FACTORS RELATED TO THE MOTIVATION OF EXTENSION AGENTS IN KENYA'S RIFT VALLEY PROVINCE

Abstract

Job satisfaction factors related to motivation of a random sample of 325 agents in Kenya's extension service in the Rift Valley Province were identified. Data were collected using a group-administered, closed-ended, forced-choice questionnaire with 105 job satisfaction, 10 motivational, and 10 personal characteristics items between January and March 1993. Agents were also interviewed as a group in each district. Findings indicated personal characteristics were not as important for agents' motivation as were the job satisfaction factors. Eight job satisfaction factors were important for agents' job satisfaction. In decreasing order of importance, they were as follows: evaluation, dependable supervisors, work incentives, pay, praiEe and work location, housing and transportation, job security, and administration and supervision. Five of the eight job satisfacti,on factors were important for agents' motivation. In decreasing order of importance, they were as follows: dependable supervisors, pay, job security, evaluation, and administration and supervision. One cause of agents' frustration and low job motivation was their perception that merit was being ignored in selecting candidates for inservice staff training. Job satisfaction and motivation were related but different. Recommendations for extension managers and suggestions for future research were made. (Contains 38 references.) (YLB) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * from the original document. *********************************************************************** U.S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 111fice or tdocalional Resean.n and imceovement I O :ATIC)NAL RESOURCES INFORMATION % E N FE IR IERICI thiS document nas been reDrOduCed as rt.( rived lino, the perSon or Orpanotatlian .niginaling it I Minot r handes have been ma0e lo improve .eDrOduction quality e Po.nts of toe. 01 opinions slated inIhisii0Cu .nnnt rio 001 necessarily meolesent Otbcial OE oOsttoun pOlICY Summary of esearch SR 76 PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) Department of Agricultural Education The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210-1067 FACTORS RELATED TO THE MOTIVATION OF EXTENSION AGENTS IN KENYA'S RIFT VALLEY PROVINCE John G. Mwangi and N. L. McCaslin Many scholars believe that motivation is mainly responsible for differential staff performance, that it changes as time and conditions change, is dependent on incentives that the staff value and believed to be attainable with increased individual performance, and that it is high when staff frustration is minimal (Moris, 1987; Grossnickle & Thiel, 1988; Beder, 1990; Cohen, 1990; Schmincke, 1990; Winslow, 1990; Watanabe, 1991). Managers need to know what motivation is and how they can use it to obtain the desired work performance from their subordinates (Kreitner, 1989). Lawler III (1973) indicated that if little ability is required and people have the same ability, skills, and training, positive staff motivation is the singl e most important determinant of effective job performance. Besides being more productive, mr,tivated workers equal or excel any standards set by their superiors (Dowling & Sayles, 1971). Motivation is the psychological process that gives purpose, direction, and intensity to behavior (Kreitner, 1989). In this study, motivation is assumed to be the reason individuals desire to excel in their work. Maslow (1943) suggested that people are motivated by five categories of needs. Starting from the most basic and first to be satisfied, these needs are physiological or survival needs, safety needs, social or love needs, self-esteem or ego needs, and self-actualization needs. Maslow indicated that higher-level needs emerge after lower-level needs are satisfied and that although a person can have several needs at once, only one need can dominate at any one time. A satisfied need loses its motivational appeal but, if threatened later, it regains potency and remains dominant until it is satisfied. Maslow advised managers to provide different rewards and counselling to motivate different workers. He indicated that a fulfilled need does not motivate, but other researchers (Glassman, 1978; Heneman et al., 1980; Buford & Bedeian, 1988; Kreitner, 1989; Davies et al., 1990) have shown that satisfying self-actualization needs increases motivation. Unlike Maslow, Herzberg (1959 & 1972) siressed the need for a favorable work environment saying that enriched jobs rather than pay, supervision, and other environmental factors were the key to motivation and job satisfaction. Herzberg believed that challenging, enriched jobs motivated employees more than dull, routine jobs. He advised managers to redesign jobs to provide opportuniiies for individual achievement, recognition, responsibility, advancement and personal growth. However, research (Buford & Bedeian, 1988; Kreitner, 1989) has shown that professional employees have different work preferences for which Herzberg did not