Satisfaction - dissatisfaction : application of Herzberg's dual-factor theory to job change by practicing petroleum engineers

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if the dual-factor theory of Herzberg, Mausner, and Snyderman could be used to understand why petroleum engineers leave their jobs. More specifically, it was designed to test the hypothesis that no significant relationship exists between the Herzberg et al. theory and the reasons why petroleum engineers change jobs. For the study, a non-probability purposive sample of 5,911 was selected from the 35,000 persons who were members of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) in 1979. A survey instrument containing 33 questions was developed with the cooperation of the SPE and the Petroleum Engineering Department of Texas A&M University, and was mailed to the sample. Responses to the survey came from 36.1 percent of the sample. The 2,134 persons who responded had, on the average, held 2.42 jobs since graduating from college 18.91 years before the date of the survey. The average respondent was a 41.5-year-old male who had been with his present employer for 10.58 years and who was earning $32,500 per year. Only 29 (1.35 percent) of the respondents were female; thus, no significant sex bias was attributed to the data. Of the 1,314 responses giving identifiable reasons for quitting their first job, 55.9 percent gave intrinsic-type reasons and 44.1 percent attributed the change to extrinsic factors. In regard to leaving the second job, out of 772 responses, there were 305 (50.5 percent) who gave intrinsic-type reasons and 299 (49.5 percent) who blamed extrinsic factors for the move. Based upon a chi-square goodness of fit test, the differences between the present data for the first job and the data from Herzberg et al. were found to be not significant at the 0.01 level; however, there was found to be a significant difference for the second job. The data do not permit generalization beyond the first two jobs...