Session Information
26 SES 08 C, Job Satisfaction and Motivation amongst European Education Professionals: Developing Theory and Theoretical Perspectives
Symposium
Contribution
This is a predominantly theoretical paper in which two original perspectives on job satisfaction and motivation are presented: a critique of Herzberg’s theory; and a new conception of job satisfaction and motivation as components of professional development. In the 1960s Herzberg published his motivation-hygiene theory. Although widely criticised, this is generally considered a seminal study and is much cited in academic texts. In this ECER paper data from a study of English teachers’ morale, job satisfaction and motivation are used to identify conceptually based flaws in Herzberg’s theory. These flaws are related to what the author refers to as the ambiguity of job satisfaction: that it relates both to what is satisfactory and what is satisfying. For the benefit of audience members for whom English is not their first language, the distinction between these two terms will be explained. It will then be examined how Herzberg’s failure to recognise this ambiguity undermines his theory. The second part of the paper presents the author’s original conceptualisation of professional development, which deconstructs it into 11 components, one of which is the motivational component. Thus, it is argued, motivation, job satisfaction and morale should be considered components of professional development.
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