Factors Affecting Motivation for Self-improvement in Academic Work Production of Private Universities’ Faculty Members

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to assess the factors affecting motivation in the academic work production of private universities’ faculty members, and to develop the strategies which might better motivate Payap University’s faculty members to produce academic work. The primary sample consisted of 641 faculty members from private universities. Data collection was by means of interviewing and a 5 level rating scale questionnaire which was prepared with expert advice. Cornbach’s alpha coefficient for the questionnaire was .949. The data was analysed by using Principle Component Extraction and Orthogonal Rotation with Varimax Method. The strategies were developed through a focus group from Payap University’s faculty.

The result showed that there were 8 significant factors affecting motivation involving 64 parameters accounting for 66.724% of variances: an academic
environment, pride in the achieved work, rewards and resulting contentment, support offered, institutional commitment, perception of duties, encouragement from peers and family, and quality assurance processes. The motivational strategies proposed for Payap University’s faculty members were tied to strategies proposed for improving academic environments, increasing pride in the achieved work, providing support facilities, rewarding members and gaining increased contentment, and institutional commitment. The proposed strategies were classified into 3 levels: institutional strategies, faculty level strategies and personal strategies.