"The Hawthorns" Experiment

When I was at college doing a Business Studies Diploma, I learnt about industrial psychology as represented by the classic case of the Hawthorne Works of the Western Electric Co in Chicago between 1924 and 1927, thus termed 'The Hawthorne Experiment'.

Basically this experiment changed the working conditions of employees and consequently there were improvements in output. More surprisingly, the new improvements were then taken away and STILL there were improvements in output.

Basically the findings were that employees are basically motivated by being noticed rather than by financial rewards.

I'm wondering if this theory applies to my football team who, coincidentally, play at 'The Hawthorns'. At the start of the season West Bromwich Albion spluttered along under then Manager Bryan Robson hardly able to win a game and certainly totally incapable of getting any points away from home.

So the Club fired the manager. From then on,with no new players and just a tweak here and there in playing style - and with a temporary guy at the helm - they haven't looked back. These same players have now won four games in a row - two away from home, and banged in 14 goals in 4 matches , and old codgers like me are consulting their history books for the last time Albion did that!

Maybe it was complacency and boredom despite being paid megabucks. So now the Club has a new permanent Manager and the players continue to perform.

But wait! If my theory holds good that means eventually boredom with the new man will set in, the players will slip back to their old ways, the Club will have to fire the new man, reverse the improvements and bring back......oh God no surely not!