1054. Motivation of Weight Engineers: A Survey

Paper

Abstract

In the last four decades, managing people at work has gone through radical changes. Psychologists, sociologists,
and management specialists have tried to offer explanations for motivation of the person in industry. Top
management, primarily experienced in the art of managing the skilled personnel since early twenties, has carried
through the same philosophy of management while dealing with professionals like engineers. Apparently many engineers
feel themselves to be different than other skilled workers such as technical, manual, or clerical, and would like to
be treated differently. This study was thus undertaken to find out if engineers perceived themselves to be different
than other skilled workers.
A survey questionnaire was designed to determine the perceptual group differences with special emphasis on
motivational factors such as approach to job, supervision required, recognition desired, personality traits and kinds
of goals. In the same instrument, questions were asked about ratings of satisfaction with conditions of present job
and job activities. Though the major focus of the study was on perception of weight engineers, the instrument was
distributed among three sample populations, weight engineers, non-weight engineers in weight related industries, and
non-weight engineers in non-weight related industries,
The data presented on perceptions of supervisory and non-supervisory engineers of three sample populations clearly
indicate that professionals feel themselves to be different than other skilled workers and should be treated as such.
This study can be useful to top management in making them aware of the perceptions, feelings, expectations, and
standards of performance of their professional subordinates. It is useful to the engineers because it gives them a
realistic picture of themselves and their peers with regards to the knowledge of their strengths, limitations,
attitudes, expectations, and aspirations. This study is of importance to the nation’s technical colleges and
universities in making them aware of the characteristics of engineers in industry and helping them in curricula
planning. Another beneficiary of this study would be the society of Allied Weight Engineers which would know in
greater detail the characteristics of its membership and could thus design its international conferences and
presentation of papers to cater to these professionals.