Title: Job attitudes of electrical engineers in research, development and technical service

Authors: Prof. William A. Nowlin

Addresses: Associate Professor of Management, College of Business, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623, USA

Abstract: Technical professionals such as electrical engineers have integral roles in the firms which employ them, and their job attitudes influence their job performance. The study reported surveyed electrical engineers to determine their attitudes on (1) job content factors, such as skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback, and (2) job context factors, such as evaluation fairness, peer relations, commitment to the firm and job security. In examining the data using chi-square tests, it was found that there are differences in perceptions between the two groups of electrical engineers in the study: (1) electrical engineers in research: and (2) electrical engineers in developmental and technical service. The differences were in skill variety and age and longevity, task significance and supervisory responsibility, and autonomy and supervisory responsibility. On job context factors, the two groups differed in their perceptions on fairness of appraisal systems and mobility, relationship with peers and longevity, and firm commitment and supervisory responsibility.

Keywords: work attitudes; job attitudes; electrical engineers; job satisfaction; job content; job context; skills variety; task identity; task significance; performance appraisal; R&D; research and development; technical service.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCEELL.1992.030377

International Journal of Continuing Engineering Education and Life-Long Learning, 1992 Vol.2 No.1, pp.31 - 37

Published online: 15 Dec 2009 *

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