Summary week 2.

The highlighted learning for this week was the Hawthorne studies and the Maslow theory.
During the early part of the century, Frederic Taylor, developed a school of thought for Scientific Management in which, he explained he use of time and motion studies on how workers should break down the tasks and the best way how to execute them.

The Western Electric Company carried out the Hawthorne studies in the 1920's at their Hawthorne plant. Initially, the study focused on lighting. From the beginning of the studies, the experimenter effect and the social effect emerged out.
To observe the workers, they put them in a special room – this was the bank wiring room, which was designed to study the social effects. It took a few weeks to the workers to act ‘normal’ in front of the observer.  Medibank Private did some similar study the “Stand up Australia, Sedentary behaviors in workers” where they assessed their workers behavior at work and had an understanding of their behavior after work as a consequence of the behavior at work.

Maslow hierarchy of needs explains human beings motivation by using a hierarchy of needs. This hierarchy of needs is made of 5 essential ladders to the top:


1.     Psychological needs
2.     Safety needs
3.     Social Needs
4.     Esteem needs
5.     Self- Actualization
Maslow explains that while a person is motivated to fulfill these basal desires, they continue to move toward growth. Once they overcome one level they look to grow on the next one.



References:
Abraham Maslow 2012, Maslow Hierarchy of Needs: Father of Modern Management & Leadership by Employee Motivation, viewed 3 August 2012 <http://www.abraham-maslow.com/m_motivation/Hierarchy_of_Needs.asp

Analytic technologies, 2012, Hawthorne studies, Lexington USA, viewed 9 August 2012 < http://www.analytictech.com/mb021/handouts/bank_wiring.htm>
Medibank for better health, 2009, Stand up Australia, Sedentary behaviors, viewed 9 August 2012
< http://www.medibank.com.au/Client/Documents/Pdfs/Stand_Up_Australia.pdf>