MGHB02H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1.3-1.4: Human Relations Movement, Hawthorne Effect, Industrial Engineering
1.3 Define Management and describe what managers do to accomplish goals
Management: furthering organization goals through directing others (plus using other resources);
practical implementation of organizational behaviour knowledge
Evidence-based management: uses management principles founded in the scientific study of
organizational behaviour (decisions made based on the research of organizational behaviour)
1.4 Contrast the classical viewpoint of management with that which the human relations movement
advocated
Classical View
• Developed in early 1900s from military, mining and manufacturing backgrounds
• Characterized by high skill specialization and detailed coordination
• Departments did their own thing, and were coordinated by upper management who made
all the decision
• Scientific management: founded by Frederick Taylor and encouraged the use of research to
determine the best level of specialization and standardization of work (written work
procedures, standard movement and treatment for workers more maximum efficiency, each
job is highly compartmentalized and specific)
• Bureaucracy: coined by Max Weber (German social theorist); a format for an organization
that claimed to be most efficient
o Strict hierarchy
o Criteria for promotion based on skill over favouritism
o Detailed rules and procedures so that work is standardized (fewer mistakes)
o Specialization to match skills to the work
o Centralization of power at the top of the hierarchy (decision making in upper
management only)
o Main flaw: assumes that there is a conflict of interest between employees and
managers
Human Relations Movement
• Developed in the 1920s-1930s starting in industrial engineering (Hawthorne studies)
• Hawthorne studies: researched the effect of fatigue, breaks and lighting on productivity;
through the study, researches noticed that psychology and social thinking also affected
productivity (group resistance to management)
• Human relations movement began after WWII and continued the path of the
Hawthorne studies; a critique of the traditional management style and bureaucracy and
instead encouraged a focus on social and psychological needs of employees
o Humans naturally desire growth and achievement; strict specialization leads to
alienation from organization
o Centralized power means that creative ideas of workers are ignored even
though they have better understanding of the customer base
o Strict rules cause workers to perform at the minimum requirement acceptable
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