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A Comprehensive Analysis into the Hawthorne Studies This essay will analyse the publication “Hawthorne, the myth of the docile worker, and class bias in psychology”, an article by Bramel and Friend (1981). It will subsequently go on to further critique six more academic articles that either support or disagree with the primary publication and demonstrate how the Hawthorne studies have influenced my perception on contemporary management functions and the employer-employee relationship. The Hawthorne studies conducted at the Western Electric Company Works has attracted considerable amounts of critical scrutiny as it has been interpreted in both supportive and contradictory ways. Dugald Jackson, head Electrical Engineering from MIT conducted a series of experiments included in the Hawthorne Studies named the ‘Illumination Experiments’, altering light intensity to examine its effect on worker productivity. In 1927 a research team from Harvard was invited to assist after the tests resulted in unanticipated data. These studies showed both psychological and social factors are responsible for workers’ overall productivity and job satisfaction. Many psychologists and critics attack the research procedures and criticise the analyses of the data and conclusions. Bramel and Friend are an excellent example of critics who consider these studies to be undeserving of receiving acknowledgement and recognition. The article ‘Shining New Light on the Hawthorne Illumination Experiments’ authored by Izawa, French and Hedge (2011) also supports Bramel and Friend’s conclusions. They continue to explain how “Previous accounts of the illumination experiments are fraught with inconsistencies because they have been based on secondary sources”, (Izawa et al.,... ... middle of paper ... ...nce for a particular style of supervision. Dutton (1971) continues on to conclude that the lasting significance of this body of research and the theories around it exist only in its simple ability to place financial incentives into a social context. To conclude, the analysation of the Hawthorne studies and the six texts that either support or disagree with it has changed my perception of contemporary management functions and the employer-employee relationship and how this relates to the Hawthorne studies. The critics and supporters of the theory have equally valid points; “Fraught with inconsistencies…” (Izawa et al., 2011). And “Improved performance…” (Sonnenfeld, 2001). My Opinion is that the Hawthorne Experiments helped shape contemporary management and has effectively established the importance of a socially working environment with relation to productivity.
Throughout history individuals or groups of people have responded to power in a multitude of ways. Hoping for religious freedom, the Puritans left England for America starting in the 1620s. The Puritan community chose to withdraw in response to conflict with the higher power in England. Coincidentally, Hawthorne wrote about a Puritan Community in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during this period of migration, and in this community like all others there is always conflicts revolving around power. Hawthorne uses power imbalances in the Scarlet Letter to characterize and transform Hester, Reverend Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth.
Fifteen years separate Washington Irving’s short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” with Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story, “Young Goodman Brown.” The two share an eerie connection because of the trepidation the two protagonists endure throughout the story. The style of writing between the two is not similar because of the different literary elements they choose to exploit. Irving’s “Sleepy Hollow” chronicles Ichabod Crane’s failed courtship of Katrina Van Tassel as well as his obsession over the legend of the Headless Horseman. Hawthorne’s story follows the spiritual journey of the protagonist, Young Goodman Brown, through the woods of Puritan New England where he looses his religious faith. However, Hawthorne’s work with “Young Goodman Brown” is of higher quality than Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” because Hawthorne succeeds in exploiting symbols, developing characters, and incorporating worthwhile themes.
In the beginning of the young man’s search, all the managers he met fit into one of two categories: stern managers or humanistic managers. People in each category were proud of their own style of managing, even if it fell short in certain categories. Usually, the hard-nosed managers had no trouble pleasing his superiors, but had more trouble with his subordinates. A common pattern with the humanistic managers was that their employees
Nathaniel Hawthorne was an extraordinary writer, who used real life experiences in every one of his stories. However, growing up in a Puritan society during a reformation gave Hawthorne a distorted view on God’s character. Hawthorne was intelligent, but by no means a people person, which created a pathway for him to become an author. There were a few key points in his life growing in a religion zealous society that lead him to abandon his faith. Hence, the short story of “Young Goodman Brown” representing that humans are cynical and evil, and the dangers of losing your faith in God.
Currently, human beings are thinking more on the line of they need work in order to make a living. For that reason, work has become meaningless, disagreeable, and unnatural. Many view work as a way to obtain money and not a meaningful human activity that one does for themselves. The author states that there are two reactions of the alienated and profoundly unsatisfactory character of the modern industrial work. One being the ideal of complete laziness and the other, hostility towards work. Fromm believes the reason why people have animosity regarding work is due to their unconscious mind. Subconsciously, a person has “a deep-seated, hostility towards work and all that is connected to it” says Fromm. I believe what Fromm is saying to be true, after all I witness it everyday. Millions of people each day goes to a work which they are dissatisfied with and that can negatively impact their attitude
one's who stand alone with no one to look to for love or support. "For
Nathaniel Hawthorne is a well known 19th century author. One reason he is well known is his view towards Puritanism. Hawthorne would often criticize Puritanism in his short stories and novels. Two short stories that show Hawthorne’s view of Puritanism are “Young Goodman Brown” and “The ministers black veil”.
"The Minister's Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a short story that was first published in the 1836 edition of the Token and Atlantic Souvenir and reappeared over time in Twice-Told Tales, a collection of short stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The short story narrates the events following Reverend Mr. Hooper's decision to begin wearing a black veil that obscures his full face, except for his mouth and chin. Mr. Hooper simply arrives one day at the meeting house wearing the semi-transparent black veil and refuses from then on to take it of, leading to the loss of his fiancée and isolation form the world. He is even buried in the black veil. Yet, what is important to note are Mr. Hooper's last words to those surrounding his deathbed. He tells them namely in anger that all of them wear black veils: “I look around me, and, lo! on every visage a Black Veil!”. This declaration underlines the meanings of the veil in the story as symbolic of sin, darkness, and the duality within human nature. Thus, "The Minister's Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a literary work of art that demonstrates the author's use of allegory to highlight the psychological angle of the story and characters.
Nathaniel Hawthorne's knowledge of Puritanism and his close relationship with the religion has impacted his views on those in the society. Hawthorne is critical of the Puritans and he thinks that they are hypocrites for having rules and morals that they do not follow. He sees the underlying sin that others may not. Through his many writings he makes known to his readers that everyone is guilty of sin. The Puritan's main goal was to save themselves from the sin in the world, but Nathaniel Hawthorne portrays their morals and society as troublesome through his works, "Young Goodman Brown," "The Minister's Black Veil," and The Scarlet Letter.
Since the end of the 19th century, when factory manufacturing became widespread and the size of organisations increased, people have been looking for ways to motivate employees and improve productivity. A need for management ideas arise which lead to classical contributors such as Frederick Taylor and Henri Fayol generating management theories such as Taylor’ Scientific Management and Fayol’s Administrative Management. In the late 1920’s and early 1930’s the Hawthorne studies were conducted where Elton Mayo was the predominate figure and contributed to the Behavioural viewpoint. This brought about a Human Relations Movement which included Douglas McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y approach. Similarities and differences can be found between the theories due to the relevant time period they were implemented, the motives or goal of the theory and how they view organisations. However the use of contingency theory can help negate the dissimilarities which occur as it allows the relevant elements from each theory to be applied to specific situations.
Sonnenberg, M.; Koene, B.; Paauwe, J. (2011) Balancing HRM: the psychological contract of employees - A multi-level study, Personnel Review, 40(6), 664-683
Conte, J., Landy, F. (2010). Work in the 21 Century: An introduction to industrial and organizational psychology (3rd ed). USA: Wiley and Blackwell Publishings
...n highly repetitive tasks which could lead to boredom and employees feeling like machinery. Third, Taylor and Weber’s systems ignored employee relationships and group dynamics which play some role in employee happiness. Both Taylor and Weber’s systems reduced worker discretion, flexibility, and motivation. Neither believed that specific employees were essential to efficiency and effectiveness and dehumanized the workers.
Hawthorne experiment basically illustrates that what we have knowledge of, is based on our conditions and observations. However, he would not be able to get an accurate account of the working conditions because the workers knew that they were being observed. This experiment would give an inaccurate description of the knowledge we have of different working conditions.
Hawthorne Studies have been subjected to many criticisms. Yet, the evolvement of many of the management theories today would not have come about without the experiments done by Elton Mayo. This essay will cover the various aspects of management that has been refined through the findings of the tests conducted and how improvements were made to aid in the development of organisational behaviour. It will also discuss the various studies and will show how these theories implement Hawthorne studies as the foundation and the basis of the human relations movement. It will also investigate the criticisms that arise within it.