Achievement motivation in a group of educated Blacks in the mining industry and its implications on job performance

Abstract

Summary: The central purpose of this study was to establish whether there is a positive relationship between a high achievement motive (as measured by the Thematic Apperception Test, using the Arnold's scoring system) in Blacks and Good Job Performance (as measured by good merit and supervisory ratings). Factors taken into consideration in the study were: (i)level of urbanization (ii)resistance to change (iii)job satisfaction. An alternative method of scoring the T.A.T. (McClelland) was compared with the Arnold System. A novel T.A.T. was designed with pictures with which the Blacks could easily identify, so that the writing of stories was facilitated. The level of urbanization and resistance to change were measured on the Urban- Rural Scale. Job satisfaction was measured by means of the Job Satisfaction Index. The measures of job performance were obtained by means of 'man specifications' and merit ratings. The Achievement Motivation Score was found to be significantly positively correlated at the ,05 level with job performance ratings, but a predictive study would have to be carried out before it can be accepted as predictive of job performance. Level of urbanization had no significant effect on the achievement, motivation scorer (Arnold System) whereas 'the 'Resistance to Change' factor was found to be significantly negatively correlated at the ,05 level with the achievement motivation scores (Arnold). 'Too little information was available to establish the relationship between high achievement motivation scores (Arnold), low job performance ratings and low job satisfaction scores. No significant correlations was obtained between the McClelland scores on the T.A.T., and the Arnold scores as well as between the McClelland scores on the T.A.T. and job performance ratings. The T.A.T., using the Arnold scoring system, proved to be a reliable test (both test - retest and inter - scorer reliabilities This study showed that the T.A.T. has strong possibilities of playing a large role in the selection of Blacks for higher level jobs in industry.