Frederick Herzberg

Frederick Herzberg
Born April 18, 1923 (1923-04-18)
Lynn, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died January 19, 2000 (2000-01-20)
University Hospital, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, U.S.

Frederick Irving Herzberg (April 18, 1923 – January 19, 2000) born in Massachusetts was an American psychologist who became one of the most influential names in business management. He is most famous for introducing job enrichment and the Motivator-Hygiene theory. His 1968 publication "One More Time, How Do You Motivate Employees?" had sold 1.2 million reprints by 1987 and was the most requested article from the Harvard Business Review.[1] Herzberg attended City College of New York, but left part way through his studies to enlist in the army. As a patrol sergeant, he was a firsthand witness of the Dachau concentration camp. Herzberg believed that this experience, as well as the talks he had with other Germans living in the area, was what triggered his interest in motivation. He graduated from City College in 1946 and moved to the University of Pittsburgh to undertake post-graduate workplace while teaching as a professor of psychology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and later moved to the University of Utah where he held the position of professor of management in the college of business.[2]

Contents

Two Factor Theory "The Dual Structure Theory"

Main article: Two factor theory

Referred to as "The Dual Structure theory"

Herzberg proposed the Motivation-Hygiene Theory, also known as the Two factor theory (1959) of job satisfaction. According to his theory, people are influenced by two sets of factors:

Motivator Factors Hygiene Factors
  • Achievement
  • Recognition
  • Work Itself
  • Responsibility
  • Promotion
  • Growth
  • Pay and Benefits
  • Company Policy and Administration
  • Relationships with co-workers
  • Supervision
  1. Hygiene needs are cyclical in nature and come back to a starting point. This leads to the "What have you done for me lately?" syndrome.
  2. Hygiene needs have an escalating zero point and no final answer.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ Herzberg, F.I. 1987, 'One more time: How do you motivate employees?', Harvard Business Review, Sep/Oct87, Vol. 65 Issue 5, p109-120 (note: the reference to sales numbers is in the abstract written by the editors.)
  2. ^ Feder, B.J. 2000, "F.I. Herzberg, 76, Professor And Management Consultant", New York Times, Feb 1, 2000, pg. C26. Available from: ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2003). [October 28, 2006].
  3. ^ Herzberg, Frederick (1959), The Motivation to Work, New York: John Wiley and Sons, ISBN 978-1560006343 

External links