The Influence of Leadership on Employee Motivation: Research Proposal

This research proposal investigates the influence of leadership on employee motivation, focusing on a case study of HSBC Bank. The study aims to understand how leadership impacts employee satisfaction and performance. It explores key concepts such as employee motivation, leadership styles, and their association. The research employs a positivist philosophy with a deductive approach, utilizing a primary quantitative research strategy. Data collection will involve survey questionnaires distributed to HSBC employees, followed by quantitative data analysis using regression and correlation analysis. The proposal outlines objectives, rationale, and methodology, including relevant literature references. The study seeks to provide recommendations for improving leadership practices and enhancing employee motivation within the bank, contributing to a stronger organizational framework and improved performance.

Running head: RESEARCH PROPOSAL
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Provisional Title of Research Proposal
The title of the research proposal which has been selected can be outlined to be as
follows:
The influence of leadership on employee motivation: a case study of HSBC bank
Aim of research
The primary aim of the research is to examine the manner in which the leadership at the
HSBC Bank has a critical influence on the employee motivation. The employees need to be kept
happy and satisfied at all times and this study intends to undertake an analysis of the same and
identify the role of Leadership in this.
Objectives of research
• To understand the concept of Employee motivation
• To analyse the theories related to the employee motivation.
• To examine the concept of Leadership
• To understand the concept of Leadership styles relevant for employee motivation
• To establish an association between the employee motivation and the Leadership
• To provide recommendations based on which the enterprise can utilise the leadership to
motivate the employees.
• To improve the current scenario at HSBC Bank.
Rationale for study
The employee motivation as a relevant concept can be essentially described as the
manner in which an organization tends to motivate the different employees who are present in
the organization (Akor 2014). In association with this, motivation primarily refers to motivating
the employees and uplifting their morals which helps in ensuring that the work performance
improves to a greater extent. On the other hand, the concept of the Leadership can be described
as an essential concept which can be made use of in order to bring together various individuals as
present in the enterprise together and help them in attaining the organizational goals. The role of
leadership can be considered to be essentially critical in the enterprise as it ensures that the
employee goals can be attained in a successful manner. Hence, the primary reason why the study

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is being carried out is to understand how the leadership has a critical role to play in the employee
welfare and motivation. In association with this, according to Iqbal, Anwar and Haider (2015),
the leadership is generally viewed as a weapon in an enterprise with the help of which the
productivity of the enterprise improves (Akram et al. 2012).
The employees act as a link between the leader and the organizational performance. In
association with this, it can be considered very important to state that, the leader will have a
considerable influence on organizational performance by enhancing the employee motivation
(Shields et al. 2015). Hence, it can be considered critical to understand that the different
enterprises need to improve their leadership capabilities and thereby bring about positive
workplace results. In association with this, the firm which has been chosen for the purpose of the
analysis can be mentioned to be the HSBC Bank. Recently, there have been considerable insights
which mention that the employees at HSBC Bank are not satisfied with the work and hence,
there have been various fingers pointed at leadership (Igbaekemen 2014). Hence, through this
study, a comprehensive organizational framework will be suggested for the bank which will help
them in implementing the right kind of a leadership style and thereby ensure that, the various
employees are being motivated adequately so as to enhance their performance.
The study has been planned in a manner such that the objective of understanding the link
between the leadership style and the employee motivation can be well understood. The study is
also aimed at understanding and contributing to the knowledge base and strengthens the current
performance of the different employees as present (Adler and Reid 2008). In addition to this, the
study also plans to throw light on the intentions of the firms as the outcomes of the study will be
helpful in understanding the overall performance and effectivity of the organizational
functioning at the HSBC Bank.
Moreover, conducting this research can be understood to be rather relevant for the study
because for any organization to attain its overall goals in a successive manner, they would be
required to gain an idea about how to encourage the employees and how to improve the
enterprise results and ultimately satisfy the different customers as present.
Research approach or methodology proposed
The research philosophy which has been selected for the purpose of the study can be
essentially mentioned to be the Positivist research philosophy. In association with this, it can be

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considered, very effective to ensure that, the positivist research philosophy will assist in carrying
out the scientific study and in association with this, the impact of leadership on employee
motivation can be found adequately (Kumar 2019).
The research approach can be described as the overall approach undertaken for the study.
In association with this, the research approach which has been planned to be adopted for the
study can be mentioned to be deductive. Here all relevant information shall be adopted for the
study and relevant details shall be deduced out of it.
For this domain of the study, the research strategy which has been aimed to be adopted
for the study can be rightfully described as the Primary Quantitative research strategy (Ledford
and Gast 2018). In the Primary method, the data collection method is being adopted as the
primary data collection method whereby the research instrument of the survey questionnaire is
planned to be used. Here the data from the various respondents who are employees of the HSBC
will be undertaken in connection to which understanding the influence of the Leadership on the
employee motivation will be understood. This will then be followed by the Quantitative data
analysis method whereby the findings of the study shall be presented statistically using
Regression and Correlation analysis (Siegel 2016). In line with this the quantitative method of
analysis using the statistical method shall be made use of to examine the influence of the
leadership on the employee motivation.

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Reference list
Adler, R. W. and Reid, J., 2008. The effects of leadership styles and budget participation on job
satisfaction and job performance. Asia-pacific management accounting journal, (31), pp. 21-46.
Akor, P. U., 2014. Influence of Autocratic Leadership Style on the Job Performance of
Academic Librarians in Benue State. Journal of Educational and Social Research, (47), pp. 148-
152.
Akram, M., Alam, H. M., Ali, L. and Mughal, M. M., 2012. How Leadership Behaviors Affect
Organizational Performance in Pakistan. Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, (46), pp.
354-363.
Igbaekemen, G. O., 2014. Impact of Leadership Style on Organisation Performance: A Strategic
Literature Review. Public Policy and Administration Research, (49), pp. 126-136.
Iqbal, N., Anwar, S. and Haider, N., 2015. Effect of Leadership Style on Employee Performance.
Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review, (55), pp. 1-6.
Kumar, R. 2019. Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners. Sage Publications
Limited.
Ledford, J. R., and Gast, D. L. 2018. Single case research methodology: Applications in special
education and behavioral sciences. Routledge
Shields, J., Brown, M., Kaine, S., Dolle-Samuel, C., North-Samardzic, A., McLean, P., ... and
Plimmer, G. 2015. Managing employee performance and reward: Concepts, practices, strategies.
Cambridge University Press.
Siegel, A. 2016. Practical business statistics. Academic Press.