TECHNICAL PAPERS
Mar 1, 1986

Motivation in Unionized Construction

Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 112, Issue 1

Abstract

A survey was corrducted of unionized construction workers in a major midwestern city to collect data on their perceptions of the motivational climate in their jobs. The framework for the collection and analysis of the data was the expectancy model of worker motivation and performance. The findings indicated that the motivational climate is very poor. Contractors rely more on punishment and discipline than they do positive rewards. Little is done to encourage good performance. Discipline is used to discourage poor performance. Contractors provide little in the way of rewards, even when they are not prohibited from providing a variety of rewards by their labor agreements. The workers surveyed reported very little incentive to be highly productive.

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Go to Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 112Issue 1March 1986
Pages: 122 - 136

History

Published online: Mar 1, 1986
Published in print: Mar 1986

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Authors

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William F. Maloney, M. ASCE
Asst. Prof. of Civ. Engrg., Univ. of Mich., Ann Arbor, MI 48109
James M. McFillen
Assoc. Prof. of Organizational Behavior, Bowling Green State Univ., Bowling Green, OH 43403

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