Ellen Claasen, is a 21-year old South African woman who works in a factory. Ellen got pregnant in high school and then dropped out of school. She only obtained grade 10. Three years after she left school she eventually got work at a factory that makes tin cans (for canned food).
Ellen has been working at the factory for two years and still does exactly the same work. Three men cut the tin according to a template, and the Ellen and about 100 other women solder the cans together. The factory gets extremely hot in summer and ice cold in winter because the building mainly consists of zinc. The women are exposed to gasses while they solder and often by lunchtime, Ellen can feel her lungs burning.
It takes quite long to complete one tin can and there is a certain quota she has to finish everyday – the women seldom succeed in making the quota, and thus they usually work overtime for an hour or so, without payment. Their supervisor, the factory owner’s wife, is very strict and often makes sarcastic comments when someone is absent from work due to illness (she has also fired a woman who stayed off work for two days). Thus Ellen goes to work even when she is feeling very ill.
Ellen and the other women have heard rumours that the owner of the factory plans to buy a machine that will be operated by one man. She fears that she is going to lose her job. She and the other women have decided that they are going to join a union affiliated with COSATU as soon as possible.
Ellen’s work bores her and she cannot wait to go home at night. She wishes she could find other work, but seeing that she still lives with her parents (and only her mother also has a job) she has to continue to work to support them, her baby and herself.
According to you, Ellen is driven by ........................ to continue working in the factory.
A.
Intrinsic satisfaction: being able to develop herself in the company
B.
Esteem: achievements and growth
C.
Self Autonomy - taking charge of her work
D.
Extrinsic satisfaction: payment to enable her to put food on the table
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According to the case study, Ellen is primarily driven by:
D. Extrinsic satisfaction: payment to enable her to put food on the table.
Ellen continues to work in the factory despite the harsh conditions because she needs the income to support herself, her baby, and her family. Her motivations stem from a necessity for financial stability rather than personal development or satisfaction from her work.
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