This definitive biography of the life and work of Elton Mayo (1880-1949) is the accurate account of his activities and his intimate life; it traces the origins of his ideas. Mayo, who established the scientific study of organizational behavior, was highly influential in American social science and business management theory.

Still the subject of vigorous debate, Elton Mayos ideas spanned several disciplines - psychology, sociology, philosophy, and business management. Mayo developed the field of industrial psychology by applying the results of scientific research to the problems of work in order to improve the life of industrial workers and managers and to encourage collaboration between administrators and their subordinates. Trahairs biography traces the origins of Mayos ideas in order to help clarify aspects of the debate.