Adapting Herzberg's Two Factor Theory to the Cultural Context of Romania

For decades the field of work motivation has been mainly shaped by Western theories, neglecting the cultural factor and its potential impact on work motivation. But one cannot talk about work motivation without calling into question the cultural factor. Cultural values influence how an individual perceives and interprets a situation and, thus, have an influence on behavior and, respectively, on individual motivation. Some endeavors to identify the relationship between culture and motivation have been made, but not enough to clarify this issue. The present paper aims to test the validity of Herzberg's Two Factor Theory for Romania and to adapt it (if necessary) to the Romanian cultural context. The main conclusion of this research is that, as formulated by Herzberg and his colleagues, the Two Factor Theory is not appropriate for the cultural context of Romania. However, the premises of this theory are valid: the sources of work satisfaction are generally different from those generating dissatisfaction and intrinsic work elements are motivators acting within the satisfaction area. However, in order to be considered valid in Romania, the theory should be adapted to the cultural context. Other findings are discussed.