Job satisfaction, performance, and growth needs: High satisfaction with co-workers, promotion opportunities, work nature, and pay accompanies high performance only among employees with strong growth needs; among those with weak growth needs, this relationship disappears, and satisfaction with promotion opportunities even correlates with lower performance; which conclusion is best supported?
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ASatisfaction is an inevitable organisational variable across contexts.
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BJob satisfaction and performance are always directly and closely related.
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CThe relationship between job satisfaction and performance is moderated by growth need strength.
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DEvery organisation necessarily has some employees with weak growth needs.
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EHigh performance is essential for organisational effectiveness in all cases.
Answer
Correct Answer: The relationship between job satisfaction and performance is moderated by growth need strength.
Explanation
Given data
- Among high growth-need employees: satisfaction ↔ high performance (positive relation).
- Among low growth-need employees: relation is absent or even negative for promotion satisfaction.
Concept/Approach (contingency perspective)Because the sign/strength of the satisfaction–performance link changes with growth need, growth need is a moderator of the relationship.
Step-by-Step reasoning1) Identify two groups by growth-need strength.2) Observe pattern difference in satisfaction–performance relation.3) Conclude moderation: the effect depends on growth need.
Verification/Alternative checkUniversal claims (“always related”) are contradicted by the weak-growth group evidence.
Common pitfallsDo not infer inevitability or necessity across all organisations; the key is conditionality.
Final AnswerThe relationship between job satisfaction and performance is moderated by growth need strength.