Topic: Reinterpretation of Hawthorne experiment -- lighting condition, hope and goal setting

Speaker: Chen-bo Zhong

             Rotman School of Management，

             University of Toronto, Canada

Host: Pro. ZHOU Xinyue

Time: 15:00-17:00 September 26th, 2017 (Tuesday)

Venue: Room 1102

Abstract:

The Hawthorne experiments conducted in the early 1900s tested the effects of illumination on worker productivity and concluded that variation in lighting was not associated with changes in productivity. Since then the field of management has embarked on a human relation movement and paid less attention to the physical work environment. Based on the conceptual metaphor theory and motivation theories such as hope theory and the goal setting theory, we propose to revisit the conclusions of the Hawthorne experiments and call attention to physical workplace environment. We argue that lighting plays an important role in how people assess hope in goal pursuit and attainment because our sense of hope is grounded in the physiological perception of light. In a number of studies using both online surveys and experimental work simulations, we found that increased illumination is associated with higher hope in attaining one's goals and consequently led to setting more difficult goals. We discuss the implications of our findings on rethinking determinants of worker motivation and behavior.