Behavioral approach

Behavioral approach in management theory emphasizes the human dimension of work and its effect on organizational performance. This perspective emerged as a response to the mechanistic assumptions of scientific management. The approach focuses on understanding employee motivation, group dynamics, and interpersonal relationships within organizations.^[1] Elton Mayo's Hawthorne Studies (1924-1932) provided the empirical foundation for what became known as the human relations movement.

Historical origins

Frederick Taylor's scientific management dominated industrial thinking in the early twentieth century. His 1911 book Principles of Scientific Management focused exclusively on task efficiency. Workers were treated as interchangeable components. The approach increased productivity but ignored psychological and social factors entirely.

Mary Parker Follett challenged these assumptions during the 1920s. A former social worker, she emphasized power dynamics and human psychology in workplace settings. Her ideas anticipated many concepts that would later define organizational behavior as a discipline. She advocated for participative management and conflict resolution through integration rather than domination.

The behavioral approach gained scientific credibility through the Hawthorne Studies. These experiments transformed understanding of workplace productivity and established human relations as a legitimate field of study.

The Hawthorne Studies

Western Electric Company initiated research at its Hawthorne Works plant in Cicero, Illinois in 1924. The initial focus was straightforward. Researchers wanted to determine how lighting levels affected worker output. The results were unexpected.

Illumination experiments (1924-1927)

Workers were divided into test and control groups. Light intensity was increased for the test group. Productivity rose. This was expected. The surprising finding came when researchers decreased lighting. Productivity rose again. The control group, experiencing no lighting changes, also showed improved output.

These anomalous results demanded explanation. Physical conditions alone could not account for the observed patterns.

Relay assembly test room (1927-1932)

Six women assembling telephone relays were moved to a special observation room. Harvard professor Elton Mayo joined the research team in 1928. His colleagues included Fritz Jules Roethlisberger, William Lloyd Warner, and T. North Whitehead.

Working conditions were systematically varied. Rest periods were introduced and modified. Work hours were shortened. Refreshments were provided. Productivity increased with nearly every change. It also increased when changes were reversed.

Mayo concluded that attention from researchers and supervisors was the critical variable. Workers responded to being observed and valued. This phenomenon became known as the Hawthorne Effect.

Bank wiring room study (1931-1932)

Fourteen men assembling telephone switching equipment were observed without experimental interventions. Researchers documented informal group dynamics. Workers established their own production norms. Those who produced too much faced social pressure. Those who produced too little encountered similar disapproval.

The group regulated behavior more powerfully than formal incentive systems. Social relationships determined output levels. Management directives were filtered through informal organization structures.

Key theorists and contributions

Abraham Maslow

His 1943 paper "A Theory of Human Motivation" introduced the hierarchy of needs. Five levels were proposed: physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. Workers are motivated by unmet needs. Satisfying lower-level needs activates higher-level concerns. The framework implied that wages alone cannot sustain motivation.

Douglas McGregor

His 1960 book The Human Side of Enterprise contrasted two management philosophies. Theory X assumes workers are inherently lazy and require close supervision. Theory Y assumes workers seek responsibility and can be self-directed. McGregor argued that managerial assumptions become self-fulfilling prophecies. Theory Y management produces more engaged employees.

Frederick Herzberg

His two-factor theory (1959) distinguished between hygiene factors and motivators. Hygiene factors (salary, working conditions, company policies) prevent dissatisfaction but cannot create satisfaction. Motivators (achievement, recognition, responsibility) drive genuine engagement. The implication for management practice was significant. Pay increases address hygiene needs only.

Chris Argyris

His research examined how formal organization structures conflict with individual psychological needs. Mature adults seek autonomy, varied activities, and long-term perspectives. Hierarchical organizations often demand dependence, routine, and short-term thinking. The mismatch produces frustration and defensive behaviors.

Core principles

Several themes unite behavioral approach thinking:

Employee motivation extends beyond economic incentives
Group dynamics influence individual behavior substantially
Informal organization coexists with formal structures
Communication patterns affect organizational effectiveness
Leadership style shapes employee attitudes and performance
Participation in decision making increases commitment

Organizational behavior as a discipline

The behavioral approach evolved into organizational behavior during the 1960s and 1970s. The field integrated psychology, sociology, and anthropology with management theory. Topics expanded to include perception, learning, personality, attitudes, and stress.

Research methods became more sophisticated. Laboratory experiments supplemented field studies. Statistical analysis enabled hypothesis testing. The discipline established its own journals and academic departments. Organizational behavior is now a standard component of business school curricula worldwide.

Criticisms and limitations

The behavioral approach has faced several critiques. Some argue it underestimates economic motivation. Others note that Hawthorne Effect findings have proven difficult to replicate. The approach may apply better to Western cultures emphasizing individualism. Structural and technical factors can constrain behavioral interventions.

Contemporary perspectives recognize that effective management requires attention to both human and technical dimensions. Neither scientific management nor pure human relations provides complete guidance.

Infobox4 See also

References

Mayo, E. (1933), The Human Problems of an Industrial Civilization, Macmillan
Roethlisberger, F.J. and Dickson, W.J. (1939), Management and the Worker, Harvard University Press
Maslow, A.H. (1943), A Theory of Human Motivation, Psychological Review, Vol. 50, No. 4
McGregor, D. (1960), The Human Side of Enterprise, McGraw-Hill
Herzberg, F. (1959), The Motivation to Work, John Wiley & Sons

Footnotes