Herzberg’s Two-factor Theory and Lawler Porter’s Expectancy Theory (1968).
Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory
This study was modelled on Herzberg’s two-factor theory advanced by Fredrick Herzberg
in 1959 when he interviewed over 200 professionals. The theory argues that there are two
factors that an organization can adjust to influence motivation in the workplace. Motivator
factors can encourage employees to work harder and hygiene factors which will not make
the employees work harder but will cause them to become unmotivated if they were absent.
The essence of motivation is that it is a key factor that culminates into employee
commitment to his/her work or job. A motivated employee can meet job targets and goals
and help an organization achieve its goals and objectives. The theory was therefore useful
in analyzing the influence and relationship between employee motivators in terms of
content, feature and
evaluation type frameworks and their effect on employee commitment.
According to this Duel Structure Theory, job dissatisfaction occurs in the absence of
hygiene factors but the existence of these factors alone does not provide job satisfaction
and motivation. This means that it is only occurring with the presence of motivation factors
which are internal factors; job satisfaction accompanied with motivation. As applied to this
study, the theory holds that independent variables content-oriented, feature-oriented and
evaluation- oriented frameworks are an integral part of an organization.
Moreover, the application of the theory would be useful in understanding job satisfaction as
a commitment among Migori County Government employees. The two-factor theory
explains the possible employees’ expectations. When this is analysed against the need to
ensure there is a proper understanding of the theories, it becomes imperative that employees
in Migori County be evaluated based on the needs of Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory to
possibly diagnose why they had reduced levels of job commitments.
The Expectancy Theory
The study was also guided by the expectancy theory developed by Porter and Lawler
(1968). It holds that employee commitment is an integral part of an organization.
Employees engage in tasks given while expecting a reward for their input.
While Herzberg's two-factor theory is concerned with motivator factors, Expectancy
Theory is concerned with the motivation itself. Proponents of Expectancy Theory, Porter
and Lawler (1968), argue that, satisfaction which in turn determines employee commitment
is determined by the difference between the real rewards and rewards that are perceived or
expected by the individuals. Individuals compare their rewards with that of their
counterparts. In the case of common conditions, individuals will be satisfied but if they
do not find the
reward adequate, dissatisfaction occurs. Therefore, if the actual rewards exceed perceived
rewards, satisfaction will occur otherwise dissatisfaction will occur, vice versa (Lloyd &
Mertens, 2018).
Efforts alone according to Porter and Lawler (1968) do not always translate into
performance for most employees and their organizations; hence they revealed elements of
employee motivation as those that surpass the simple acts of employee efforts. This meant
that job performance was a separate variable. Besides, it was posited that developments in
the expectancy theory are best understood from the introduction of the intervening
variables. Such variables include rewards, reward perception, and likelihood effort, ability
and personality traits, the perception of the role of performance. Lawler and Porter's
expectancy theory implies that an employee will intensify his/her efforts if the employee
perceives a strong relationship between effort-performance correlations, performance-
reward and reward-satisfaction. Individuals normally compare their rewards with the
rewards of other individuals who do the same work as them. The theory further explores
and provides explanations on how changes in employees’ expectations could result in the
development of job dissatisfactions and disinterest.
Individuals should be trained to develop their performances, knowledge, and skills. To
most organizations and individuals, the aspect of conflict roles should be addressed in the
organization. As workers tend to compare their rewards against their counterparts in the
same position, rewards should be carefully chosen and be commensurate. In the Migori
county case, the theory will also be useful in understanding the position of the county
employees based on their level of commitment to their work.
The expectancy theory was useful as it explores the dependent variable,
employee commitment. The researcher used it to measure relationship emanating
from the motivators in the context of frameworks and to determine the extent of
influence the motivation frameworks has on employee commitment. The
outcome thus is in support of the theory that motivators had strong relationships
and significant influence on employee commitment. Accordingly, the theory
tried to explain the complex relationship between rewards and motivation.
