The Impact of Hawthorne Experiment on Management History

Was the Hawthorne experiment a significant event in the history of management?

True / False

Answer:

True

The Hawthorne experiments were conducted between 1924 and 1932 by the Western Electric Company at the Hawthorne plant outside Chicago, Illinois. Initially, the aim of the experiments was to identify the effect of lighting on employee productivity. However, researchers discovered that regardless of the level of lighting, worker productivity improved. They began to concentrate on non-technical variables such as job satisfaction, employee attitudes, and social relations.

This finding had a significant impact on management theory and practice, resulting in the human relations movement. The human relations movement aimed to create a workplace culture that emphasizes teamwork, communication, and employee participation. Human relations theorists argued that it was important for managers to understand the human element of the workplace, as it could have a significant impact on employee motivation and job satisfaction.

This movement had a lasting influence on management theory and practice and is still relevant today.