MGCR 222 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Hawthorne Effect, Closed System, Human Relations Movement

• School: McGill University
• Department: Management Core
• Course: MGCR 222
• Professor: Mallika Banerjee

Document Summary

Classical view, also known as closed system model: view of organizations: Closed system: design of organization a technical problem and independent of the outside environment (internal design: individuals. Scientific management: in hawthorne experiments in chicago, managers at hawthorne plant want to figure out how to alter physical work environment (lighting and lunch breaks) to increase productivity. Productivity increased because groups were paid attention by observers not because of environmental changes. Human relations movement: advocated more people-oriented and participative styles of management that catered more to social and psychological needs of employees, called for: Open communications between workers and between workers and management. Note: features of hr view are not x"s. They are not causes, but rather characteristics of such a system. Organization as open system: dependent on environment: adaptation/survival to competitors, customers, supplies, regulators, etc , optimally divided labor not always optimal. Organizations are made up of interrelated subsystems (technical, social, strategic)