UNIT-1

Q.1. Define Industrial Psychology

Ans. According to McCormick and Iigen “Industrial Psychology is the study of human behaviour in the work related aspects of life and the application of knowledge of human behaviour to the minimization of human problems in industry.”

Explaination—Industrial psychology studies all aspects of human behaviour at work settings and applies basic knowledge about human behaviour to minimize the problems of workers.

Industrial psychology is an applied psychology, which studies the behaviour of human being who are working in industry, business, service and research organizations. It applies the psychological principles to minimize the worker problems and maintain the welfare of the workers.

Q.2. Scope of Industrial Psychology

Ans. Scope is the domain within which some action takes place. Another way of defining scope of industrial psychology would be to catalogue what psychologists do in industry.

1. Personnel Psychology :It applies the methods and principles of psychology in analyzing the jobs, selecting and evaluating workers. In this area psychologists study about :

(i) Job Analysis

(ii) Personnel selection or Selection of workers

(iii) Training of Employees

2. Organizational Psychology. It examines the effects of work environments and management styles on worker motivation, job satisfaction and productivity. Psychologists involved in organizational psychology are concerned with :

(i)Job Satisfaction.

(ii) Motivation

(iii) Relations between the worker and management.

(iv) Leadership

3. Human Factors. Psychologists in the area of human factors concentrate on :

(i)Work-design

(ii) Working Conditions

(iii) Ergonomics

4. Consumer Psychology. The term consumer psychology refers to the study of how people relate to the goods and services they use in their daily lives

5. Managerial Psychology. Managerial psychology is about applying understanding of people to creating best practices in the management and development of people. Managerial Psychology is mainly concerned with the problems of management of industry.

Q.3. Application of Psychology in Organization

OR Role of Psychology in Engineering

Ans.Industrial Psychology concerns the application of psychological concepts to the work environment. Industrial Psychology professionals often perform consulting work for companies. Some functions and goals of Industrial Psychology are as listed:

Increase worker productivity Design safe work environments Train new employees Help organize the company's management structure Job Analysis Realization of potentiality of Employee Individual Differences Problem solver

Q.4. What are the major influences on Industrial Psychology?

Ans. The major influences on industrial Psychology

Classical Approach Scientific Management Approach Human RelationApproach

Classical Approach: This approach was introduced by Fayol, who gave fourteen principles of Management. These are:

(i) Division of work(ii) Authority and responsibility(iii) Discipline (iv) Unity of Command

(v) Unity of Direction(vi) Subordination of individual interest to general interest(vii) Remuneration(viii) Centralization(ix) Scalar chain(x) Order(xi) Equity(xii) Stability(xiii) Initiative(xiv)Union is strength

Scientific management: Taylor regarded as father of scientific management. To manage the work scientifically or systematically is known as scientific management. Principles of scientific management are Relation between manager and worker

Mental revolution

Equal distribution of work

Scientific working method

Selection criteria of workers

Human Relation Approach: This approach provide the importance of human element in organization. Elton Mayo introduced this approach and conducted Hawthorne Experiment. This experiment revealed the importance of social and

psychological factors in determining employee’s productivity and satisfaction.

Q.5. Define Scientific Management.

Ans. According to Drucker “The core of scientific management is the organized study of work, the analysis of work into its simplest elements and the systematic improvement of the worker’s performance of each element.”The application of the principles of the scientific method to managing a business industry is known as scientific management.

Q.6. What are the principles of scientific management?

Ans.Principles of scientific management are Relation between manager and worker

Mental revolution

Equal distribution of work

Scientific working method

Selection criteria of workers

Q.7. What is Time study?

OrWhat is the approach adopted by Taylor in studying the Psychology of Employees.

Ans. The approach adopted by Taylor in studying the Psychology of employees is scientific management approach. Time study is one of the element of scientific management approach.

Meaning : Meaning of time study is determination of time for a job.

Purpose : Increasing the productivity in less time . Time study also known as work measurement.

Experiment: On Loading of pig iron slab, By using rule of thumb method loading is 12.5 tonnes per day.

By using scientific method loading becomes 47.5 tonnes per day.

Q. 8. What is Motion Study?

Ans. Motion study introduced by GilbrethMeaning: It is a scientific way of determining the best method of doing a work. Another name of this study is work improvement.

Purpose : To increase productivity by less movement.

Experiment: On bricklaying. Gilbreth studied and analyzed the motions of bricklayers and was successful in reducing the number of motions of bricklayers from 18 to 5. Gilbreth introduced the concept of THERBLIG. He gave 18 basic motions.

Q.9. What is mental revolution?

OrWhat is the basic idea behind the principles of scientific management?

Ans. The basic idea behind the principles of scientific management is to alter or change the mental attitudes of the workers and the management is known as mental revolution. There are three aspects of mental revolution: (a) All efforts for increases in production.(b) Spirit of mutual trust and confidence.(c) Developing the scientific attitude towards problems.

There should be proper division of work between the managers and the workers. Manager should perform the planning function; there should be no partiality in the distribution of work. The workers should also change their attitude towards the management. Taylor creates a mental revolution on the part of management and workers. Taylor laid emphasis on these principles and the success of these principles depends on mental revolution of management and worker.Q.10. What is Therblig?Ans.One of the most significant contributions of Gilbreth was the method of breaking down the task into basic elements of notions which has been now widely practiced as TherbligSystem (reversal of Gilbreth or “Gilbreth” spelled backwards, with a slight variation), a classification scheme comprising 18 basic hand motions. Gilbreth showed the importance of the total working environment by reducing unnecessary motions.

The following table lists the Therbligs, along with their mnemonic symbols

Therblig Symbol/Icon Therblig Symbol/Icon

Search Use

Find Disassemble

Select Inspect

Grasp Pre-Position

*Hold Release Load

Transport

Loaded

UnavoidableDelay

Transport

Empty

AvoidableDelay

Position Plan

AssembleRest for

overcomingfatigue

Q.11. What is Functional Foremanship?Ans. .Taylor developed the concept of functional foremanship. The basic theme of scientific management is to replace the traditional line organization. According to Taylor one Foreman cannot manage

all aspects of work. Taylor advised the substitution of line organization structure by functional foremanship at the lower of the organization structure.

Workers

Q.12 Difference between time study (work measurement) and motion study (work improvement).Ans. The difference between these two are as follows:

(i)On the basis of Meaning : Time study involves careful measurement of time required to do the job, whereas, motion study involves the recording and analyzing the movements of workers.

(ii) On the basis of Nature: Time study is concerned with increasing the productivity in less time, whereas motion study is concerned with minimization of movements of workers.

(iii) On the basis of Purpose: The purpose of time study is to determine the time for work, while the purpose of motion

Factory ManagerInstruction ClerkTime ClerkDiscipline ClerkRoute ClerkSpeed BossGang BossRepair Boss Inspector

study is to determine the best way of doing a job.(iv)On the basis of Devise: Time study is a useful devise of

work measurement, while, motion study is a devise of work improvement.

Q.13. Contribution of scientific management.

Ans: (i) Job Standardization(ii) Precision of training (iii)Increase Production

(iv)Adequate rest breaks (v) Importance of Selection Criteria

Q.14. What are the elements of scientific management.

Ans. The main elements of the Scientific Management are as follows:

[1] Time study and Motion study.

[2]Standardization of work.

[3] Planning of work.

[4] Task allocation

[5] Rest Breaks

[6] Functional foremanship.

Q.15. Explain factors responsible for the growth of Human relation.

Ans. The factors responsible for the growth of human relations are as follows:

(i) Classical writers (e.g., Taylor and Weber) ignored the human element in organizations and concentrated on the technical aspect.

(ii) The traditional managers considered workers as merely a factor of production.

(iii) The needs and aspirations of the workers were ignored by the classical writers.

(iv) It was thought that workers could be motivated by monetary rewards only.

(v) Informal relations at the place of work were generally not liked by the managersQ.16. What are the elements of Human relation approach?

Ans: The elements of human relations are as follows:

(i) Commonness of Goal. The industrialists and workers must have only one goal about national interest. If the national interest in relation to production is uppermost in their thinking, there will be commonness of goal with them.

(ii) Co-operation. Lack of Co-operation in the administration of factories creates a complex situation which may result in strikes, lock-up quarrels, gherao (harassing by surrounding by a number of persons) and other types of tension.

(iii) Administration. The manager of an industry occupies an

important position in the administration of the factory.

(v) Proper Reward.

Q17) Summarize the Hawthorne experiment.

Ans: Hawthorne study measured the impact of different working conditions (such as levels of lighting, payment systems and hours of work) on output. The Hawthorne study were comprised of following major parts :

(i)Experiment on Illumination;(ii) Relay assembly test-room study;(iii) Bank wiring observation room study;(iv)Mass Interviewing Program;(v) Personnel Counseling.

ConclusionsFour general conclusions were drawn from the Hawthorne

studies: 1. The aptitudes of individuals (as measured by industrial psychologists) are imperfect predictors of job performance.2. Informal organization affects productivity. Although previous students of industry had looked upon workers either as isolated individuals or as an undifferentiated mass organized according to the formal chart of hierarchical positions and responsibilities established by management, the Hawthorne researchers discovered

a group life among the workers.3. Work-group norms affect productivity. The Hawthorne

researchers were not the first to recognize that work groups tend to arrive at norms for what is “a fair day’s work,” restricting their production below that point even when they are physically able to exceed the norm and would be financially rewarded for it.4. The workplace is a social system. The Hawthorne researchers came to view the workplace as a social system made up of interdependent parts. Q 18. What are the implications of Hawthorne experiment.Ans. Implications of the Hawthorne Studies

(i)Focus on human relations. (ii) Attitudes of an Employee. In the relay room, production

continually increased throughout the test period and relay assemblers were positive

(iii) Boost worker productivity. The study sought to identify those aspects of a job that were most likely to boost worker productivity.

(iv)Importance to group. The Bank wiring observation room experiments led to the observation that Group acceptance appeared to be more important to the worker than money.

(v) Communication: (vi)Informal Leadership: There is an emergence of informal

leadership, which sets and enforces group norms.

Q19. Explain the difference between scientific management approach and human relation approachAns: Difference between scientific management approach and human relation approach

The difference between scientific management approach and human relation approach is as follow:

(i)In scientific management approach emphasis is given on systematic method whereas in human relation approach emphasis is given on human relation method.

(ii) Scientific management focused on the study of the productivity problems or requirement of job in industry, whereas, human relation approach focused on the study of individual and worker’s social need.

(iii) The base of scientific method is time and motion study, but the bas of human relation approach is Hawthorne Experiment.

(iv) In scientific management approach importance is given to scientific working method, selection criteria and mental revolution, whereas in human relation approach importance is given to job satisfaction, motivation, employee morale and social reward.

(v) Scientific management approach concentrated on

improvements in productivity and efficiency, but human relation approach concentrated on improvements in interpersonal relations and human relations in industry.

Q.20. What is the relevance of Relay room experiment in Hawthorne Experiments?

Ans. The second phase of Hawthorne Experiment was made in a study of relay assemblers at the Hawthorne plant. Purpose. To study the effect of fatigue on productivity.

Method. The Relay assembly room experiments were conducted by a team of Harvard Business School. These are considered to be the actual beginning of the Hawthorne Studies since the Illumination Studies failed to come out with any conclusion. A group of women were selected for study who had been assembling relays so long that their production was no longer improving with practice. Various changes like change in the number of hours in a work week, number of hours in a work day, number of breaks, free social interaction among group members or freedom to form informal groups, friendly and informal supervision.

Findings. The findings took the researchers by surprise, since irrespective of the changes made, there was an overall increase in productivity. This became known as the “Hawthorne Effect”. They realized that since the subjects’ were given a great deal of freedom, they had formed an informal group. The researchers thus discovered the concept of informal organization. They found that workplaces were social environments and that there were factors other than just economic self-interest. An important conclusion drawn was that every aspect of an industrial work environment had

a social value.The relevance of this experiment is that in this phase Hawthorne

effect has been introduced.