Human Relations Theory:

The foci of human relations theory is on motivation, group motivation and leadership.
At the centre of these foci are assumptions about relationship between employer and employee. * they were academic, social scientists * their emphasis was on human behaviour within organisations * they stated that people's needs are decisive factors in achieving an organisation's effectiveness * they were descriptive and attempted to be predictive of behaviour in organisations
A 'motive' = a need or driving force within a person.
The process of motivation involves choosing between alternative forms of action in order to achieve some desired end or goal
Reasons which develop the motivation according to managers assumptions
Reason1: Study of the physical surroundings (lighting level) on productivity of workers. Control group and experimental group previously had similar productivity before study began
Control Group = constant lighting level
Experimental Group = varied lighting level

Both groups productivity increased - even when experimental group was working in dim light
Reason2: Still analysing effect of physical surroundings (rest, pauses, lunch break duration, length of working week) on output
Output increased even when worsening conditions
Hypothesis was now that it was the attitudes of subjects at work and not the physical conditions. This gave rise to the 'Hawthorne Effect' - employees were responding not so much to changes in the environment as to the fact they were the centre of attention - a special group.

Advantages * first real attempt to undertake genuine social research in industrial setting * individuals cannot be treated in isolation, but function with group members * that individual motivation did not primarily lie in monetary or physical condition, but in need and status in a group * the