Abstract
The purpose of this study was to identify the factors perceived by middle school principals as contributing to their job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction. The study was designed to apply Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory to middle grade principals to determine how work-related events cause satisfaction or dissatisfaction. This study was a descriptive research and involved collecting data through interviews with selected participants. In this investigation, the dependent variables were defined as job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction. The independent variables were job-attitude factors identified by Herzberg. They include recognition, achievement, advancement, work itself, responsibility, salary, interpersonal relations, supervision, policy and administration, working conditions, status, and security. From a population of school principals in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, a stratified random sample of thirty-three middle school principals were selected for this study. A modified Herzberg semi-structured interview was utilized to collect the data. Participants were asked to think of a time when they felt especially good and especially bad about their job. Prior to the interview, a demographic sheet was completed identifying the age, sex, years of experience, size of school, and size of district. Their responses were recorded and tabulated by three graders. A chi-square tests of Goodness of Fit were used to analyze the data received from the interviews. This study found that the motivators of achievement recognition, work itself, advancement, and responsibility are greater indicators of job satisfaction. The factors achievement and recognition were statistically significant at the.01 level of confidence. The data also indicates that the hygiene factors of working conditions, interpersonal relations, company policy and administration, supervision, salary, status, and job security are greater indicators of job dissatisfaction. Dissatisfaction with company policy and administration was statistically significant at the.05 level of confidence. The motivators responsibility, possibility of growth, and advancement were not identified as either a motivator or as a hygiene factor. The hygiene factors of salary, status, and job security were not identified as either a hygiene factor or as a motivator. The motivator work itself was identified as both a hygiene factor and as a motivator. There was no significant difference found between the demographic factors of age, experience, or sex and satisfaction and dissatisfaction factors. This study offers support of Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene as it relates to the job satisfaction and dissatisfaction factors of middle school principals. The variables that contributed to job satisfaction were intrinsic to the job while the variables that contributed to dissatisfaction were extrinsic to the job. The motivators were identified more frequently as contributing to job satisfaction than were the hygiene factors. The hygiene factors were identified more frequently as contributing to job dissatisfaction.