摘要：Contemporary theories of work motivation are classified according to (1) those based on the underlying assumption that all individuals posses higher level need, are capable of satisfying and will indeed satisfy such needs provided the job situation incorporates the conditions or characteristics that make satisfaction possible and (2) those theories suggesting that an individual may or may not be motivated by certain job characteristics depending on whether he in fact has specific (higher level) needs to be fulfilled and whether he views the job situation as conductive to need satisfaction. 126 Subjects employed by a chemical industry took part in an experiment designed to test the basic assumptions underlying the aforementioned theories. Data relating to higher order need satisfaction, the psychological value of job content and job performance served as input to a 2X2 factorial analysis. Results indicate that only the psychological value of job content represented a significant source of variation (p is smaller as ,01) - a finding which favours category (1) theories to a large extent. No significant interaction between the latter source of variation and higher order need satisfaction could be found.Opsomming Kontemporêre motiveringsteorieë in die Bedryfsielkunde word geklassifiseer in twee groepe naamlik (1) dié wat berus op die basiese aanname dat alle werknemers hoëvlak behoeftes het en die bevrediging daarvan sal nastreef solank die inhoud van die werk dit moontlik maak en (2) dié wat op die aanname berus dat sielkundig gunstige werksinhoud waarskynlik hoëvlak behoeftebevrediging tot gevolg sal hê, afhangende van hoe die individu die werksituasie waarneem. 126 Werknemers in 'n Suid-Afrikaanse chemiese nywerheid is by 'n eksperiment betrek waarin bogenoemde basiese aannames teenoor mekaar gestel is. Data ten opsigte van die sielkundige waarde van werksinhoud, hoëvlak behoeftebevrediging en werksprestasie dien as inset tot 'n 2x2 faktoriale ontwerp. Resultate dui daarop dat hoë-orde behoeftebevrediging geen beduidende bron van variasie verteenwoordig nie maar die sielkundige waarde van werksinhoud wel (p is smaller as ,01) - 'n bevinding wat die kategorie (1) teorieë sterk steun. Geen interaksie-effek kon geïsoleer word nie.
