Question

Read the given case carefully and answer the questions below Nawal just graduated from IIM., Bangalore and joined his father’s new business, which employed 28 semi-skilled workers. After a week, his father, a retired government officer, called him and said, "Nawal, I have had a chance to observe your working with the men and women for the past few days. Although I hate to, I must say something. You are just too nice to people. I know they taught you human relations stuff at the IIM., but it just does not work here. I remember when the Hawthorne studies were first reported, everyone in the academic field got excited about them. But, believe me, there is more to managing people than just being nice to them." Questions Do you think Nawal's father understood and interpreted the Hawthorne studies correctly? If you were Nawal what would your reaction be to your father's comments?​

Answer 1

It is not clear from the given information whether Nawal's father understood and interpreted the Hawthorne studies correctly. The Hawthorne studies were a series of experiments conducted at the Hawthorne Works factory in the 1920s and 1930s to study the effects of lighting and other working conditions on productivity. The studies found that workers' productivity increased when they were given special attention and felt that their contributions were valued, regardless of the specific changes made to the working conditions. It is possible that Nawal's father misunderstood the findings of the Hawthorne studies and believed that simply being nice to workers is sufficient for managing them effectively.

If I were Nawal, I would explain to my father that the Hawthorne studies showed that giving workers special attention and valuing their contributions can improve their productivity, but that there are other important factors to consider when managing people effectively. I would also suggest that we discuss the specific issues and challenges facing our business, and come up with a plan to address them together.