Module Based Content
The lamination test was conducted from 1924-1927 and was set to determine how the effects of light played a role for the workers (Anteby & Khurana, n.d.). The illumination study yielded no significant data to support better lighting meant better, more productive workers (Hartford, 2009). The relay assembly study was conducted from 1927-1932. Mayo, one of the researchers on the project, reasoned that “the six individuals became a team and the team gave itself wholeheartedly and spontaneously to co-operation in an experiment (Mayo,1945, pg 64). There were many more variables added in the assembly study experiment that were not present in the illumination experiment. Assembly room variables were the closeness of the six participants, newly acquired break times, incentives and the mere fact of participants being watched and monitored (Anteby & Khurana, n.d.).
The differences between these two experiments significant in that one experiment yielded results, while the other yielded no results. The approaches were different as well. Management or researchers in the first experiment just made the light changes and did not make the participants aware of these changes or differences. In the Assembly room the participants were extremely aware of their participation in an experiment and thus could have performed better because of this fact (Hartford, 2009). This is known as the Hawthorn effect (Paradis & Sutkin, 2017). The differences are significant in management thought in that the approach was different. When the first experiment failed to yield results, they come up with a new approach in order to determine how and what makes a person more productive. The problem in the assembly result was that they threw too many variables at the problem and thus they cannot say with certainty what made the production levels increase.
Landmark Article Research
Span of control refers to the number of functions or subordinates for which an individual or organization is responsible for (Newton & Borstorff, 2011). Oaks discusses in his 1955 article the need to consider the span of control (Oaks,1955). In his article he is discussing the decentralization of the organization for retail stores. There is a need to reduce the span of control, or the number of employees per manager and a need to increase supervision according to Oaks (1955). Span of control becomes important to consider when there are too many employees to one manager. The manager cannot possible be effective if they have too many direct reports as was the case in Oaks’ article (1955).
The organizational structure and design Oaks laid out was hierarchal. There was a defined chain of command that Oaks (1955) referred to as central control. There was a central merchandising team and they distributed to the stores. Branch managers all had an assistant to help them and then there were managers down the line and employees from there. It has the appearance of some our retail establishments today.
Contemporary Research
The training landscape today requires a trainer or teacher to be adept at working with participants or students from all generations. The newest generation entering the work force are the Millennials. Individuals, “born between 1980 and 2000, are now beginning to enter college [and the work force]. They have been referred to as 'Generation Next', 'Generation Y’ “Millennials', and the 'Nintendo Generation” (Laudicina, 2001). This generation is the most “technoliterate” (Laudicine, 2001) to date. Training this generation must meet their thirst for technology. According to Preis, Kellar and Crosby in their article from 2011, NextGen students will require more technology and interactive learning with greater participation than have prior generations before them.
Managers in today’s workforce will need to pay special attention to the millennials. Millennials have certain expectations of the organization they work for (Hershatter & Epstein, 2010). This generation has been referred to as “Generation Whine”, due to the young people “who have been over-indulged and protected” (Hershatter & Epstein, 2010). This information is significant because employers will have more on their hands to deal with on a day to day than they have had to deal with past generations. The manager’s span of control will need to be small if they have this generation of employee due to the employee needing and wanting more out of the manager. If the manager has too much going on or is responsible for too many employees and they have a millennial or two on their team, the millennial is likely to quit or leave because they were not getting the attention they needed.
Reference:
Anteby, M & Khurana, R. (n.d). A New Vision. Retrieved November 19, 2017, from https://www.library.hbs.edu/hc/hawethorn/anewvision/html#e
Harford, T. (2009). How social science ends up as urban myth. FT.Com, Retrieved from https://saintleo.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.saintleo.idm.oclc.org/docview/229203970?accountid=4870
Hershatter, A., & Epstein, M. (2010). Millennials and the world of work: An organization and management perspective. Journal of Business and Psychology, 25(2), 211-223. doi:http://dx.doi.org.saintleo.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s10869-010-9160-y
Laudicina, R. J. (2001). Mentoring for retention and advancement in the multigenerational clinical laboratory. Clinical Laboratory Science, 14(1), 48-52. Retrieved from https://saintleo.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.saintleo.idm.oclc.org/docview/204799657?accountid=4870
Mayo, E. (1945). Social Problems of an Industrial Civilization. Boston: Division of Research, Graduate School of Business Administration, Harvard University, p. 64
Newton, S., & Borstorff, P. C. (2011). SMALL TOWNS DON'T ALWAYS HAVE SMALL PROBLEMS: ASHVILLE CASE STUDY. Journal of the International Academy for Case Studies, 17(8), 1-5. Retrieved from https://saintleo.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.saintleo.idm.oclc.org/docview/912513109?accountid=4870
Oaks, C. L. (1955). Organizing for retail decentralization. Journal of Marketing (Pre-1986), 20, 255. Retrieved from https://saintleo.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.saintleo.idm.oclc.org/docview/209282402?accountid=4870
Paradis, E., & Sutkin, G. (2017). Beyond a good story: From hawthorne effect to reactivity in health professions education research. Medical Education, 51(1), 31-39. doi:http://dx.doi.org.saintleo.idm.oclc.org/10.1111/medu.13122
Preis, M. W., Kellar, G. M., & Crosby, E. (2011). Student acceptance of clickers in large introductory business classes. American Journal of Business Education, 4(5), 1-14. Retrieved from https://saintleo.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.saintleo.idm.oclc.org/docview/868858283?accountid=4870
Allnsj
Homeworkexampleresponse2.docx
0
