Determinants of motivation and job satisfaction of information technology artisans in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate how the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory explains the rapid growth in IT artisanship in an IT cluster in Lagos Nigeria. Data was collected from 250 artisans in locations in Lagos in Nigeria using a questionnaire. The Maslow’s variables predicted different motivation and job satisfaction variables differently just as do the demographic and social characteristics of the respondents. Despite the poor economic conditions in Nigeria, many IT artisans are located on basic needs, but majority are concentrated on safety need matters. Despite a further large number of respondents in the low socioeconomic threshold, self-esteem constructs predicted job satisfaction, except the wish to remain in the profession and perception about the future in the job; mastery of the job, a sense of achievement and a feeling of belonging to a high social class were related to adequacy of income. This study does not uphold Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory because the needs of the artisans do not manifest in any linear fashion –from the lowest to the highest as they would occur in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The retention in the job and the satisfaction expressed by the artisans are definitely as a result of other factors, and not the conventional hierarchy of needs. This result shows that the IT clusters have great promises of committed and dedicated human resources whose labours would support emergence of an innovation hub.

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