INTRINSIC - EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION AND ITS EFFECTS
UPON FEEDBACK AT MID-MANAGEMENT LEVELS
JAMES MaeGILLlYRAY
A Thesis Submitted i n P a r t i a l Fulfilment of
The Requirements f o r the Degree of
MASTER OF ARTS
i n the Department of
PSYCHOLOGY
We accept t h i s thesis as conforming to
the required standard
THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
October, 1964
In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of
the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of
British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it freely
available for reference and study, I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this, thesis for scholarly
purposes may be granted by the Head of my Department or by"
his representatives.
It is understood that, copying or publi-
cation of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed
without my written permission®
Department of
F<^Uo--t<p^^
c
The University of British Columbia,
Vancouver 8, Canada
Date
1^,-1
ZZ.
i
ABSTRACT
This study was an attempt to determine the relationship
between two broad motive patterns or* sets and preference f o r
one or the other of two s p e c i f i c types of information which
an executive might expect to receive from h i s superior.
An
I n t r i n s i c - E x t r i n s i c motive dichotomy was u t i l i z e d , while i n formation preferences were divided into Job-related and Careerrelated information.
Data were gathered from ninety-one mid-management executives by means of a paired-comparison
questionnaire and a
special ranking scale devised f o r t h i s study.
The data were
then analyzed on the basis of four c l e a r l y defined MotivationInformation groups: ( l ) I n t r i n s i c —
—
Career-related (3) E x t r i n s i c —
Extrinsic —
Job-related (2) I n t r i n s i c
Job-related and (4)
Career-related.
Analysis of the results confirmed the following three hypotheses:
(I) I n t r i n s i c a l l y motivated executives w i l l prefer jobrelated information over career-related information.
(II) E x t r i n s i c a l l y motivated executives view information
generally ( i . e . : either job-related or career-related) as
more important than do i n t r i n s i c a l l y motivated
executives.
( I l l ) There were a s i g n i f i c a n t l y larger number of i n t r i n s i c a l l y than e x t r i n s i c a l l y motivated
executives.
ii
The fourth hypothesis,
(IV)
that:
E x t r i n s i c a l l y motivated executives w i l l prefer career-
related information over job-related
was
rejected.
information
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The writer wishes to express h i s thanks to the
INSTITUTE OP INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS at the University of
B r i t i s h Columbia, whose grant made t h i s thesis possible.
Also, the writer wishes to express h i s appreciation and
thanks to h i s advisors, Dr. W.H. Read and Dr. D.L. Sampson
f o r t h e i r h e l p f u l guidance and c r i t i c i s m .
iii
TABLE OP CONTENTS
CHAPTER
PAGE
I
STATEMENT OP THE PROBLEM.
1
II
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
I n t r i n s i c Motivation
E x t r i n s i c Motivation
Feedback
2
5
6
7
III
STATEMENT OF THE HYPOTHESES
10
IT
RESEARCH DESIGN
Sample
Method
Questionnaire Measures
S t a t i s t i c a l Techniques
13
13
14
14
15
V
RESULTS
17
VI
DISCUSSION OP RESULTS
23
VII
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
27
REFERENCES
29
APPENDIX A:
Paired comparison questionnaire
31
APPENDIX B:
Questionnaire ranking supervisory
practices
35
iv
TABLES
TABLE
1
2
5
4
PAGE
A Breakdown of Motivation-Information
Groups by Company
18
Comparison of I n t r i n s i c a l l y and Extrins i c a l l y Motivated Subjects and t h e i r
Selection of Either Job-Related or
Career-related Information
19
A Comparison of the Number of I n t r i n s i c
and E x t r i n s i c Subjects and the Rank
They Assign to the Information (either
Job-related or Career-related) which i s
most Important to Them
21
A Breakdown of the I n t r i n s i c a l l y and
E x t r i n s i c a l l y Motivated Subjects by
Company
22
CHAPTER I
STATEMENT OP THE PROBLEM
In recent years, many problems and setbacks encountered
i n large organizations have been ascribed to "poor communicat i o n " or to a "breakdown i n communication".
Research on
communication i n organizations seems to be at the stage i n
which an attempt i s being made to i d e n t i f y some of the v a r i ables which are operant within and tend to act upon the
communication network.
a new one.
The problem of communication i s not
However, research, rather than speculative
theorizing, i s a f a i r l y recent trend.
The present study i s concerned with the relationship between motives and information preferences at the mid-management l e v e l i n organizations.
More s p e c i f i c a l l y , our purpose
i s to examine two broad motive patterns and to determine what
e f f e c t , i f any, these two divisions of motivational factors
have on the s p e c i f i c kinds of information the
subordinate
needs or demands from h i s superior i n i n d u s t r i a l settings*
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
For many years the "Economic Man" motive was considered
to be the dominant factor determining the behavior of the
person i n a work setting.
However, research i n recent years
has demonstrated the operation of a number of motives which
might influence the modern i n d u s t r i a l worker and executive.
Shaffer (1953) and Stagner (1950) indicate that i t i s now
quite evident that some workers are primarily interested i n
security, others i n economic incentives, some i n interesting,
challenging jobs and s t i l l others i n status, esteem or promotion.
According to Burns (1959), there are a number of broad
underlying s o c i a l and c u l t u r a l values which tend to influence
and determine our needs and behavior.
1)
These are:
Emphasis on achievement and success, p a r t i c u l a r l y
occupational achievement and acquisition of s k i l l s and competence.
There i s also a tendency to equate personal ex-
cellence with competitive achievement measured i n terms of
income, property, wealth, prestige and power.
2)
An orientation towards action, e f f i c i e n c y and the
p r a c t i c a l , with a tendency to view work as an end i n i t s e l f .
3)
Our combination of natural resources, technological
accomplishments, s o c i a l mobility and our emphasis upon success
-5 and equality has promoted materialism, a pre-occupation
with "creature comforts" and needs, and a somewhat materiali s t i c measure of happiness and progress.
These broad values and orientations w i l l ,
according
to Burns, affect our motives f o r working and have a d i r e c t i o n a l effect on the goals which we s t r i v e towards.
The
f i r s t stage or " f i r s t order" needs, as he c a l l s i t , are
physiological needs.
The second-order needs or " s i t u a t i o n a l "
needs involve: (1) Need f o r security and surety (economic
and emotional) (2) Need f o r opportunity and growth (3) Need
for acceptance and belongingness (4) Need f o r recognition
and respect.
His third-order or "operational" needs stem
from the work i t s e l f and the individual's r e l a t i o n to i t .
More recently, Porter (1962, 1962, 1963) has carried
out
some extensive research on need-fulfilment and d e f i c i e n -
cies i n management and concludes that s e l f - a c t u a l i z a t i o n ,
autonomy and esteem are the needs which management view as
most important. He further contends that s e l f - a c t u a l i z a t i o n
and autonomy needs are seen by a l l management l e v e l s as the
most important and least f u l f i l l e d types of needs, and that
they are probably the most c r i t i c a l psychological need areas
for organizations to consider i n t h e i r relations with t h e i r
managers and executives.
It has frequently been suggested that values may be
c l a s s i f i e d as i n t r i n s i c or e x t r i n s i c ; as those which are
inherent i n and derived from the a c t i v i t y or object i t s e l f ,
or as those which are the outcomes or concomitants of
having the object or participating i n the a c t i v i t y (Super,
1962).
Rosenberg (1957) i d e n t i f i e s the following value
complexes i n h i s study of the values of college students:
the s e l f expressive ( i n t r i n s i c ) people and the e x t r i n s i c reward (money-security) type people.
Not only has t h i s i n -
t r i n s i c - e x t r i n s i c dichotomy been applied to value complexes,
but i t has also been u t i l i z e d i n c l a s s i f y i n g interest and
motive patterns. Darley et a l (1955) and Fryer (1931) made
use of the i n t r i n s i c - e x t r i n s i c model i n t h e i r measurements
of vocational and job interests, while Ginzberg et a l (1951)
suggest that s i g n i f i c a n t satisfactions ffom work f a l l into
three d i s t i n c t , though related types.
These are: ( l ) Rewards
(monetary and prestige) (2) Coneommitants (social and environmental) and (3) I n t r i n s i c s a t i s f a c t i o n (pleasure i n the
a c t i v i t y and i n the accomplishment
of s p e c i f i c ends.).
Two studies (Herzberg, Mausner and Snyderman, 1959;
Gurin, Veroff and Feld, I960) have grouped various motivat i o n a l factors i n the work setting into two f a i r l y d i s t i n c t
categories.
In essence, these two models closely resemble
one another and are both very similar to an i n t r i n s i c - e x t r i n sic classification.
The Gurin study used an extrinsic-ego-
motive model, while Herzberg and h i s associates used a
hygiene-motivation dichotomy.
Although other studies (Brown
1954; L i k e r t , 1956) have c l a s s i f i e d work motives into three
- 5or four categories i t seems that a two-way c l a s s i f i c a t i o n
scheme, similar to the Herzberg and Gurin models, could
adequately account f o r the motivational factors influencing
the i n d u s t r i a l executive.
The present study assume that
an i n t r i n s i c - e x t r i n s i c dichotomy w i l l adequately d i f f e r e n t i a t e the primary motivating factors i n the mid-management
l e v e l working environment.
An i n t r i n s i c - e x t r i n s i c dicho-
tomy w i l l now he outlined along with an explanation of the
rationale for dichotomizing the motivational factors.
I n t r i n s i c Motivation
In the i n t r i n s i c motivation category the focus i s upon
the individual's actual performance of the work or task.
The
contention i s that the actual work a c t i v i t y i s the primary
motivating factor and that the tasks are viewed as an end
i n themselves and are the main source of s a t i s f a c t i o n . Here
then, the incentives are i n the actual job performance.
The
motivational factors included within t h i s particular category
for the present study are as follows:
(1) Interest
(2)
Challenge
(3) Creativity
These factors attempt to get at the nature of the work
i t s e l f as i t appears to the i n d i v i d u a l ; whether i t i s i n t e r esting and challenging, allows a person to use h i s own i n i t i a t i v e and c r e a t i v i t y and to r e a l i z e the use of h i s potential
ability.
- 6 E x t r i n s i c Motivation
In the extrinsic motivation category, the contention
i s that the incentives l i e "outside" the job a c t i v i t y i t s e l f
and that job performance i s viewed as instrumental to some
external goal or end.
The primary motives are thus the
benefits which accrue from, and are commensurate with,
occupying a particular position.
The motivating factors i n
t h i s particular category are as follows:
(1)
Status, Prestige, Esteem
( 2 ) Security
( 3 ) Economic Incentives
(4) Recognition (Promotion-Advancement)
These factors relate to the security one's position may
afford, the salary offered, promotional opportunities and the
status commensurate with holding a p a r t i c u l a r position.
Other Motivating Factors
It i s impossible, i n some cases, to create a completely
comprehensive c l a s s i f i c a t o r y scheme.
The extent to which
one's goal are extrinsic or i n t r i n s i c depends upon the p a r t i cular situation i n which they exist ( i . e . such factors as
power and autonomy can, depending upon the situation, be
viewed as either e x t r i n s i c or i n t r i n s i c motivators.).
It
i s beyond the scope of t h i s paper to e f f e c t i v e l y deal with
these "mixed" factors, consequently, they have been omitted
i n favour of a r e l a t i v e l y clear-cut and more arbitrary
classification.
- 7 Feedback
I f , then, i t bears true that man's behavior i n his
work setting i s determined by more than one motive, i t
seems reasonable to assume that he should require i n f o r mation r e l a t i v e to his progress i n achieving his goals,
and, that t h i s information may be of a s p e c i f i c nature,
depending upon the motive factors involved.
This "secondary"
information or feedback informs the individual as to the
results of his actions and may give him information with
regard to an evaluation of h i s progress.
For example,
workers or executives primarily interested i n advancement
may want to know "how well they are doing" or "what the
chances are f o r promotion".
On the other hand, individuals
motivated primarily be security may want to know to what
extent the job i s permanent.
lokes (1961) defines feedback as a r e a l i t y - o r i e n t i n g
process and i n cases where feedback, f o r one reason or
another, i s defective there i s imperfect contact with r e ality.
I t has also been noted by Stagner (1950) that one
of the primary areas of d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n among workers and
executives i s a "lack of knowledge regarding whether work
i s improving or not".
This i s quite c l e a r l y a lack of feed-
back to employees about the results of t h e i r a c t i v i t i e s .
According to Read (1963), effective organizational
functioning depends not upon maximum, but upon an optimum of
- 8 information exchange.
Probably a number of factors are
involved i n establishing an optimum l e v e l : the particular
functions performed by the individuals, the personalities
of the persons involved and t h e i r needs or goals.
According
to t h i s author, emerging out of interaction over a period of
time, a superior and h i s subordinate tend, i m p l i c i t l y , to
work out a pattern or program of information exchange based
upon mutual expectations of what information should be exchanged.
By a process of testing and feedback, of t r i a l and
correction, each finds out what i s expected of each other
i n terms of information requirements.
Thus, distinguishable
and stable patterns of information exchange are b u i l t up.
What, then, can we expect to f i n d regarding the information
which mid-management executives (depending upon whether they
are i n t r i n s i c a l l y or e x t r i n s i c a l l y motivated) demand of t h e i r
superiors?
Our purpose here i s to examine two
specific
types of information: ( l ) Job-related Information and
(2)
Career-related Information.
Job-related information i s here defined as that i n f o r mation which pertains to the actual nature of the work or task
i t s e l f and with any factors which might tend to influence the
individuals sphere of a c t i v i t y .
That i s , job-related informa-
t i o n i s information which deals d i r e c t l y with what the person
"does".
On the other hand, career-related information i s de-
fined as that information which i s related to promotional
opportunities, economic incentives, security, etc.
In essence,
-
9
-
i t i s not information r e l a t i n g to the work which the i n d i v i dual does, but rather, information dealing with the various
benefits commensurate with occupying a p a r t i c u l a r position
i n the organizational hierarchy.
This type of information
i s necessarily mediated by the individual's superiors and i s
usually dependent upon an evaluation of his career
i . e . : "how
progress,
well he i s doing".
The main contention of our study i s that individuals,
depending upon whether they are i n t r i n s i c a l l y or e x t r i n s i c a l l y
motivated w i l l demand either job-related or career-related
information from t h e i r superiors.
We do not necessarily pro-
pose that mid-management executives w i l l demand one class of
information upon a l l occasions, but, that they w i l l , i n the
main, attach primacy to either job-related or career-related
information, depending upon t h e i r basic motive pattern.
CHAPTER I I I
STATEMENT OP THE HYPOTHESES
Since i n t r i n s i c a l l y motivated individuals have been defined as persons whose primary source of s a t i s f a c t i o n i s i n
the work i t s e l f , i t seems reasonable to conclude that i n f o r mation s p e c i f i c a l l y related to that work, i . e . : job-related
information would be of primary importance to them.
HYPOTHESIS I:
I n t r i n s i c a l l y motivated individuals w i l l view jobrelated information as being more important
career-related information.
than
That i s , they w i l l pre-
fer or place greater emphasis on job-related than
career-related information.
On the other hand, we have pointed out that e x t r i n s i c a l l y
motivated persons are primarily interested i n the benefits
commensurate with t h e i r p o s i t i o n . They are interested i n the
job, not so much as an end i n i t s e l f , but rather as a means
to an end.
Consequently, t h e i r focus of attention i s probab-
l y not upon information regarding the work i t s e l f , but rather
on information regarding the tangential benefits associated
with t h e i r particular position. Such benefits are usually
associated with the superior's evaluation of the
subordinate
i n his job, and information regarding these benefits i s l i k e l y
mediated through the boss.
e x t r i n s i c a l l y motivated
Thus, we might expect to find an
executive demanding or showing
- 11 preference f o r career-related information, that i s , he wants
to know "where he stands" or "how well he i s doing".
HYPOTHESIS I I :
E x t r i n s i c a l l y motivated individuals w i l l view careerrelated information as more important than job-related
information.
I n t r i n s i c a l l y motivated individuals, since they view the
performance of the job as the primary motivating factor, are
l i k e l y to be i n continuous contact with t h e i r primary goal
object and source of reward.
For t h i s reason, they are un-
l i k e l y to require or demand extensive information or evaluation
from an external source, as they are capable of informing
themselves as to the degree to which they may be attaining
desired ends.
On the other hand, e x t r i n s i c a l l y motivated individuals
view the benefits commensurate with t h e i r position as the
primary motivating factors.
The goal object, i n t h i s instance,
i s external to the actual performance of the work, and rewards
depend upon evaluation by an external source.
Consequently,
they require information regarding t h e i r progress and achievement from t h i s external source, i n t h i s instance, t h e i r superiors.
I f we accept the foregoing rationale, our t h i r d hy-
pothesis i s as follows:
HYPOTHESIS I I I :
Those executives who are e x t r i n s i c a l l y motivated w i l l
view feedback from t h e i r superiors as being more im-
12
portant than do those executives who are i n t r i n s i c a l l y
motivated.
The fourth hypothesis i s based upon the experimental
findings of Porter (1962, 1962, 1963) that s e l f - a c t u a l i z a t i o n
and autonomy needs are the most important and least f u l f i l l e d
types of needs.
The i n t r i n s i c motivation category as outlined
i n t h i s study bears some s i m i l a r i t y to the s e l f - a c t u a l i z a t i o n
concept U t i l i z e d by Porter.
I f t h i s s i m i l a r i t y bears true
then we might expect to f i n d results p a r a l l e l i n g those of
Porter.
HYPOTHESIS IV:
There w i l l be a s i g n i f i c a n t l y larger number of
i n t r i n s i c a l l y motivated individuals than e x t r i n s i c a l l y motivated individuals among mid-level executives.
- 13 CHAPTER IT
RESEARCH DESIGN
I
Sample
The subjects were selected from middle-management l e v e l s
of four organizations.
The basic requirement was that the
supervisory position of each of these individuals be preceded
by at least one subordinate position with supervisory capacity
and followed by at l e a s t one superior position with supervisory capacity.
o
The breakdown of the four companies i s as
follows:
Company A
The head o f f i c e of a large insurance company i n Toronto. The
t o t a l number of subjects selected here was 16 supervisory personnel.
Company B
This group included 37 members of the administrative s t a f f of
a branch of the B.C. C i v i l Service.
Company S
Twelve executives from the administrative s t a f f of the City
of Vancouver Social Welfare Department.
Company D
This group included 27 junior executives from a large Vancouver
Retail Merchandising firm.
In a l l 92 cases, the individuals selected met with the
previously stated requisite f o r i n c l u s i o n i n the sample.
- 14 II
Method
(l) Questionnaire Measures
(a) Independent Variable
A paired comparison questionnaire was developed i n
order to provide an objective measure whereby each executive
could rank order the importance of t h e i r motives f o r working
i n a particular job.
The three i n t r i n s i c and four extrinsic
motives ( i . e . : the independent variable) were compared here
(see
Appendix Z). Ross
1
(1934, 1939) scheme f o r the optimal
presentation of pairs has been u t i l i z e d i n the present study.
This method avoids bias which may result from the grouping
or patterning of the items.
In t h i s scheme each s p e c i f i c
motivating factor appeared equally often and was alternated
i n f i r s t and second position i n the pairs as f a r as conditions
permitted, and each particular motive statement was separated
as f a r apart i n the pairs as possible before appearing again.
In t h i s study each of the seven motives was paired with every
other one, giving a t o t a l of 21 pairs.
Mimeographed copies were given to each subject persona l l y with the instructions that they check o f f t h e i r answers
i n the square corresponding to the motive i n each pair of
statements which they f e l t came closest to indicating t h e i r
motive f o r working.
Even though there might not be a
plausible choice i n each ease, nevertheless each subject was
asked to indicate a choice i n each pair of questions.
- 15 (b) Dependent Variable
The dependent variable i n t h i s study was the type of
information, either job-related or career-related, which
the executive viewed as most important to him i n his work.
This data was collected by means of a questionnaire which
required the subject to rank order f i v e statements which pertained to practices which were l i k e l y to be carried out by
his superior (see Appendix B).
One of the statements referred
s p e c i f i c a l l y to Job-related information (the l a s t statement)
and another statement referred s p e c i f i c a l l y to career-related
information (the t h i r d statement).
The other three statements
i n the questionnaire were included to allow f o r variable
ranking of our two information items and also as a means of
c o l l e c t i n g data f o r another study.
They were, for t h i s
study, "dummy" items.
(2) S t a t i s t i c a l techniques used i n analysis of the data
(a) I n t r i n s i c - E x t r i n s i c Motivation
An operational d e f i n i t i o n of i n t r i n s i c and extrinsic
motivation based upon the responses to the paired-comparison
questionnaire was arrived at i n the following manner.
(i) Since the three i n t r i n s i c motives are compared
with one another on the paired comparison questionnaire then
three of the t o t a l 21 responses must be answered i n the i n t r i n sic direction.
( i i ) Since the four extrinsic motives are compared with
one another on the questionnaire, then s i x of the t o t a l 21
- 16 responses must be answered i n the extrinsic d i r e c t i o n .
( i i i ) This leaves 12 of the responses free to vary i n
either an i n t r i n s i c or extrinsic direction.
(iv) I f the 12 responses on the questionnaire free to
vary i n an i n t r i n s i c or extrinsic direction are answered i n
the following manner: 6 i n t r i n s i c and 6 e x t r i n s i c , this w i l l
be called a Mixed motivational type.
(v) I f the results are such that of the 12 items which
may be answered i n an i n t r i n s i c or extrinsic direction, 7 or
more are marked i n the i n t r i n s i c direction, t h i s w i l l be
called an I n t r i n s i c Motivational type.
(vi) I f the results are such that of the 12 items free
to vary i n either an i n t r i n s i c or extrinsic direction, 7 or
more are answered e x t r i n s i c . then t h i s w i l l be called an
E x t r i n s i c motivational type.
(b) Testing the Evpotheses
A Chi Square test f o r single samples was used to test
hypotheses 1, 2 and 4.
A Kolmogorov-Smirinox test f o r two
independent samples was used i n the analysis of hypothesis
number 3.
Hypotheses w i l l be accepted at the .05 l e v e l of
significance.
- 17 CHAPTER V
RESULTS
The data was analyzed on the basis of four c l e a r l y
differentiated groups.
(1) I n t r i n s i c - Job-related —
Intrinsically
motivated
individuals who rank job-related information
higher than career-related information.
(2) I n t r i n s i c - Career-related —
I n t r i n s i c a l l y motivated
individuals who ranked career-related information
higher than job-related information.
(3) E x t r i n s i c - Career-related —
E x t r i n s i c a l l y motivated
individuals who ranked career-related information
higher than job-related information.
(4) E x t r i n s i c - Job-related —
E x t r i n s i c a l l y motivated
individuals who ranked job-related information
higher than career-related information.
RESULTS RELATING TO THE SPECIFIC HYPOTHESES
Hypothesis I
The Chi Square value from Table 2 comparing i n t r i n s i c a l l y
motivated
subjects selecting either job-related or career
related information as most important, i s s i g n i f i c a n t at l e s s
than the .001 l e v e l .
These results confirms our hypothesis
that i n t r i n s i c a l l y motivated
executives w i l l view job-related
information as more important than career-related information.
- 18 -
TABLE 1
A BREAKDOWN OP MOTIVATION-INFORMATION
GROUPS BY COMPANY
Motivation-Information
Categories
A
Company
B
C
D
Intrinsie-Job-related
10
21
9
Intrinsic-Career-related
4
4
2
5
Extrinsic-Job-related
1
3
1
3
8
Extrinsic-Career-related
0
7
0
0
7
15
Total
55
15
- 19 -
TABLE 2
COMPARISON OP INTRINSICALLY AND EXTRINSICALLY
MOTIVATED SUBJECTS AND THEIR SELECTION
OP EITHER INFORMATIVE OR EVALUATIVE INFORMATION
2
Motivation
Highest Ranked Information
Job-Related Career-Related
Intrinsic
55
15
Extrinsic
7
8
* Significant
at
.001 l e v e l .
X
22.8*
.006
- 20 Hypothesis I I
On Table 2 the Chi Square value comparing
extrinsic
executives on t h e i r ranking of job-related and career-related information i s not s i g n i f i c a n t .
Thus our hypothesis
that e x t r i n s i c a l l y motivated individuals w i l l view careerrelated information as more important than job-related i n formation i s not supported.
Hypothesis III
Table 3 outlines the d i s t r i b u t i o n of the ranks which
i n t r i n s i c and extrinsic executives assign to the information
which i s most important to them.
In t h i s case we are i n t e r -
ested i n the highest ranked statement pertaining to receiving
information of any type, whether job-related or career-related.
The Chi Square value of 3.898 as determined by the KolmogorovSmirinov Test i s s i g n i f i c a n t at the .05 l e v e l of significance.
These results support the proposition that e x t r i n s i c a l l y
motivated individuals w i l l view feedback ( i . e . information)
from t h e i r superiors as being more important than do those
persons who are i n t r i n s i c a l l y motivated.
Hypothesis IT
Table 4 outlines a breakdown of the d i s t r i b u t i o n of i n t r i n s i c and extrinsic executives over the four companies.
Analysis of the data gives a Chi Square value of 35.4 which i s
significant at less than the .001 l e v e l .
These results are
i n support of the hypothesis that there w i l l be a s i g n i f i c a n t l y larger number of i n t r i n s i c a l l y than e x t r i n s i c a l l y motivated
executives.
TABLE 2
A COMPARISON OP THE NUMBER OP INTRINSIC AND
EXTRINSIC SUBJECTS AND THE RANK THEY ASSIGN
TO THE INFORMATION (EITHER JOB-RELATED OR CAREERRELATED) WHICH IS MOST IMPORTANT TO THEM
Rank of Information
Number of I n t r i n s i c and E x t r i n s i c
Ss
Intrinsic
Extrinsic
1
14
6
2
27
7
3
27
1
4
2
1
X
2
3.897*
* Significant
at .05 l e v e l
- 22 -
TABLE 4
A BREAKDOWN OF THE INTRINSICALLY AND EXTRINSICALLY
MOTIVATED SUBJECTS BY COMPANY
Motivation
A
Companies
B
C
D
Total
Intrinsic
14
25
11
20
70
Extrinsic
1
10
1
3
15
Mixed
1
2
0
3
6
X
2
35.4*
* Significant
at
.001 l e v e l
- 23 CHAPTER VI
DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
The r e s u l t s of the present study confirm three of the
hypotheses and lead to r e j e c t i o n of the other.
I t appears
that one's motive patterns, as defined i n the present study,
have a p a r t i a l d i r e c t i o n a l effect on the type of information
which a subordinate prefers or demands from his superior.
More s p e c i f i c a l l y we found the following:
(1) I n t r i n s i c a l l y motivated executives view job-related
information as more important than career-related information.
Also, i t appears that being either i n t r i n s i c a l l y or
e x t r i n s i c a l l y motivated affects the degree of importance
which an i n d i v i d u a l attaches to information of any sort,
either job-related or career-related.
We found that:
(2) E x t r i n s i c a l l y motivated executives viewed information
as being more important to them than did i n t r i n s i c a l l y motivated executives.
There i s also some support f o r the proposition that the
executive population i s primarily motivated i n t h e i r work
by such factors as challenge, interest and c r e a t i v i t y , rather
than by more m a t e r i a l i s t i c benefits such as salary, security,
promotion and prestige.
Our s p e c i f i c finding was that:
(3) A s i g n i f i c a n t l y larger number of the executive population i n the present study was i n t r i n s i c a l l y rather than
e x t r i n s i c a l l y motivated.
- 24 Our f i n a l contention, that the e x t r i n s i c a l l y motivated
executives w i l l view career-related information as more important than job-related information was not supported by
the results of the present study.
For one thing, the small
number of extrinsic executives i n the study i s l i k e l y to
lead to l e s s stable r e s u l t s . In addition, since our e x t r i n s i c a l l y motivated i n d i v i d u a l views information, per se, as
being more important or c r u c i a l than does the i n t r i n s i c person, i t might well be that he i s more sensitive to any
feed-
back from h i s superior, whether i t be career-related or jobrelated.
Such a s i t u a t i o n might well confound any d i r e c t i o n -
a l effect from a p a r t i c u l a r motivational set.
One might also propose that the i n t r i n s i c i n d i v i d u a l has
achieved a better developed l e v e l of adjustment than the
ex-
t r i n s i c person, and consequently can better direct his attent i o n to information which i s more relevant to him i n h i s
work.
The basis f o r assuming that the i n t r i n s i c
executive
has achieved a better l e v e l of adjustment i s the assumed
s i m i l a r i t y between i n t r i n s i c motives and s e l f - a c t u a l i z a t i o n .
Maslow (1954) proposes that s e l f - a c t u a l i z a t i o n i s an advanced
stage of personality development.
that individuals who
Thus, we might propose
are approaching such a stage of develop-
ment are better able than those not i n t h i s position to
direct t h e i r attention to information relevant to t h e i r work
and own personal s a t i s f a c t i o n .
They are l i k e l y to be l e s s
vulnerable and better able to overcome frustrations which
might disrupt them i n t h e i r work.
- 25 The results of the present research only tend to add
to our ever-increasing awareness of the numerous and i n t r i cate factors which influence information exchange i n indust r i a l and other type organizations.
Our outmoded assumption
that information flows r e l a t i v e l y f r e e l y between individuals
r e f l e c t s a position which i s no longer tenable.
Read (1962)
found that there was a s i g n i f i c a n t negative correlation between mobility aspirations and accuracy of upward communication.
The relationship was even greater when
subordinates
held low trust i n t h e i r superiors' motives and intentions.
These r e s u l t s , according to Read, indicate that the motives
and attitudes of organizational members strongly a f f e c t the
manner i n which, and the degree to which, they exchange i n formation.
Also, the work of Mellinger (1956) and Cohen
(1958) supports the contention that attitudes, motives, and
position i n the organization structure have s p e c i f i c effects
upon information
flow.
The implications from the present study are f i r s t : that
particular motive sets influence one's s e n s i t i v i t y to i n f o r mation and, i n some cases, direct attention towards p a r t i c u l a r types of information.
I t might well be then, that p a r t i -
cular motive patterns not only affect s e n s i t i v i t y of reception
of information but, i n addition, they may have some influence
on the transmitting or sending of s p e c i f i c categories of
information.
The existence of a s i t u a t i o n i n which we have
one i n d i v i d u a l who has a tendency to transmit more frequently
one p a r t i c u l a r type of information to h i s subordinate,
while
- 26 -
his subordinate may view as important, and be sensitive to,
some other category of information, might well result i n
disharmony i n t h e i r interpersonal r e l a t i o n s and a breakdown
of optimum information exchange.
As pointed out by Read
(1963) such a superior-subordinate pair may be unable to
work out a pattern or program of information exchange based
upon mutual expectations with the result that a stable
communication pattern may
f a i l to become established.
Secondly, the study provides evidence that individuals
who bring different patterns of goal-seeking to the work
place have different expectations of the supervisory function,
demanding different kinds of behavior from supervisors.
It
indicates that r i g i d l y standardized methods of supervision,
such as a highly "programmed" system of performance review
to f i t a l l subordinates, are brought into serious question.
The present study, then, reinforces the fact that much
research w i l l be required i n identifying, much less solving
the "communication" problems which beset the administrative
hierarchy i n organizations.
CHAPTER VII
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
The purpose of the present study was to investigate
the hypothesis that different motivation sets f o r working
exist within the mid-management executive group, and that
these different motive sets w i l l have some s p e c i f i c effect,
f i r s t l y , upon the t y p e of i n f o r m a t i o n desired, and secondly,
upon the importance attached to such information.
This question was examined hy comparing executives on
an I n t r i n s i c - E x t r i n s i c motivation dichotomy, with regard to
the type of information which they prefer, either Job-related or Career-related, and by determining the degree of
importance ( i . e . : rank) which they assign the information
variables on a special scale.
Data were collected on 91 mid-management executives
from four organizations by means of a paired-comparison
questionnaire and a ranking scale s p e c i f i c a l l y designed f o r
t h i s study.
Pour hypotheses were proposed:
(1) That i n t r i n s i c a l l y motivated executives would prefer
job-related rather than career-related information.
(2) That e x t r i n s i c a l l y motivated executives would prefer
career-related rather than job-related information.
(3) That e x t r i n s i c a l l y motivated executives would view
feedback ( i . e . : information) from t h e i r superiors as being
more important than would i n t r i n s i c a l l y motivated executives.
- 28 (4) That there would be a s i g n i f i c a n t l y greater number
of i n t r i n s i c a l l y motivated executives than e x t r i n s i c a l l y
motivated
executives.
The results confirmed hypotheses (1), (2) and (4) while
leading to the rejection of hypothesis (3).
Thus i t appears
that motive sets at least p a r t i a l l y affect information preferences, and, possibly, s e n s i t i v i t y with regard to sending
and receiving particular broad categories of information.
The possible reason for the r e j e c t i o n of the hypothesis
predicting a Relationship between e x t r i n s i c motivation and
career-related information may be on account of the small
size of the sample of e x t r i n s i c a l l y motivated
executives.
Also, since the extrinsic individual appraises information,
per se, as being more important than does the i n t r i n s i c i n dividual, then we might expect our e x t r i n s i c executive to be
more sensitive to any information from h i s superior.
Such
a situation, then, might confound any proposed d i r e c t i o n a l
relationship between motive set and information preference.
REFERENCES
Bales, R.E.: Strodtbeck, F.L.: M i l l s , T.M., Roseborough,
M.E., "Channels of Communication i n Small Groups"
Amer. Soc. Res.. 1951, i i , 461-68.
Brown, J.A.C. The Social Psychology of Industry.
A296, 1954, 206.
Pelican,
Cohen, A.R. "Upward Communication i n Experimentally Created
Hierarchies", Human Relations. 1958, 11, 41-53.
Gurin, G., Veroff, J . , Feld, S., Americans view t h e i r Mental
Health. Basic Books, New York, I960, 149-50.
Herzberg, P., Mausner, B., Snyderman, B.B., The Motivation to
Work. Wiley, New York, 1959.
Korman, A.K., "The Cause of Communication Failure", Personnel
Administration. I960, 2, 17-22.
L i k e r t , R., Developing Patterns of Management: I I , American
Management Association. New York, 1956.
Maier, N.R.F., The Appraisal Interview.
Wiley, New York, 1956.
Maslow, A.H., Motivation and Personality. Harper, New York,
1954.
Mellinger, G.D., "Interpersonal Trust as a Factor i n Communicat i o n " , J . Ab. and Soc. Psychol.. 1956, $g, 304-309.
Nokes, P., "Feedback as an Explanatory Device i n the Study of
Certain Interpersonal and I n s t i t u t i o n a l Processes", Human
Relations. 1961, 1±, 381-87.
Porter.-, L.W., Job attitudes i n Management: I . Perceived d e f i ciencies i n Need Fulfilment as a Function of Job Level.
J . A P P I . Psvchol.. 1962, 4 6 ( 6 ) 375-84.
Porter, L.W., Job attitudes i n Management: I I . Perceived Importance of Needs as a function of Job Level. J . A P P I .
Psychol.. 1963, 42(2) 141-48.
Porter, L.W., A Study of Perceived Need Satisfaction i n Bottom
and Middle Management Jobs. J . A P P I . Psychol.. 1961, 45.
1-10
Read, W.H., "Upward Communication i n Industrial Hierarchies",
Human Relations. 1962, 1£, 3-15.
- 30 Read, W.H., Communication i n Organizations: Some Problems
and Issues, J , Pers. Admin.. 1963
Ross, R.T., "Optimal Orders f o r the Presentation of Pairs
i n the Method of Paired Comparisons". J . Educ. Psychol.
1934, 25_, 375-82.
Ross, R.T., "Discussion: Optimal Orders i n the Method of
Paired Comparisons", J . Exp. Psychol.. 1939, 414-25.
Runkel, P.J., "Cognitive S i m i l a r i t y i n F a c i l i t a t i n g Communications" Sociometry. 1956, 1^, 178-191.
Shaffer, R.H., "Job Satisfaction as Related to Need Satisfact i o n i n Work", Psych. Monograph.. 1953, 61, 1-29.
Stagner, R., "Psychological Aspects of Industrial C o n f l i c t .
I I . Motivation", Personnel Psych.. 1950, 2, 1-17.
Triandis, H.C., "Some Determinants of Interpersonal Communication", Human Relations. I960, 13, 279-87.
- 31 APPENDIX A
JOB MOTIVATION STUDY
Directions: The following questions attempt to determine
different sources of s a t i s f a c t i o n people derive
from t h e i r work. Imagine yourself faced with the
following alternatives. With the limited i n f o r mation provided make a decision as to which one
you would choose and indicate your choice with
a check mark ( ) i n the box beside the chosen
alternative. Please treat each set of two a l ternatives separately, do not t r y to be "consistent". As t h i s i s not a testthere are no right
or wrong answers. Your answers w i l l be held i n
s t r i c t e s t confidence.
I would prefer:
a highly respeeted job
with a limited salary
(
)
having a position which
assures a long-term career
even though i t may not
allow f o r much c r e a t i v i t y
and o r i g i n a l thinking
(
OR
a highly paid but not
too well-respected job.
(
OR
having a job with an
uncertain future but
requiring c r e a t i v i t y
and new ideas.
(
)
)
)
to move to a job which
offers promotional opportunities but where the
work i s routine and does
not make use of my best
abilities
remain i n my present
position which I f i n d
exciting and challenging but which offers
me limited chances f o r
promotion and advancement.
(
(
)
to occupy a position i n
which the work i s i n teresting and absorbing
even though others may
not have very much r e spect f o r the job
(
OR
a position i n which the
salary i s extremely good
but the future of the pos i t i o n i s somewhat uncertain.
a highly respected,
s o c i a l l y recognized
job, even though the
work i t s e l f i s routine
and lacks i n t e r e s t .
(
)
OR
)
)
a position i n which the
salary i s limited but
my long term career i s
assured.
- 32 to work at a job i n
which career and promot i o n a l opportunities
are at a minimum but
where I am able to use
my f u l l creative a b i l i ties.
(
)
a job i n which the tasks
are not p a r t i c u l a r l y i n teresting but where, at
times, my talents and
s k i l l s are put to excellent use.
(
)
a well respected job with
an uncertain future
(
)
a modestly-paid position
with numerous promot i o n a l opportunities
(
)
a position i n which the
work i s interesting and
absorbing but where my
creative a b i l i t y and
ingenuity i s not used
to any great extent.
working i n a position
which challenges my a b i l i t i e s but offers l i t t l e
i n the way of prestige
and s o c i a l recognition.
(
)
OR
to work i n a job which
requires a minimum of
o r i g i n a l thinking on my
part, but i n which career and promotional opportunities are very
ood.
)
f
OR
OR
OR
OR
OR
a job i n which my a b i l i t y and talent i s not
put to f u l l use, but
where, at times, the
tasks are stimulating
and absorbing.
(
)
assured long term employment i n a job
which i s "looked down
upon" by others.
(
)
a position which pays
an excellent salary but
with limited chance f o r
promotion or advancement.
(
)
a position which, at
times, makes use of my
ingenuity and creative
a b i l i t y but i n which a
considerable amount of
the work i s routine
and uninteresting*
(
)
a position which offers
a great deal of s o c i a l
recognition and prestige but does not a l low me to r e a l i z e my
f u l l potential
(
)
- 33 to move to a position
with limited promotional
opportunities hut which
assures me of permanence
and s t a b i l i t y i n my
career
a well paid job i n which
I am required to do a
large amount of routine
work
(
)
to occupy a position where
my s k i l l and a b i l i t y i s
not challenged to any
great extent, but where
the emphasis i s on new
and novel ideas.
(
)
to work i n a highly r e spected position even though
i t holds only limited opportunity f o r promotion
and advancement.
(
)
an interesting, stimulating position with an
uncertain future
(
)
a position i n which the
income i s modest but
where the work challenges
my f u l l range of potential abilities.
(
)
OE
OR
OR
OR
OR
OR
to move to a position i n
which the r i s k of f a i l ure i s high but which
could lead to a s i z e able promotion.
(
)
an intensely i n t e r e s t i n g
and absorbing job i n
which the salary i s
rather modest,
(
)
to occupy a p o s i t i o n
which, at times, r e quires the use of my
s k i l l and a b i l i t i e s
but where c r e a t i v i t y
and ingenuity are not a
main feature of the job,
(
)
to occupy a position
which offers good poss i b i l i t i e s f o r advancement even though i t i s
not highly regarded or
p a r t i c u l a r l y wellrespected.
(
)
a position which offers
me permanence and securi t y but i n which the
work i s routine and
repetitive•
(
)
a position with a high
income i n which the work
lacks challenge and
places few demands upon
my a b i l i t i e s .
(
)
- 34 -
a position which r e quires many new and
novel ideas but which
i s not too wellrespected.
(
)
GR
a position which i s
highly respected
but does not require
much i n the way of
c r e a t i v i t y and i n -
a position i n which
opportunities f o r advancement and promotion
are extensive but where
the job requires large
amounts of routine work
(
)
a position i n which
the work i s i n t e r esting and stimulating even though I
have limited opport u n i t i e s f o r promo*
t i o n and advancement.
a position i n which my
a b i l i t y i s not challenged to any great degree but which affords
me a steady, long-term
career.
(
)
a position i n which
the work offers
strong challenge to
my a b i l i t y but gives
l i t t l e assurance as
to the permanence
of my position
a job which pays me an
outstanding salary but
which demands very l i t t l e
of c r e a t i v i t y and new
ideas
(
)
OR
a job i n which the
salary i s limited
but where inventive,
creative a b i l i t y and
new ideas are essential.
-
35 -
APPENDIX B
The following statements indicate some practices which a
superior may carry out. Considering yourself as a subordinate,
please rank the following statements i n accordance with t h e i r
importance to you i n motivating you i n your work and i n
bringing about maximum s a t i s f a c t i o n f o r you on the job.
Practices
Rank ( l to 5)
Takes every opportunity to involve me
i n decisions he must make.
(
)
Goes out of h i s way to praise me when
I do a good job and encourages me when
things are not going well.
(
)
Consistently evaluates my progress and
performance on the job and keeps me
"right up to date" on "where I stand"
i n the organization.
(
)
Makes a point of leaving me alone to
do my job i n the way I think i t should
be done.
(
)
Goes out of h i s way to keep me posted
on any matters affecting my job and
the way I do i t .
(
)