Management development

Thus, it is the job of the manager to supervise the workers very closely for them to accomplish their job tasks. By contrast, Theory Y assumes that workers are inherently hard working and enjoy their work. Consequently, the manager needs not keep a close eye on them for them to perform their work. Instead, they should leave them alone provided they do the work within the stipulated timeframe. While not stating it expressly, the supervisors at Walmart Bellingham, especially those of employees handling merchandise, behaved in manner to suggest that they did not believe that, left on their own, the workers could do their work.

The supervisors were on the backs on their juniors most of the time. Some of them could be seen "demonstrating" how and how not to display items on the shelves. None of the workers was new to their work. Some supervisors were clearly lording it over their subordinates to the extent they became a distraction to shoppers. The branch manager also frequented the till area. The behavior of the branch manager and their supervisors tended to indicate that they believed that their juniors had to be pushed for them to do their work.

Several studies at Western Electric Companys Hawthorn plant sought to investigate how the environment affects the productivity of workers (Provided document). In specific terms, the case of the Hawthorne plant, the researchers investigated the effect of intensity of light on worker fatigue and their performance. To the surprise of the researchers, varying brightness had no influence on the performance of the workers. It was only after the light had been deemed that the workers stopped working; naturally, the building had become too dim for any to see anything.

However, the researchers made a strange observation: their presence among and interaction with the workers was affecting their performance. Given the attention they were receiving from the researchers, some workers were so excited that their performance improved. Walmart Bellingham staff reported mixed perceptions of their managers. Some employees believed that their managers were fair and allowed them the space to do their work. Surprisingly, most of those who held this view were the merchandise handlers whose supervisors’ behavior was observed as reported above.

On the other hand, the majority of cashiers perceived their supervisors as controlling. While the supervisors were not asked why they behaved as they did, it is likely due to the sensitive nature of their work.