of this phenomenon.
(4) The workplace is a social system. The Hawthorne researchers came to view the workplace as a social system made up of interdependent parts.
For decades, the Hawthorne studies provided the rationale for human relations
Just as an aside:
"Most of the Harvard field study researchers doing the observations of the Western Electric assembly line workers were eager young men. Most of the Western Electric assembly line workers were young ladies. Gender questions may have further tainted the experiments.
The Hawthorne Effect more generally refers to the tendency of subjects to attempt to please researchers."
This thread has been a fun diversion. It gave me fond memories of "fixing" broken organizations during the 1970's and 1980's so we could groom them for IPOs (Initial Public Offerings of stocks or bonds.)-Wes Bucey, Quality Manager
|
|
