Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T17:30:11.649Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Exploring Horticultural Employees' Attitudes Toward Their Jobs:A Qualitative Analysis Based on Herzberg's Theory of JobSatisfaction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 April 2015

Vera Bitsch  and
Michael Hogberg
Vera Bitsch
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics, Michigan State University, Lansing, MI
Michael Hogberg
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics, Michigan State University, Lansing, MI
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Job satisfaction is likely the most studied work-related attitude and isassumed to influence a variety of behaviors. This study analyzes the jobsatisfaction of agricultural employees using Herzberg's theory, which isbroadly employed in management. Fourteen horticultural businessesparticipated in case studies of labor-management practices. Fifteennonsupervisory employee interviews were analyzed regarding job satisfaction.Components of job satisfaction relevant to horticultural employees werefamily-business values, achievement, recognition, work itself, involvement,personal life, interpersonal relationships, job security, supervision,working conditions, organization, safety, compensation, and information.While support for Herzberg's theory is weak, it is useful for classifyingemployees' attitudes.

Keywords

human resource managementhygiene factorsin-depth interviewsjob satisfactionmotivatorspersonnel managementqualitative researchB49M12M50M54Q12
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics , Volume 37 , Issue 3 , December 2005 , pp. 659 - 671
Copyright
Copyright © Southern Agricultural Economics Association 2005

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Billikopf, E.G. “Interpersonal Communication Tops Concerns of Farm Supervisors.” California Agriculture 55(September/October 2001): 40–43.Google Scholar
Bitsch, V. “Job Satisfaction during Apprenticeship.” Acta Horticulturae 429(1996):97–102.Google Scholar
Bitsch, V. “Agricultural Economics and Qualitative Research: Incompatible Paradigms?” Forum: Qualitative Social Research [Online journal] 1(1, 2000). Internet site: http://qualitative-research.net/fqs-texte/1-00/1-00bitsch-e.htm (Accessed March 15, 2004).Google Scholar
Bitsch, V. “Qualitative Research: A Grounded Theory Example and Evaluation Criteria.” Journal of Agribusiness 23(Spring 2005):75–91.Google Scholar
Bitsch, V., and Harsh, S.B.. “Labor Risk Attributes in the Green Industry: Business Owners' and Managers' Perspectives.” Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics 36(December 2004):731–45.Google Scholar
Clegg, D.O. “The Motivation of County Administrators in the Cooperative Extension Service.” Ph.D. dissertation. University of Wisconsin, 1963.Google Scholar
Cranny, C.J., Smith, P.C., and Stone, E.E. (eds.). Job Satisfaction: How People Feel About Their Jobs and How It Affects Their Performance. New York: Lexington Books, 1992.Google Scholar
Darboe, K. An Empirical Study of the Social Correlates of Job Satisfaction among Plant Science Graduates of a Midwestern University. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 2003.Google Scholar
Fisher, C.D., and Locke, E.A.. “The New Look in Job Satisfaction Research and Theory.” Job Satisfaction: How People Feel About Their Jobs and How it Affects Their Performance. Cranny, C.J., Smith, P.C., and Stone, E.E., eds., pp. 165–94. New York: Lexington Books, 1992.Google Scholar
Fogleman, S.L., Milligan, R.A., Maloney, T.R., and Knoblauch, W.A.. “Employee Compensation and Job Satisfaction on Dairy Farms in the Northeast.” Selected Paper presented at the American Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meeting, Nashville, TN, August 8-11, 1999.Google Scholar
Herzberg, F. Work and the Nature of Man. Cleveland: World Publishing Company, 1966.Google Scholar
Herzberg, F. “One More Time: How Do You Motivate Employees?” Harvard Business Review on Motivating People, pp. 45–72. Boston: Harvard Business School, 2003.Google Scholar
Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., and Snyderman, B.B.. The Motivation to Work. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1959.Google Scholar
Howard, E.H. “Human Resource Management on the Farm: Attracting, Keeping, and Motivating Labour on Ontario Dairy, Hog, Poultry, and Flower Farms.” Report for the Canada/Ontario Agricultural Employment Committee, August 1991.Google Scholar
Kennedy, P.L., and Luzar, E.J.. “Toward Methodological Inclusivism: The Case for Case Studies.” Review of Agricultural Economics 21 (Fall/Winter 1999):579–91.Google Scholar
Lawler, E.E. III. Motivation in Work Organizations. Monterey: Brooks/Cole, 1973.Google Scholar
Locke, E.A. “The Nature and Causes of Job Satisfaction.” Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Dunnette, M. D., ed., pp. 1297–349. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976.Google Scholar
Runyan, J.L. “Hired Farmworkers' Earnings Increased in 2001 But Still Trail Most Occupations.” Rural America 17(Fall 2002):66–73.Google Scholar
Sterns, J.A., Schweikhardt, D.B., and Peterson, H.C.. “Using Case Studies as an Approach for Conducting Agribusiness Research.” International Food and Agribusiness Management Review 1(3, 1998):311–27.Google Scholar
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Agricultural Statistics Service. “2002 Census of Agriculture.” Internet site: http://www.nass.usda.gov/census/ (Accessed December 09, 2004).Google Scholar
Vroom, V.H. Work and Motivation. New York: Wiley, 1964.Google Scholar
Westgren, R., and Zering, K.. “Case Study Research Methods for Firm and Market Research.” Agribusiness 14(5, 1998):415–24.Google Scholar