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Public Adminstration QUESTION #9542
Question 1
Elton Mayo's Hawthorne experiments began as a study of physical conditions (lighting) on productivity but produced a result that invalidated the original hypothesis. What was the theoretical conclusion, and why did it matter for public administration specifically?
  • Productivity is maximized through scientific determination of optimal physical conditions for work
  • Group dynamics, social relationships and the feeling of being 'noticed' are more powerful drivers of productivity than physical variables✔️
  • Workers are fundamentally motivated by economic incentives and respond to wage-linked performance systems
  • Informal organizations always conflict with formal structures and must be managed through authority
Correct Answer Explanation
Both the control and experimental groups increased performance regardless of lighting changes. Mayo concluded that productivity was driven by social factors — morale, group belonging, managerial attention. For public administration, this shifted focus from mechanical efficiency (Classical School) to the human and social dimensions of organizational life.