Evaluation of a Leadership/Management Theorist

Evaluation of a Leadership/Management Theorist: Fritz Roethlisberger

Stephanie A. Barbee
University of Maryland University College

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Introduction
There was a crucial shift in management philosophy in the early 1920s. At the time,
achieving a state of overall standardization was the main focus for management theorists, where
employees were considered more of an organizational component than valuable asset.
Concerned critics began distancing themselves from this one-dimensional perspective and argued
that complete standardization was difficult to achieve when dealing with emotional beings. So
began the Neoclassical Theory of Management, where theorists became more concerned with the
welfare of employees, including how to motivate and support them. One important theorist of
this movement was Fritz Jules Roethlisberger. Born in New York City in 1898, he dedicated his
life to industrial research and behavioral sciences, helping transform management theory during
a pivotal time in United States history. Roethlisberger championed the human relations
movement, which underlined morale, leadership, and employee-employee and employeemanagement social interactions. This paper examines the main thrust of Roethlisbergers ideas
and contributions. It also describes how his theories have advanced our understanding of
leadership and management, and how those theories remain relevant today.
Discussion
Roethlisberger had an impressive educational background that served as a foundation for
his ideals involving human relations. During the bulk of his career Roethlisberger remained an
active member of the Harvard Business School, both as professor and administrator, and
unfortunately his dissatisfaction with philosophy as a course of study emerged. He had a broad
range of intellectual interests, which is apparent in the great number of speeches and writings
that emphasize human relations. Nonetheless, the improvements that emerged in education and

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training were the direct result of his tenacity regarding psychology and sociology in personnel
management and the nature of organizational behavior. Early in his career Roethlisberger
worked closely with mentor Elton May, and the work they accomplished with the Western
Electric Company Hawthorne Studies credited the two as the inventors of human relations.
The Hawthorne Studies consisted of a series of investigations that emphasized the sociopsychological attributes of human behavior in the workplace. Prior management theories claim
that people in organizations only work for economic reward and that their primary motivation for
working more productively was for even greater reward (McAuley, Duberley & Johnson, 2007,
p. 102). With this in mind, the experiments focused on physical conditions that affect employee
productivity. However, Roethlisberger actually found that changes in the physical conditions of
the workplace had no real effect on productivity. Increased productivity was the direct result of
workers feeling that their concerns were being taken seriously and that their overall worth was
valued and appreciated. Roethlisbergers research ultimately led to modern day human resource
management, which encompasses employee interrelationships and the incorporation of
behavioral sciences. His most popular book outlining this research, titled Management and the
Worker, set the precedence for management theory, underlining and stressing the importance of
the organization, leadership, and employee relations.
Roethlisberger referred to leadership as special distinction or superiority in some special
field or activity, and in the sense of guidance to people within an organization. He insisted that
because the utilization of people was a special case compared to other resources of an
organization, that ideas about leadership as a discipline apart from management, where
leadership and management are interdependent and highly complementary; where both are
critical to success in organizations (Hunt, 2013). Leadership and management, as understood

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today, are built on the foundation Roethlisberger and his research established. For a long time
theorists, using a variety of perspectives, focused on control as being central to understanding the
ways different types of organizations operate, being primarily concerned with advising managers
upon how to make labor more tractable in the pursuit of economic efficiency (McAuley,
Duberley & Johnson, 2007, p. 150). Roethlisberger led the charge for the Neoclassical Theory of
Management and modern theory has continued to develop over time as a result.
The theories and successes of Roethlisberger are not only relevant today, but are evident
in all of management and human relations. Change management is currently one of the leading
issues of concern involving employees, and was found to be a key factor as Roethlisberger
progressed through the Hawthorne Studies (Ryerson University, 2011). One specific theory
developed by Roethlisberger states that each change situation is interpreted by an individual
according to their attitude. He developed a diagram to support this theory, called the X-chart,
which states that any manager in any kind of organization will implement change at a certain
point, and that a leader without change management skills will be ineffective (Alkahtani, AbuJarad, Sulaiman, Nikbin, 2011, p. 73). According to Western Libraries (2014), this chart is still
used as a reference in todays leadership and management operations, serving the well-being of
both the organization and employees involved (p. 110). As with change management, elements
of Roethlisbergers research are evident throughout all functions of modern management theory.
According to McAuley, Duberley & Johnson (2007), the Hawthorne Studies emphasized
how work behavior can be characterized in terms of a complex network of interacting elements,
that not only interrelate within and outside the work situation, but also within the individual. The
four elements developed from the Hawthorne Studies include aptitudes of individuals are
imperfect predictors of job performance, informal organization affects productivity, work-group

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norms affect productivity, and the workplace is a social system (Western Libraries, 2014). In
addition, the elements presented by Roethlisberger focus on how to develop leadership and
management in order to create the best environment for people, where individuals and groups
construct their organizational identities and the way these identities become enmeshed in the
organizational culture (McAuley, Duberley & Johnson, 2007, p. 436). Ultimately,
Roethlisbergers comprehensive approach to leadership and management theory set the
foundation for subsequent theories that have further characterized an organizational structure that
emphasizes the importance of human relations.
Understanding that Roethlisbergers theories and ideals set the foundation for all human
resource management, as well as leadership and managerial dynamics, it is no surprise that
Roethlisberger is still a significant figure in todays organizational structure. In fact, conclusions
based on the Hawthorne Studies sparked interest in the human element at work; today, the
Hawthorne Studies are generally credited as the building blocks for human resource management
(Advameg, 2015). Presently, it is thought that managers should possess skills for diagnosing the
causes of human behavior at work, interpersonal communication, and motivating leading
workers, which was a great part of what Roethlisberger concluded from his research and
interactions (Advameg, 2015). Roethlisbergers observations continue to be relevant, as there
has been a considerable surge in academic theory surrounding organizational behavior, and as
organizations continue to be more and more complex, so do their problems with managerial
leadership. His research transcends any one aspect of management, and offers a foundation that
establishes a basis for all businesses, institutions, and organizations.
Distance education is a prime example of how the work of Roethlisberger has changed
management and human relations. With complex fields like distance education it is increasingly

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important that managers possess skills that analyze the influences of human behavior when at
work, when dealing with interpersonal communication, and when motivating and leading
workers (Advameg, 2015). According to Portugal (2006), progressive leadership attributes are
essential to the success of a distance learning initiative, as there are many layers of bureaucracy
and distance education leaders must have the ability to transcend this hierarchy while persuading
others to become champions of the program. There are many disciplines within distance
education programs that managers and leaders must possess to motivate, facilitate articulation,
inspire development, implement tasks, and encourage the stewardship of a learning vision that is
supported by the academic community (Portugal, 2006).
Conclusion
Roethlisberger was central to the Neoclassical Management Theory that changed the way
businesses and organizations functioned. With a strong background in behavioral sciences,
Roethlisberger used his credentials and connections to support an impressive advancement into
human resource management. While he is best known for his work with Elton Mayo,
Roethlisbergers innovative perspective was pivotal in changing the methodology relating to how
employees are treated in the workplace. He blended a practical approach with the idea that
managers could also be anthropologists of organizational life, so that they, too, could understand
the deeper human issues (McAuley, Duberley & Johnson, 2007, p. 103). The end result that
originated from his progressive research is still popular and relevant in business today.

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References
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