Author Question: In a short essay, describe the Hawthorne studies and how they were interpreted. What will be an ... (Read 86 times)

magmichele12

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 559
In a short essay, describe the Hawthorne studies and how they were interpreted.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

In a short essay, describe how the work of Abraham Maslow influenced management.
 
  What will be an ideal response?


jharrington11

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 365
Answer to Question 1

Answer: The Hawthorne studies were a series of studies conducted by engineers at the Western Electric Company Works in Cicero, Illinois. The engineers initially designed the studies as a scientific management experiment to test the effect of various illumination levels on worker productivity. The engineers expected a simple relationship to emergethe greater the illumination was, the higher the productivity would be.

The results did not support the expectations of the engineers. Instead of a clear-cut relationship between light intensity and productivity, they saw varied resultssome groups performed better than others in low light levels, for example. To explain these results, they began exploring the nature of groups and group interactions. These additional studies resulted in two primary conclusions. First, the authors of the studies concluded that group pressures could significantly affect individual performance. And second, they concluded that people behave differently when they know they are being observed in a test situation.

These results functioned to further the importance of human behavior as it pertains to management. After the Hawthorne studies, managers realized that people in a workplace could be affected by more things than just their jobs and the work conditions themselves.

Answer to Question 2

Answer: Maslow thought that basic human needs formed a hierarchy in which as soon as one need was met, the individual moved on to seek to fulfill a higher-level need. Lower-level needs served as strong motivating factors as long as they remained unfulfilled. Once fulfilled, needs ceased being strong motivators.

As an example of Maslow's view, when a person is hungry, he or she is highly motivated to fulfill that need, even risking his or her life to obtain nourishment. Indeed, while the person is still without food, that need totally dominates the person's consciousness. However, once the person finds a situation that supplies ample food to meet that unfulfilled need, the motivation to obtain the need is greatly reduced. Instead of thinking about the need all the time, the person rarely gives the now-fulfilled need even a thought.



Related Topics

Need homework help now?

Ask unlimited questions for free

Ask a Question
 

Did you know?

More than 150,000 Americans killed by cardiovascular disease are younger than the age of 65 years.

Did you know?

People with alcoholism are at a much greater risk of malnutrition than are other people and usually exhibit low levels of most vitamins (especially folic acid). This is because alcohol often takes the place of 50% of their daily intake of calories, with little nutritional value contained in it.

Did you know?

Malaria was not eliminated in the United States until 1951. The term eliminated means that no new cases arise in a country for 3 years.

Did you know?

Stevens-Johnson syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis syndrome are life-threatening reactions that can result in death. Complications include permanent blindness, dry-eye syndrome, lung damage, photophobia, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, permanent loss of nail beds, scarring of mucous membranes, arthritis, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Many patients' pores scar shut, causing them to retain heat.

Did you know?

There can actually be a 25-hour time difference between certain locations in the world. The International Date Line passes between the islands of Samoa and American Samoa. It is not a straight line, but "zig-zags" around various island chains. Therefore, Samoa and nearby islands have one date, while American Samoa and nearby islands are one day behind. Daylight saving time is used in some islands, but not in others—further shifting the hours out of sync with natural time.

For a complete list of videos, visit our video library