Job Motivation and Research Performance

Job motivation is the psychological process that influences the direction, intensity, and persistence of an individual's work-related behavior (Latham and Pinder, 2005). It is a key factor that affects the quality and quantity of the outcomes that employees produce in their jobs. Different employees may have different reasons for doing their jobs, such as intrinsic interest, external pressure, or monetary reward. Research performance, on the other hand, is the measurement of the impact and value of the research activities conducted by an individual or a group of researchers (Bornmann and Daniel, 2007). It is often assessed by indicators such as publications, citations, patents, awards, and social benefits. Researchers examine the different types of job motivation, such as intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and amotivation, and how they affect the research performance of agricultural researchers. Researchers also discuss the role of other factors, such as organizational climate, leadership, and teamwork, that may influence the motivation and performance of agricultural researchers.

Types of Job Motivation and Their Effects on Research Performance

According to the self-determination theory (SDT) of Deci and Ryan (1985), job motivation can be classified into three types: intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and amotivation. Intrinsic motivation refers to the motivation that comes from the inherent interest and enjoyment of the work itself, without any external rewards or pressures. Extrinsic motivation refers to the motivation that comes from the external consequences of the work, such as salary, recognition, promotion, or punishment. Amotivation refers to the lack of motivation, or the feeling of being unable to control the outcomes of the work.

The literature suggests that intrinsic motivation is positively associated with research performance, while extrinsic motivation and amotivation are negatively associated with research performance. For example, Amabile et al. (1994) found that intrinsic motivation was positively related to the creativity and productivity of scientists and engineers, while extrinsic motivation was negatively related to these outcomes. Similarly, Buelens and Van den Broeck (2007) found that intrinsic motivation was positively related to the publication output and citation impact of academic researchers, while extrinsic motivation and amotivation were negatively related to these indicators. These findings imply that researchers who are intrinsically motivated are more likely to engage in novel and original research, and to produce high-quality and impactful publications, than those who are extrinsically motivated or amotivated.

Other Factors That Influence Job Motivation and Research Performance

Besides the types of job motivation, there are other factors that may influence the job motivation and research performance of agricultural researchers. These factors include the organizational climate, the leadership style, and the teamwork quality of the research institutions or groups. Organizational climate refers to the shared perceptions and attitudes of the employees about the policies, practices, and procedures of the organization (Schneider et al., 2013). Leadership style refers to the way that the leaders influence and direct the followers to achieve the organizational goals (Yukl, 2013). Teamwork quality refers to the degree of collaboration, communication, coordination, and cohesion among the team members (Hoegl and Gemuenden, 2001).

The literature suggests that a positive organizational climate, a supportive leadership style, and a high teamwork quality can enhance the job motivation and research performance of agricultural researchers. For example, Mekonnen et al. (2019) found that organizational climate was positively related to the intrinsic motivation and publication output of agricultural researchers in Ethiopia. They also found that leadership style moderated the relationship between organizational climate and intrinsic motivation, such that a supportive leadership style strengthened the positive effect of organizational climate on intrinsic motivation. Similarly, Cai et al. (2019) found that teamwork quality was positively related to the research performance of agricultural researchers in China. They also found that teamwork quality mediated the relationship between intrinsic motivation and research performance, such that intrinsic motivation increased the teamwork quality, which in turn increased the research performance.

Factors of Job Motivation

According to the literature, there are different factors that influence the motivation of employees in general and researchers in particular. Some of these factors are intrinsic, meaning that they derive from the nature of the work itself, such as interest, curiosity, challenge, autonomy, and mastery. Other factors are extrinsic, meaning that they depend on the external rewards and consequences of the work, such as salary, recognition, feedback, promotion, and pressure. Three main factors of job motivation that are relevant for agricultural research: doing job willingly, doing job by pushing, and doing job for getting salary and other reasons.

• Doing job willingly: This factor refers to the extent to which employees perform their work voluntarily and enthusiastically, based on their intrinsic motivation and identification with the goals and values of the organization. Doing job willingly implies a high level of commitment, engagement, and satisfaction with the work. Employees who do their job willingly are likely to show more creativity, initiative, and persistence in their tasks, and to seek opportunities for learning and improvement. Doing job willingly is especially important for research performance, as research is a complex and uncertain process that requires curiosity, passion, and dedication.
• Doing job by pushing: This factor refers to the extent to which employees perform their work under external pressure and coercion, based on their extrinsic motivation and compliance with the rules and expectations of the organization. Doing job by pushing implies a low level of autonomy, freedom, and enjoyment with the work. Employees who do their job by pushing are likely to show less innovation, motivation, and quality in their tasks, and to experience stress, burnout, and turnover. Doing job by pushing is detrimental for research performance, as research is a self-directed and exploratory process that requires independence, flexibility, and risk-taking.
• Doing job for getting salary and other reasons: This factor refers to the extent to which employees perform their work for obtaining material and non-material rewards and benefits, based on their extrinsic motivation and rational calculation of the costs and benefits of the work. Doing job for getting salary and other reasons implies a moderate level of involvement, satisfaction, and loyalty with the work. Employees who do their job for getting salary and other reasons are likely to show more efficiency, productivity, and consistency in their tasks, and to seek feedback, recognition, and advancement. Doing job for getting salary and other reasons is relevant for research performance, as research is a competitive and demanding process that requires resources, incentives, and support.

Effects of Job Motivation on Research Performance in Agriculture

The literature suggests that the effects of job motivation on research performance vary depending on the context, the type, and the measure of research performance. However, some general trends can be identified. In general, doing job willingly has a positive effect on research performance, as it enhances the creativity, quality, and impact of the research outputs. Doing job by pushing has a negative effect on research performance, as it reduces the innovation, motivation, and satisfaction of the researchers. Doing job for getting salary and other reasons has a mixed effect on research performance, as it increases the productivity, efficiency, and visibility of the research outputs, but it may also decrease the originality, novelty, and relevance of the research outputs. Therefore, the optimal combination of job motivation factors for research performance in agriculture may depend on the balance between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and the alignment between individual and organizational goals.

Job Motivation and Research Performance

Research performance is a complex and multifaceted construct that involves generating novel and useful ideas, conducting rigorous and ethical experiments, and disseminating valid and reliable findings. Research performance requires high levels of creativity, curiosity, persistence, and competence, which are influenced by various individual and contextual factors. One of these factors is job motivation, which can affect the quality and quantity of research output. Based on the previous discussion, we can hypothesize that doing a job willingly is the most conducive to research performance, followed by doing a job by pushing, and doing a job for getting salary. However, this is a tentative and general hypothesis that may vary depending on the specific characteristics of the employee, the work, and the environment. Therefore, more empirical research is needed to test and refine this hypothesis and to explore the mechanisms and moderators of the relationship between job motivation and research performance.

The relationship between job motivation and research performance in agriculture is crucial. Studies highlight that intrinsic motivation, organizational climate, leadership style, and teamwork quality significantly impact the research outcomes of agricultural researchers. To enhance research quality and impact, fostering a positive work environment and encouraging intrinsic motivation and teamwork among researchers is essential. Agricultural research institutions and managers play a key role in creating supportive atmospheres that nurture these factors.

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