- Published: September 19, 2022
- Updated: September 19, 2022
- University / College: Southern Methodist University
- Level: Secondary School
- Language: English
- Downloads: 11
Herberg Two Factor Theory and Kerr Rewarding A and Hoping B in Higher Education Setting Developed by a psychologist, Frederick Herzberg, the two-factor theory also dual factor theory or Herzberg’s motivation hygiene theory postulates that there exists certain factors in an ideal workplace that lead to job satisfaction while a different combination of factors in the same workplace under consideration will lead to job dissatisfaction. The theory further postulates that job dissatisfaction and job satisfaction act independently of each other.
The theory identifies the factors that cause satisfaction to include growth, advancement, recognition and achievement. In a higher education environment, this can be captured by the various titles that the tutors possess such as research assistant, lecturer, professor or the dean. This title denotes advancement, achievement, recognition and growth. Factors that lead to dissatisfaction include salary, status, security, work conditions and university policies. A tutor will likely to feel dissatisfied if he or she stays for a considerable longer period of time without being conferred with the professor title despite meeting all the requirements.
According to Herzberg, Job enrichment is mandatory for motivating the workforce. The job should pose sufficient challenge to make use of the full abilities of the employees, responsibilities should be allocated with increasing levels of ability, redesigning the job if it cannot make use of the employee’s full abilities. In higher learning and education set up university colleges and institution usually provide and advice their faculty members to pursue their studies up to the doctoral level. Professors are more preferred and they are held in high esteem in higher education because of the extent of their academic achievement. Post graduate classes like Masters and Doctoral classes are normally taught by professors who are deemed to have the ability to do so. The same professors are normally invited to give talks on a particular specialty field or to present a paper which they have submitted in referred journals. These occasions are usually filled with fanfare and invites are sent out to the entire student population. Faculties thus make use of the full abilities of their employees. Certain offices within Universities and Colleges such as the Deans and Chancellors are similarly held by only academics that only possess the professor title. Their exemplification of superior academic abilities makes them suitable candidates for such responsibilities. If tutors do not feel fully utilized within the college or university precincts they usually opt to branch away from the classrooms to undertake consultancy work in their areas of expertise.
Rewarding for A while hoping for B is a theory developed by Steven Kerr which is founded on the expectation that people will do the things that they are likely to receive a reward for as opposed to the things that they should ideally do (Adetule, 2011). In a higher education set up, this theory can be best captured by reference to the student population who normally read for the sole purpose of passing exams instead of reading to expand on their knowledge. Passing exams comes with recognition and a reward in the form of a university degree or diploma. Kerr referred to this theory as a folly because it normally encourages behavior that is contrary to what is desired. Universities and Colleges are institutions for acquiring knowledge but students have been made to believe that only passing exams matters in the process of knowledge acquisition. Thus, as we hope for knowledge we reward students who merely pass examinations and other forms of assessment.
Reference
Adetule, J. (2011). Handbook on management theories. Bloomington: Author House.