The Relationship between Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory and Quality Improvement Implementation

Abstract

A study was conducted in nine organizations to investigate the relationship between the use of Herzberg's two-factor theory of job satisfaction and the successful implementation of quality improvement management (that is, total quality management, reengineering, quality improvement, etc.). Company respondents rated quality management implementation in their company based on six attributes: organization culture, customer focus, teamwork, problem solving, continuous improvement, and quality measurement. These same respondents were asked to describe a job-related event that was extremely satisfying and one that was dissatisfying. A relationship was found between the presence and use of Herzberg's motivators and quality improvement implementation success. Due to the variety of organizations included in the study, the conclusions would be applicable to most technical organizations.