RESEARCH PROPOSAL

İMRAN SARIHASAN

DEBRECEN UNIVERSITY

Ph.D PROGRAM IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

2015

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TITLE: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION AND JOB
SATISFACTION

1.BACKGROUND OF STUDY

The present of study will investigate relationship between employee motivation and job satisfaction.
Human resource or employees of any organization are the most vital part so they need to be inclined
and influenced towards tasks fulfillment. Organizations must plan different strategies to compete with
the competitors and for increasing the performance of the organizations in order to achieve success.
There are very few organizations who believe that the human resource or employees of any
organization are its main assets which can lead them to success or to decline if not focused well.
Hence we can assume that none of the organization can progress or achieve success unless and until,
the employees of any organization contented with it, are not motivated for the tasks fulfillment and
goals achievements and encourage (Khan, Anwar and Rizwan, 2013:227 ).

The concepts of motivation and job satisfaction have been one of the most common areas in the
management of people at workplaces (Omotayo and Paul, 2014:64). It is very difficult to enjoy life
without doing some productive work, and any activity which has so much importance must evoke
strong positive or negative reactions from and these reactions tell how satisfied or dissatisfied one is
with his/her work. Job satisfaction is so important in that its absence often leads to lethargy and
reduced organizational commitment (Singh and Tiwari: 2011). Therefore since years motivation and
job satisfaction have been subject for many studies.

Job motivation and job satisfaction and especially the connection of these variables to
performance attracted the interest of researchers both in the field of social psychology and the
organizational psychology. This issue has been addressed over time, differently from different
perspectives and in different ways. Although experts have not reached a conclusion universally
accepted and universally valid, however, certain specific features which explain these phenomena and
their importance in organizational activity have emerged (Lut, 2012:45). Therefore, it has become an
important area of research that how to motivate employees which leads to job satisfaction and which
ultimately improve organization's commitment.

Moreover, it has been observed many times that employees who are satisfied with their jobs are
still not good performers. This may be because of their lack of motivation and commitment to the

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organization; this point of view emphasizes the importance of the study of motivation and job
satisfaction (Arunkumar, 2013:82).

The importance of relationship between motivation and job satisfaction is growing all the time in
organizations. Many researches have been made to find out the effect about job satisfaction and
motivation have in the productivity of the organizations.

1.1. LITERATURE REVIEW

1.1.1. MOTIVATION

The term motivation has being discussed and conceptualized by various researches. In early years
Whiseand and Rush (1988) explained motivation as the willingness of an individual to do something
and conditioned by actions to satisfy needs. Later Wregner and Miller(2003) described motivation as
something that energized individuals to take action and which is concerned with the choices the
individual makes as part of his or her goal-oriented behavior (Kian, Yusoff and Onn: 2014:95).
According to Bauer and Bender (2004), motivation is divided into three sections. The first part refers
to the power of stimulation or the latent energy inside a person. The second part refers to the type of
decision making and direction in shaping their behavior. The third part refers to the degree of
behavioral consistency for meeting their goals (Kumar, 2013:83).

According to a model developed by Herzberg, motivation is influenced by maintenance and

motivational factors. The important motivational factors are the work itself, achievement, growth,
responsibility, advancement and recognition. There are basic internal motivators rather than external.
The Maslow and Herzberg models are similar due to its focus on needs, but the difference can be seen
from the point of views. Nel, Gerber, Van Dyk, Haasbroek, Schultz, Sono and Werner(2001) describe
motivation as intentional and directional. Intentional is mean to personal choice and committed of
action, and directional indicates being of a driving force aimed at achieving a specific goal. A people
who get motivated will know they must achieve the specific goal even in the face of adversity
(http://www.ukessays.com/essays/management/how-motivation-influences-the-job-satisfaction-level-
management-essay.php25.10.2015)

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 Definitions of motivation contributed by various researchers above are apparently in similar
meaning as drive, energize and action. Researchers are agreeing and individual’s motivation start with
cognitive recognition of a desire that is not present at the time the individual noticed, followed by
mental desire to achieve something, thus following by actions psychological to obtain the desire.

1.1.2.JOB SATISFACTION

Job satisfaction has remained a remarkable area of discussion in the field of management,
psychology and especially in organizational behavior and human resource management, for a long
period. Many economists have paid attention and inclination towards this subject in recent years
According to Ramayah, Jantan, and Tadisina (2001) job satisfaction explains how employees are
buoyant to come to work and how they get enforced to perform their jobs. What are the things who
make happy an employee on doing work and not to leave the job? Other researchers narrate job
satisfaction as being the outcome of the worker’s appraisal of extent to which the work environment
fulfillment the individual’s needs (Saleem, Mahmood and Mahmood, 2010:214).

In another definition, job satisfaction is defined as the individuals’ attitudes toward the various
aspects of their jobs as well as towards the job in general. Locke (1969) defines job satisfaction as the
pleasurable emotional state that results from the appraisal of one’s job as achieving or facilitating the
achievement of one’s job values. The perceived job satisfaction creates positive feelings among
employees, which in turn, represents positive emotional reaction towards desire for empowerment.
Locke further argues that the satisfaction is achieved when one realizes one’s important job values
provided these are congruent with or help to fulfill one’s basic needs ( Oluseye, Amos and Abiola,
2014:199).

1.3. AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1.3.1. AIM

The goal of this study to investigate relationship between motivation and job satisfaction , find out
which causes make employees satisfaction and unsatisfaction and how important this to organizations.

1.3.2. OBJECTIVES OF THIS STUDY

The objectives of the study can be listed as follows:

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1. To find-out t he relationship between motivation and job satisfaction.

2. Investigation is the determine causes of satisfaction and dissatisfaction.

3. To find out the relative importance of the various Job Satisfying factors.

1.4. PROBLEM STATEMENT

One of the greatest challenges organizations face today is how to manage turnover of work force
that may be caused by migration of a lot of industrial workers. Therefore, it has become an important
area of research that how to reduce turnover and absenteeism and improve performance of an
organization. Moreover, it has been observed many a times that employees who are satisfied with their
jobs are still not good performers. This may be because of their lack of Motivation and commitment
for the organization; this point of view emphasizes the importance of the study of Motivation and its
relationship to Job Satisfaction (Singh and Tiwair, 2011: 33).

1.5. RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Thus the research questions are:

1. What is the relationship between motivation and job satisfaction?

2. What are the difference among motivation and job satisfaction?

3. Why some employees are not motivated?

4. How to improve employees’ motivation and job satisfaction system?

5. Why even some motivated employees can not feel satisfaction?

1.6.RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

To answer the above research questions. A quantitative-qualitative approach will be followed in

this study. A quantitative approach will be followed in developing a scale able to measure the level of
empowerment of an employee in an organisation. A quantitative qualitative approach will be followed
to determine the indicators for the organisation. The study will be controlled and defined. The

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researcher will be an objective observer. Data collection procedures will be constructed in advance
and applied in a standardised manner. Statistical methods will be used to analyse the data.

Case studies typically utilize multiple data collection methods, such as interviews and
questionnaires. To conduct this research I think that data collection should begin with some
interviews. Based in this knowledge in the next phase I will develop a survey to send to all managers
of the case study orgazations and use a quantitative method (for example: statistical analysis,
econometric models) to analyze data in order to find answers to research questions. I also think that
data envelopment analysis (DEA) could be an interesting tool to be employed in this research to
measure the managers’s performance because DEA considers resources available. DEA permits to see
if managers are achieving the maximum amount of output possible given the resources available. So,
one could understand better the impact of motivation in performance and the impact of the other
inputs.

1.7. RESEARCH PLANNING

YEAR 1:
 Literature review,
 Preparation of the questionnaire,
 Choosing organizations
 Work with results.

YEARS 2/3 :

 Work with results

 Writing of the PhD thesis and writing of articles.

1.8.LIMITATIONS OF THIS STUDY

 A possible limitation of this study might be in the choice of the organisation.

The organisation must be representative of other organisations as far as possible. If the organisation is
not representative, this must be clearly stated.
 Depending on the language of the employees, language may be a limitation.
Questionnaires should be translated into the employee’s language, without any

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shift in meaning.
 Cooperation of the employees might be a problem depending how the
organisation deals with the research. The employees should not feel forced to
participate. The results should also be of concern to the employees. The organisation should ensure
that their employees are aware of the motivation for the study.

1.9. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

A theoretical framework will enable the researcher to make the necessary linkbetween employee
and organization. It should be done in such a manner that the focus is on the synergy between
individuals and the organisation to work together.

Relationship between motivation and job satisfaction has to do with new ideas, new theories,
thinking processes, intellectualising and reasoning. Principally, organizations’s “old” thinking has to
change to “new” thinking. Because of this, the cognative theoretical framework appears viable.

Organizations’s have to change their methods about motivation. Employees need to get involved,
motivated and innovative. That was previoulsy linked to the old thinking should now change to with
the new way of thinking about motivation. Employees need to take responsiblity, be creative, take
action and work towards to certain goals. This means the theoretical framework is also applicable to
this particular study.

1.9. CONCLUSION

Rue and Byars (1992) refer to job satisfaction as an individual’s mental state about their job. Job
satisfaction refers to how content an individual is in his/her current position. Job satisfaction is a very
important attribute which is frequently measured by organisations in order to ensure that their
workforce is optimal. Employee performance can be defined as the productivity and quality of work of
an individual employee. Studies have revealed that job satisfaction enhances employee
performance(Indermun and SaheedBayat , 2013:1).

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 Job satisfaction and work motivation have strong bearing on performance (Shah, Rehman.etc.
2012). Motivation and job satisfaction as a key component of business and management
syllabuses.

As a result this chapter presented an overview of the study. The researcher provided a broad
explanation relationship between motivation and job satisfaction as an introduction to this study. A
very crucial part of this study is the link relationship between motivation and job satisfaction. A
literature overview provided a broad view of relationship between motivation and job satisfaction in
organizations. The goal and objectives were formulated with a short introduction to the research
methodology to be used in this study. Definitions, limitations concluded this chapter.

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