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 Beginning of the Human Factor: The Hawthorne Studies

Between 1924 and 1932, the Harvard Business School researchers, T.N. Whitehead, Elton Mayo, George Homans and Fritz Roethlisberger identified the Hawthorne Effect. The Hawthorne Studies are significant because they demonstrated the important influence of human factors on worker productivity.

The intent of the studies at the AT&T daughter Company "Electric Co." in Hawthorne/USA was to determine the effect of working conditions on productivity. The illumination experiments tried to determine whether better lighting would lead to increased productivity.

To the surprise of the researchers both the control group and the experimental group of female employees produced more whether the lights were turned up or down.

WHY?

 Contact: wolfgang.arlt@fh-stralsund.de  Office: 1/132, Tel. (03831) 45 6961