the factors affecting educators' job performance and job satisfaction in selected rekopantswe ao

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THE FACTORS AFFECTING EDUCATORS’ JOB PERFORMANCE AND JOB
SATISFACTION IN SELECTED REKOPANTSWE AO SECONDARY SCHOOLS

BY

K.GILBERT PULE

A FULL DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN THE FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENT FOR MASTERS IN EDUCATION DEGREE IN THE SCHOOL OF
EDUCATION LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

NORTH-WEST UNIVERSITY
MAFIKENG CAMPUS

SUPERVISOR: PROF. P.C. MOOROSI

DATE: NOVEMBER 2015
DECLARATION
I, K. GILBERT PULE declare that:
THE FACTORS AFFECTING EDUCATORS’ JOB PERFORMANCE AND JOB
SATISFACTION IN SELECTED REKOPANTSWE AO SECONDARY SCHOOLS
is my own hard earned effort and that all the sources used or quoted have been acknowledged
and indicated by means of complete reference. This study was not submitted by me at any
university for a degree or examination.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . November 2015
K.G.Pule

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DEDICATION
This piece of research study is devoted to my family and all selfless educators in the
department of education, especially in the Rekopantswe Area Office.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I wish to thank God Almighty in the name of Jesus Christ for granting me courage,
perseverance, industriousness and wisdom to complete this outstanding work.
My sincere appreciation, acknowledgements and gratitude flow to the following individuals:
 My supervisor, Professor Pontso` Moorosi. This lady is one of the rare individuals I have
ever worked with. She tirelessly encouraged, guided, motivated and supported me
throughout until the completion of this dissertation.
 Mr Sabelo Chizwina, the librarian for his unending assistance in getting different relevant
articles and lot of other information throughout this study.
 All educators who agreed to offer me their valuable and precious time by answering the
questionnaire and participating in the interviews.
 Professor Ntebo Moroke for her assistance in the statistical procedures.
 My wife Dinah Pule and daughter Omaatla Pule for at least allowing me to steal their
family time.
 Finally, Mr Joel Moletsane for his assistance in exceptionally editing this study.

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ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to determine the factors affecting educators’ job performance
and job satisfaction in selected Rekopantswe AO schools of the North-West Province. The
literature study was carried out on relevant theories, outcomes of previous studies involving
similar issues and empirical inquiry tailed. The researcher used a sequential explanatory
strategy i.e. a mixed-methods starting with quantitative method followed by qualitative
method. The structured questionnaire was used in the quantitative phase in which 150 survey
instruments were issued but 132 responses were received/returned. The second part, the
qualitative phase used interviews with 10 educators who also took part in the quantitative
phase. The findings suggest that educators generally have a variety of challenges in different
schools that affect their job performance and job satisfaction. These factors included lack of
support, inadequate remuneration, learner ill-discipline, challenges in learner assessments and
promotions, learner age cohort, fraudulent promotional posts, underachieving learners, lack
of safety and security, school location, congested work schedules, overcrowding and overload
as well as poor leadership styles. The findings further indicate that a lack of satisfaction in
one’s job results in demotivation which affects the job performance of educators, suggesting
a relationship between job performance and job satisfaction. This agrees with Spector (2008)
who maintains that there is a two-way link connecting job performance and job satisfaction.
The study concludes that satisfaction may usher improved job performance and performance
may show the way to job satisfaction. The study then recommends that the national treasury
and DBE should look into the overview of market-related remuneration packages to attract
new educators, hence addressing poor salaries and most probably shortage of educators as an
approach to elevate educators’ job performance and job satisfaction.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page No

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY ………………………….. 1
1.1. INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………… 1
1.2. BACKGROUND …………………………………………………………….. 2
1.3. MOTIVATION FOR THE RESEARCH ……………………………………. 2
1.4. PROBLEM STATEMENT ………………………………………………….. 3
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS …………………………………………………... 4
1.6. AIMS OF THE RESEARCH ………………………………………………... 4
1.7. DEFINITION OF CONCEPTS ……………………………………………… 5
1.7.1. Educator ……………………………………………………………………. 5
1.7.2. Job Performance …………………………………………………………… 6
1.7.3. Job Satisfaction …………………………………………………………….. 6
1.8. CHAPTERS OUTLINE……………………………………………………… 7

1.9. SUMMARY…………………………………………………………………. 7
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW……………………………………… 8
2.1. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………… 8
2.2. RESEARCH STUDIES ON EDUCATORS’ JOB PERFORMANCE AND
JOB SATISFACTION …………………………………………………………… 8
2.2.1. Some Studies on Educators’ Job Performance ……………………………. 8
2.2.2. Some Studies on Educators’ Satisfaction …………………………………. 9
2.2.3. Relationship between Job Performance and Job Satisfaction ……………... 9
2.3. FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE EDUCATORS’ JOB PERFORMANCE
AND JOB SATISFACTION ……………………………………………………... 10
2.3.1. Demographic Factors ……………………………………………………… 10
2.3.1.1. Age ………………………………………………………………………. 11
2.3.1.2. Gender …………………………………………………………………… 12
2.3.1.3. Educational Status ……………………………………………………….. 12
2.3.1.4. Working Experience ……………………………………………………... 12
2.3.2. Organisational Factors ……………………………………………………... 13
2.3.2.1. Organisational Communication ………………………………………….. 13
2.3.2.2. Issues related to Departmental Policies ………………………………….. 13
2.3.2..3. Admission Policy ……………………………………………………….. 15
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2.3.2.4. Discipline, Safety and Security ………………………………………….. 15
2.3.2.5. Physical Working Conditions ……………………………………………. 16
2.3.3. Classroom Related Factors ………………………………………………… 17
2.3.3.1. Educator Autonomy ……………………………………………………... 18
2.3.3.2. Educator workload ………………………………………………………. 18
2.3.3.3. Interpersonal relations …………………………………………………… 19
2.4. THEORIES ON JOB PERFORMANCE ……………………………………. 22

2.4.1 Expectancy Theory …………………………………………………………

2.5. THEORIES ON JOB SATISFACTION …………………………………….. 24
2.5.1. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory …………………………………….. 24
2.5.2. Herzberg Two-factor Theory ………………………………………………. 25
2.6. SUMMARY …………………………………………………………………. 28
CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY ……………... 29
3.1. INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………… 29
3.2. RESEARCH DESIGN ………………………………………………………. 29
3.3. QUANTITATIVE PHASE …………………………………………………... 30
3.3.1. Population and sampling …………………………………………………... 30
3.3.2. The collection instrument (questionnaire) and variables ………………….. 31
3.3.3 Validity and Reliability …………………………………………………….. 32
3.3.4. Pilot study ………………………………………………………………….. 33
3.3.5. Data Analysis and Statistical Techniques …………………………………. 33
3.4. QUALITATIVE PHASE ……………………………………………………. 34
3.4.1. Participant Selection ……………………………………………………….. 34
3.4.2. Interview Questions ………………………………………………………... 34
3.4.3. Data Collection Strategies …………………………………………………. 35
3.4.5. Measures to ensure trustworthiness ………………………………………... 36
3.4.6. Data analysis ……………………………………………………………….. 37
3.5. ETHICAL MEASURES ……………………………………………………... 37
3.5.1. Competency of the researcher ……………………………………………... 38
3.5.2. Relationship with interviewees ……………………………………………. 39
3.5.3. Informed consent ………………………………………………………….. 39
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3.5.5. Deception of participants ………………………………………………….. 39
3.5.6. Debriefing ………………………………………………………………….. 40
3.5.7. Acknowledgement of the limitations ……………………………………… 40
3.5.8. Effect put forth by sponsors ……………………………………………….. 40
3.5.9. Acceptance of nepotisms, donations, hand-out, etc. ………………………. 40
3.5.10. Preservation of objectivity ……………………………………………….. 40
3.5.11. Permissions at schools …………………………………………………… 41
3.5.12. Notifying contributors about the findings ……………………………….. 41
3.5.13. Concluding written report ………………………………………………... 41
3.6. SUMMARY …………………………………………………………………. 41
CHAPTER 4 DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS …………………... 42

4.1. INTORDUCTION ……………………………………………………………
42
4.2. QUANTITATIVE PHASE …………………………………………………... 42
4.2.1. Section A: Biographical data ………………………………………………. 43
4.2.2. Section B: Organisational factors ………………………………………….. 49

4.2.3. Section C: Classroom related factors ………………………………………
51

4.2.4. Determining the relationship between educators’ job performance and job

satisfaction using Pearson’ correlation coefficient ……………………………….. 53
4.2.5. General statements on job performance and job satisfaction ……………… 56
4.2.5.1. Mention any significant factors which you strongly believe may affect

your job performance ……………………………………………………………..
56
4.2.5.2. Mention any significant factors which you strongly believe may affect

your job satisfaction ……………………………………………………………....
57
4.2.6. Relationship between some of the demographic variables and job

performance and job satisfaction …………………………………………………
58
4. 3. QUALITATIVE ANALYIS OF INTERVIEWS …………………………… 71
4.3.1. Educators’ views on job performance ……………………………………... 72
4.3.2. Educators’ views on factors affecting job performance …………………… 73
4.3.3. Educators’ views on job satisfaction ………………………………………. 77
4.3.4. Educators’ views on factors affecting job satisfaction …………………….. 78
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4.3.5. Educators’ views on the relationship between job performance and job

satisfaction ………………………………………………………………………...
81
4.4. SUMMARY …………………………………………………………………. 82
CHAPTER 5 DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS ………………………………….. 83
5.1. INTORDUCTION …………………………………………………………… 83
5.2. DISCUSSION OF DEMOGRAPHICAL DATA ……………………………. 83
5.3. DISCUSSION OF THE FACTORS AFFECTING JOB PERFORMANCE ... 86
5.4. DISCUSSION OF THE FACTORS AFFECTING JOB SATISFACTION … 91
5.5. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JOB PERFORMANCE AND JOB
SATISFACTION …………………………………………………………………. 95
5.6. SUMMARY …………………………………………………………………. 96
CHAPTER 6 CONLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ………………. 97
6.1. INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………… 97
6.2. ANSWERING OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS ……………………………... 96
6.2.1. What factors affect the job performance of educators in the selected
schools? …………………………………………………………………………... 97
6.2.2. What factors affect the job satisfaction of educators in the selected
schools? …………………………………………………………………………... 102
6.2.3. Is there a relationship between job performance and job satisfaction of
educators? ………………………………………………………………………… 103
6.3. RECOMMENDATIONS ……………………………………………………. 105
6.3.1. Recommendations for policy makers and SMTs ………………………….. 105
6.3.2. Recommendations for supplementary research ……………………………. 107
6.4. LIMITATIONS ……………………………………………………………… 108
6.5. CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE STUDY ……………………………………… 108
6.6. SUMMARY …………………………………………………………………. 109

REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………. 110

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APPENDICES
Appendix A………………………………………………………………………………. 123
Appendix B………………………………………………………………………………. 124
Appendix C………………………………………………………………………………. 125
Appendix D………………………………………………………………………………. 126
Appendix E………………………………………………………………………………. 127

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