Measuring Motivation And Job Satisfaction In A Military Context

Abstract : This investigation examined motivation, work-related satisfaction, and morale among enlisted persons in the Army. A review of relevant literature helped to delineate definition of these constructs and to identify instruments to be administered in the field. A variety of civilian-oriented questionnaires and inventories was field tested, using 466 soldiers (representing 104 platoons and 16 companies) in one sample and 614 soldiers (representing 47 platoons and 16 companies) in a separate sample. Analysis of the results showed six distinctly separate motivation/satisfaction constructs with acceptable convergent and discriminant validities. Composite measures of these six constructs correlated moderately with self-reports of plans to reenlist and pride in the Army but near zero with self-reported problem behavior. Advantages of such multimethod composite measures are discussed.