Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, organizational context, employee contentment, job satisfaction, performance and intention to stay
ISSN: 2049-3983
Article publication date: 9 November 2020
Issue publication date: 30 July 2021
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the present study is to examine the determinants of employee contentment and its effects on job satisfaction, separation and performance; define employee contentment as employee happiness/enjoyment at work triggered by employee intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and organizational context; and consider employee contentment as the critical factor affecting job satisfaction.
Design/methodology/approach
The study utilizes survey data from 272 employees of Taiwanese construction companies and consulting firms in the construction industry. In confirmatory factor analysis, the items are from the short version of the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) and a newly developed organizational context questionnaire.
Findings
The MSQ items can be considered as perceived motivators of employees. These motivators and organizational characteristics (context) as manifest variables were loaded on distinct latent variables such as extrinsic and intrinsic motivation and organizational context, all of which in turn loaded on a single latent variable – employee contentment. The latter has a positive and statistically significant impact on job satisfaction, performance and intention to stay. While employee contentment has a stronger impact on performance, job satisfaction has a stronger impact on the intention to stay.
Originality/value
The present study utilizes the MSQ satisfaction themes as intrinsic and extrinsic motivators: employees' perceived feelings before the actual work process starts (intrinsic) and work outcomes occur (extrinsic). It examines employee contentment through these perceived feelings and organizational context, providing important research and practice implications.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author acknowledge Kuan Chen (University of Guam) for sharing data collected in Taiwan.
Citation
Mardanov, I. (2021), "Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, organizational context, employee contentment, job satisfaction, performance and intention to stay", Evidence-based HRM, Vol. 9 No. 3, pp. 223-240. https://doi.org/10.1108/EBHRM-02-2020-0018
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited