Job Enrichment: The Effects of Growth Needs and Social Needs on the Job Characteristics-Job Satisfaction and Job Characteristics-Perceived Performance Relationships.

This study examines the job characteristics-job satisfaction and job characteristics-perceived performance relationships using the job characteristics model developed by Hackman and Oldham 1976 as the theoretical base for analysis. Additionally, the study explores the possible moderating effects of individual growth needs and social needs on these relationships using both moderated regression and subgroup analysis. A full methodology is provided for using moderated regression, which is considered to be more appropriate in the analysis of moderator variables. The major conclusions of this study were that job characteristics were significant predictors of job satisfaction, and that neither individual growth needs nor individual social needs significantly or constantly moderate the job characteristics-job satisfactionperceived performance relationships. Furthermore, it was found that social needs and growth needs were positively correlated, contrary to expectation. This last finding suggests that social and growth needs may be elements of a larger individual difference variable, need for personal worth, which is considered to be a more realistic indicator of individual differences.