for Teachers for Schools for Enterprise
for Teachers for Schools for Enterprise
Course Navigator
What Is Sensitivity Training for Managers? - Exercises & Importance in the WorkplaceNext Lesson 

Hawthorne Studies in Management: Summary & Conclusions

Chapter 4 /  Lesson 7   Transcript
Try it risk-free for 30 days

An error occurred trying to load this video.

Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support.

Coming up next: What Is Sensitivity Training for Managers? - Exercises & Importance in the Workplace

You're on a roll. Keep up the good work!

Take Quiz Watch Next Lesson
 Replay
Your next lesson will play in 10 seconds
  • 0:00 What Were the…
  • 0:25 What Did the Hawthorne…
  • 1:00 The Hawthorne Effect
  • 1:50 Examples of the…
  • 2:45 Lesson Summary
Add to Add to Add to

Want to watch this again later?

Log in or sign up to add this lesson to a Custom Course.

Login or Sign up

Timeline
Autoplay
Autoplay
Speed

Recommended Lessons and Courses for You

Lesson Transcript
Instructor: Dr. Douglas Hawks

Douglas has two master's degrees (MPA & MBA) and is currently working on his PhD in Higher Education Administration.

Almost a century ago, researchers at a manufacturing plant in Illinois observed a principle of employee behavior that is as true and applicable today as it was then. In this lesson, you'll learn about that principle and its effect in business.

What Were the Hawthorne Studies?

In the late 1920s, managers at Hawthorne Works - a large manufacturer operating in Illinois - asked themselves this question: Are our employees more productive in a well-lit environment than they are in a poorly-lit environment? This was really the beginning of the quality revolution in American business, and questions that now seem simple to us now had to be answered.

What Did the Hawthorne Studies Discover?

To answer their question, managers at Hawthorne Works hired some consultants and commissioned a study. Their findings are probably what you would expect. Well-lit lighting increased productivity, as did a few other variables, such as having a clean workstation, allowing employees to build and work in teams, and having regular breaks. While these were the direct findings from the Hawthorne study, none of them were groundbreaking. But the researchers made another observation - one that led to an idea taught in nearly every business textbook used in the last 70 years.

The Hawthorne Effect

During the Hawthorne study, when researchers adjusted an independent variable, the variable that can be manipulated to measure its impact on another dependent variable, productivity changed. But, after a relatively short time, those productivity gains disappeared and output ended up drifting back to the previous level. The conclusion was that changes in the work environment could impact productivity, but those productivity gains are only short term. Like any good researcher would, those working with Hawthorne Works scratched their heads and asked why.

Their answer became known as the Hawthorne effect and is the same principle that leads most drivers to slow down when they see a cop. Like the speeder reacting when seeing a cop, the participants of the Hawthorne Works study changed their behavior because they were receiving attention, but once that attention was gone, they reverted to their 'normal' behavior.

Examples of the Hawthorne Effect in Business

We can see examples of the Hawthorne effect in business every day. If a single promotion opportunity becomes available, those in the organization that want the promotion will change their behaviors: perhaps work a little harder, stay a little later, or try to stand out a little more.

Once the promotion is given, those that didn't get it will likely return to their previous behavior. They know they are being watched while the promotion decision is being made, so they improve their performance - but most of the time, it's only a temporary change. The same thing happens during any period of performance appraisal.

To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
Create your account

Register to view this lesson

Are you a student or a teacher?

Unlock Your Education

See for yourself why 30 million people use Study.com

Become a Study.com member and start learning now.
Become a Member  Back
What teachers are saying about Study.com
Try it risk-free for 30 days
Description

Earning College Credit

Did you know… We have over 160 college courses that prepare you to earn credit by exam that is accepted by over 1,500 colleges and universities. You can test out of the first two years of college and save thousands off your degree. Anyone can earn credit-by-exam regardless of age or education level.

To learn more, visit our Earning Credit Page

Transferring credit to the school of your choice

Not sure what college you want to attend yet? Study.com has thousands of articles about every imaginable degree, area of study and career path that can help you find the school that's right for you.

Research Schools, Degrees & Careers

Get the unbiased info you need to find the right school.

Browse Articles By Category

Browse an area of study or degree level.

Recommended Articles
You are viewing lesson Lesson 7 in chapter 4 of the course:

 Back To Course

Introduction to Management: Help and Review

21 chapters | 312 lessons | 2 flashcard sets

Ch 4. Behavioral School of Management Theory: Help...
Ch 5. Contemporary and Future School of...

Hawthorne Studies in Management: Summary & Conclusions Related Study Materials

Create an account to start this course today
Try it risk-free for 30 days!
Create An Account

Explore our library of over 75,000 lessons

Browse by subject
Support