Policy-Capturing and Work Motivation. Need for Achievement, Affiliation, and Power.
Abstract
The policy-capturing technique was used to measure the strength of individuals' needs for achievement, affiliation, and power. The cues used in the exercise were based upon the descriptions of the three needs presented by McClelland. The population sample consisted of over 395 personnel assigned primarily to five vocations - engineers and scientists, managers, staff persons, professors and chaplains. The organizations sampled were the Air Force Avionics Laboratory, WPAFB, OH, Air Force Institute of Technology, WPAFB, OH, and Air Force Chaplain's School, Maxwell AFB, AL. The results indicated that policy-capturing appeared useful as a motivational measurement technique. However, few motive-behavior relationships predicted from McClelland's research into the needs held true for this study. Organizational or individual factors appeared to strongly attenuate any monotonic relationship between need strength and behavior that may have existed.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1978
- Accession Number
- ADA065882
Entities
People
- Billy G. Thomas Jr
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology