An empirical application of Herzberg's motivator-hygiene theory to examine the motivational aspects pertaining to project and functional management in a matrix organization.

摘要

The objective of this research was to assess managerial influence on project team members in a matrix organization in terms of job satisfaction/dissatisfaction factors developed by Frederick Herzberg and validated by Herzberg and others in subsequent research. Historically, the literature presents the functional manager as responsible for meeting the individual (work-related) needs of employees, but in a matrix, the employee has two managers, and no pattern of control or influence over addressing needs has been identified for this structure. It has been suggested that project managers tend to control factors that cause job satisfaction (motivators), and functional managers tend to control factors that cause job dissatisfaction (hygienes, or maintenance factors). A survey was developed for this research that asks respondents directly who tend to control or influence each of 14 factors. The survey was validated via a pilot application and then distributed to engineering/professional type organizations. This paper documents the findings resulting from 222 usable survey responses from 18 organizations. These findings provide empirical evidence that project managers tend to share control of motivator factors and functional managers tend to control hygienes (or maintenance factors).