Music and Organizational

Behavior
Ricky Campitelli
MUSI 3322

Organizational Behavior
A

field of study devoted to

understanding, explaining, and
ultimately improving the attitudes and
behaviors of individuals and groups in
organizations
The study of the way people interact
within groups.
Organizational behavior theories are
used for human resource purposes to
maximize the output from individual
group members

Motivation Theories
Largely

accepted that personal

job satisfaction increases both
attitude and productivity
Does job satisfaction actually
affect productivity in a
quantifiable sense?

Herzbergs Theory
Two

factors

Motivators (Satisfiers)elements that

motivate workers to higher performance
Recognition
Achievement
Personal growth

Hygiene (Dissatisfiers)elements that, if

missing or lacking, leads to demotivation
Policy/Procedure
Salary
Security

Folk Songs/ Work Songs

Hunting

songs

Narrative songs used to pass time

Often included different sounds to
identify each others locations
Slave

songs

Call-and-response
Origins in African song traditions
Agricultural work songs

Folk Songs/ Work Songs

(cont.)

Sea

shanties

Punctuated rhythms for rhythmic

activity
Call-and-response
Industrial

folk songs

Adapted agricultural work songs and

ballads
Protest and union songs

Union Songs and Wobblies

The

Industrial Workers of the

World (1905)members known
as Wobblies
One Big Union

Used

more song than any other

labor group
Said that when people sing, they
remember the message

Solidarity Forever
Written

by Ralph Chaplin in 1915

Wobbly
Writer and cartoonist for Solidarity
Arguably

most famous union anthem

Commonly sung at union meetings, protests,

and rallies
Youll know the tune (Battle Hymn of the
Republic)
Female

members added a verse in 1970s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCn
EAH5wCzo

The Skateboard Factory

1966

study in Long Beach, CA

(California State College)
5 groups of workers cycled
through different music styles

Show music (Broadway)

Dance music
Folk music
Popular music (Beatles)
(no music)

The Skateboard Factory

(cont.)

Study

indicated no quantifiable change

in production
However, 73% of workers noted that
they got more work done
Worker attitude skyrocketed
18 of 26 workers said it gave them
something to look forward to
All

but one worker said that it relieved

the monotony of the job
The one thought the music interfered with
work

Genre-specific Studies?
Seems

to be little published
information from business
scholars about music effects in
the workplace
What is around often differs in
conclusion
Baroque music is best for
productivity and efficiency
Pop music improves speed in data
entry
Jazz helps the creative mind

Focus@Will
Neuroscience-based

music company

founded in 2011
Claims to boost concentration cycle
from 20 minutes to 100 minutes
(before needing rest)
If piece is too boring, it will be ignored
If piece is too exciting, it will be distracting
http://

www.businessinsider.com.au/i-listene
d-to-music-based-on-neuroscience-des
igned-to-make-you-focus-and-its-been
-amazing-2014-4

Conclusion
Qualitative

job satisfaction vs.

Quantifiable work production
What type of music helps most?
Does music count as a satisfier or
as a dissatisfier?
Needs more studies

Sources
http://unionsong.com/reviews/mol.html
http://web.b.ebscohost.com.libproxy.utdallas.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/

pdfviewer?sid=01581a42-dca9-4fe7-81a8c3b6b077cdd7%40sessionmgr198&vid=21&hid=106
http://www.businessinsider.com.au/i-listened-to-music-based-onneuroscience-designed-to-make-you-focus-and-its-been-amazing2014-4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCnEAH5wCzo
http://www.businessinsider.com.au/i-listened-to-music-based-onneuroscience-designed-to-make-you-focus-and-its-been-amazing2014-4
http://www.iww.org/
http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/faculty/academicareas/organizational-behavior
https://www.boundless.com/management/textbooks/boundlessmanagement-textbook/organizational-behavior-5/employee-needsand-motivation-46/herzberg-s-two-factor-theory-239-6609/