Final answer:
The Hawthorne Studies spearheaded the human-based management movement and the development of organizational psychology, highlighting the impact of workers' attitudes and feelings on their work performance. Further contributions by Frederick Taylor, Kurt Lewin, and Douglas McGregor enriched the understanding of employee motivation and job satisfaction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Hawthorne Studies conducted by Elton Mayo and his colleagues at the Hawthorne Works plant are credited with the origins of the human-based management movement in the field of organizational psychology. These studies, which started in 1929, shifted focus from the effects of the physical work environment on productivity to the psychological and social dynamics within a workplace. Research findings indicated that employees' attitudes, feelings, and interactions could significantly influence their work performance and satisfaction. This marked a transformation in management approaches, leading to an increased emphasis on the human elements of the workforce.
Parallel developments included the work of Frederick Taylor who, through his Principles of Scientific Management, combined time and motion studies to enhance organizational efficiency and employee welfare. Kurt Lewin's studies in social psychology and Douglas McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y management approaches further contributed to advancing human-focused management practices. Such theories recognized the importance of employee motivation, autonomy, and involvement in decision-making processes as key factors for job satisfaction and productivity.
Concurrent to these psychological explorations, the effects of stress and work conditions on employee satisfaction were being studied. Studies conducted by researchers like Saari and Judge reaffirmed the correlation between workplace perceptions, such as control over work and freedom from surveillance, and job satisfaction levels. The cultural and managerial mindset during the early 20th century, which treated labor primarily as an economic factor rather than a human entity, likely delayed the development of organizational psychology in relation to industrial psychology.