Factors Influencing Job Performance of Development Agents: The Case of Soro Woreda of Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the Job Performance level of development agents and the factors influencing their Job Performance. The main data used for this study were collected from a sample of 120 development agents, out of all 168 DAs and to measure the performance level of DAs, self rating only may not be reasonable data source. Therefore, farmers’ selection for DAs job performance rating purpose using simple random sampling technique through structured questionnaire. In analyzing the data both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed. In addition, secondary data were collected from different organizations and pertinent publication in order to elaborate the present situation of job performance of development agents in Ethiopia. Ordinal Logit econometric model was used to analyze factors influencing job performance of development agents. The value of job performance level are found to be 26.67%, 47.5% and 25.83% low, medium and highly performed respectively. A total of seventeen explanatory variables were included in the model of which five variables were found to be significant.  Thus, if better pay structure and enhanced recognition, responsibility, perceived job security, perception  about work  itself and attitude of development agents towards their job, the development agents more motivated to perform goal of organization. Therefore, concerned agricultural office managers, process owners, subject matter specialists and supervisors in the study area should conduct a periodic assessments to determine the level of Job Performance of Development Agents' and have to plan for improvement.

Keywords:  Job performance, motivation, development agents, Ordinal Logit, Hadiya zone, Ethiopia