Orientations to Work: A Two-Stage Approach

Abstract

Different models of orientations to work tend to stress the importance to employees of extrinsic outcomes (e.g., money, security) at the expense of intrinsic outcomes (e.g., interest, variety) or vice-versa. Research conducted with manual workers, particularly engineering apprentices, indicates that need fulfilment in both areas is important, with both extrinsic and intrinsic factors assuming relevance, but in different areas of the person-job relationship. Extrinsic factors were emphasized in the seeking, gaining and holding of the respondents' jobs, but intrinsic factors were more influential when the worker was actually doing the job. This suggests the need for an integrative approach to the study of organizational behaviour. In such an approach, individual orientations and responses would be seen as deriving not primarily from either extrinsic or intrinsic factors, but from an interaction of both.