The correct answer is C. Western Electric Co.
The Hawthorne experiments were a series of studies conducted at the Hawthorne Works of the Western Electric Company between 1924 and 1932. The experiments were intended to study the relationship between working conditions and productivity. However, the results of the experiments were inconclusive and led to the Hawthorne effect, which is a phenomenon in which subjects modify an aspect of their behavior in response to their awareness of being observed.
The Hawthorne experiments were conducted in three phases. The first phase, known as the Relay Assembly Test Room Experiment, was conducted from 1924 to 1927. In this experiment, a group of six women were observed as their working conditions were changed. The results of the experiment showed that productivity increased regardless of whether the working conditions were improved or worsened.
The second phase, known as the Illumination Experiments, was conducted from 1927 to 1932. In this experiment, the amount of light in the workroom was changed, and the results showed that productivity increased regardless of the amount of light.
The third phase, known as the Interview Program, was conducted from 1928 to 1930. In this experiment, employees were interviewed to determine their attitudes towards their work. The results of the experiment showed that employees were more productive when they felt that they were being treated fairly and that their opinions were valued.
The Hawthorne experiments were a major turning point in the field of industrial psychology. The experiments showed that the relationship between working conditions and productivity is complex and that social factors, such as employee morale, can also have a significant impact on productivity.
