Dissertation: Work Motivation, Employee Performance, Air Services

This dissertation investigates the impact of work motivation on employee performance and business productivity at Air Services Limited in Guyana. It employs a positivism philosophy, deductive approach, descriptive design, and survey research strategy, using a sample size of 117 employees selected through simple random probability sampling. Primary data is collected and analyzed quantitatively using correlation and regression analysis in SPSS. The results indicate a strong association between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation factors, as well as a significant correlation between work motivation and employee performance. The regression analysis supports the rejection of the null hypothesis, concluding that work motivation significantly impacts employee performance and business productivity. The study explores the concepts of motivation, employee performance, and productivity, analyzes factors affecting work motivation, and provides recommendations for improvement.

Running head: DISSERTATION
BUSINESS PROJECT (STRM-044) draft
A study of the work motivation of employees and its effect on their performance and business
productivity Air Services Limited, Guyana
Acknowledgements
MARCH 15, 2019
UNIVERSITY OF NORHTAMPTON

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Abstract

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The aim of the research is to investigate work motivation of the employees and its impact on
their performance as well as productivity of the business organizations. Motivation at work helps
the employees in keeping them glued to their roles and responsibilities and encourage them to go
an extra mile for fulfilling the organizational goals and objectives. Having a motivated workforce
is necessary for the business organizations, as this improves employee performance and
productivity and ensures competitive advantage. Air Service Limited is the most trusted name in
the Guyana’s sky with over five decades of service in the aviation industry. The study of work
motivation and its effect on employee performance and business productivity is investigated in
respect to Air Service Limited in Guyana.
Positivism philosophy, deductive approach, descriptive design and survey research strategy has
been applied for studying the work motivation and its effect on their performance and
productivity. 117 employees of Air Services Limited of Guyana have been selected as the sample
size by using simple random probability sampling technique. Primary data collection process and
quantitative data analysis technique has been used and results have been obtaibed by undertaking
co-relation and regression analysis in SPSS software.
The co-relation analysis results indicate that both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation factors are
strongly associated to each other, as the value obtained is .859 that is more than 0.7.
Additionally, the co-relation values between the intrinsic and extrinsic factors of work
motivation and employee performance and productivity are .544 and .592. Additionally, the co-
relation values obtained supports the results derived from the regression analysis, as the value
obtained is 0.000 that is less than 0.05. This indicates that the null hypothesis is rejected and
alternate hypothesis is accepted. Therefore, it can be concluded from the test results that work
motivation has an impact on employee performance and business productivity.

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Table of Contents

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Chapter 1: Introduction....................................................................................................................9
1.0 Overview................................................................................................................................9
1.1 Problem statement...............................................................................................................10
1.2 Research aim........................................................................................................................11
1.3 Research objectives.............................................................................................................11
1.4 Research questions...............................................................................................................11
1.5 Research hypotheses............................................................................................................11
1.6 Research rationale................................................................................................................12
1.7 Structure of the dissertation.................................................................................................13
1.8 Summary..............................................................................................................................14
Chapter 2: Literature review..........................................................................................................16
2.0 Overview..............................................................................................................................16
2.1 Conceptual framework.........................................................................................................16
2.2 Concept of motivation.........................................................................................................17
2.3 Factors affecting motivation................................................................................................17
2.3.1 Intrinsic factors.............................................................................................................17
2.3.2 Extrinsic factors............................................................................................................21
2.4 Theories of employee motivation........................................................................................25
2.4.1 Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation.................................................................25

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2.4.2 Maslow’s theory of motivation.....................................................................................26
2.5 Model of employee motivation............................................................................................27
2.5.1 4-drive model of employee motivation.........................................................................28
2.6 Concept of employee performance and productivity...........................................................29
2.7 Factors affecting employee performance and productivity.................................................30
2.7.1 Organizational culture..................................................................................................30
2.7.2 Stress.............................................................................................................................30
2.7.3 Working relationship and environment........................................................................31
2.7.4 Training and development............................................................................................31
2.8 Challenges in ensuring work motivation for employees.....................................................32
2.9 Benefits of having work motivation....................................................................................32
2.10 Impact of motivation on employee performance and productivity...................................33
2.11 Summary............................................................................................................................33
Chapter 3: Research methodology.................................................................................................35
3.0 Overview..............................................................................................................................35
3.1 Research outline...................................................................................................................35
3.2 Research philosophy............................................................................................................36
3.2.1 Giving reasons for applying positivism philosophy.....................................................36
3.3 Research approach...............................................................................................................36
3.3.1 Giving reasons for applying deductive approach.........................................................37

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3.4 Research design...................................................................................................................37
3.4.1 Giving reasons for applying descriptive design............................................................38
3.5 Research strategy.................................................................................................................38
3.5.1 Giving reasons for applying survey research strategy..................................................39
3.6 Sampling technique and size...............................................................................................39
3.6.1 Giving reasons for applying simple random probability sampling technique..............39
3.7 Data collection process........................................................................................................40
3.7.1 Giving reasons for applying primary data collection process......................................40
3.8 Data analysis technique.......................................................................................................41
3.8.1 Giving reasons for applying quantitative data analysis technique................................41
3.9 Ethical considerations..........................................................................................................41
3.10 Accessibility issues............................................................................................................42
3.11 Summary............................................................................................................................42
Chapter 4: Data analysis and evaluation of findings.....................................................................44
4.0 Overview..............................................................................................................................44
4.1 Descriptive analysis.............................................................................................................45
4.2 Inferential analysis...............................................................................................................48
4.2.1 Correlation analysis......................................................................................................48
4.2.2 Regression analysis.......................................................................................................53
4.3 Summary..............................................................................................................................58

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Chapter 5: Conclusion and recommendations...............................................................................59
5.0 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................59
5.1 Linking with objectives.......................................................................................................60
5.2 Recommendations................................................................................................................62
5.3 Future scope of the study.....................................................................................................64
Appendix 1.....................................................................................................................................75
Survey questionnaire.................................................................................................................75

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List of Figures
Figure 1: Conceptual framework...................................................................................................17
Figure 2: Hertzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation.................................................................26
Figure 3: Maslow’s theory of motivation......................................................................................27
Figure 4: 4-Drive Employee Motivation Model............................................................................29
Figure 5: Demographic analysis....................................................................................................45

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Chapter 1: Introduction
1.0 Overview
Employees are the heart of the business organizations and for any business organization
to operate smoothly, cooperation of the employees cannot replaced. According to Gerhart and
Fang (2015), motivation is referred to as the complexity of forces that helps in inspiring an
individual at work by intensifying the willingness and desires of using the potentialities for
achieving organizational objectives and goals. Considering the competitive labor market,
retaining a productive employee is a huge task for the business organizations. Motivation at work
helps the employees in keeping them glued to their roles and responsibilities and encourage them
to go an extra mile for fulfilling the organizational goals and objectives (Deci and Ryan 2014).
Work motivation results in improved performance and productivity because the
employees show greater level of dedication and commitment towards their work roles. As a
result, the works delivered by the employees have high quality and are delivered within
deadlines. Work motivation also ensures support for each other thereby, improving the
performance and productivity of fellow colleagues. However, performance and motivation
cannot be regarded as equal phenomenon. This is because effective realization of a task is not
only motivation but also a factor (Njoroge and Yazdanifard 2014). Therefore, having a motivated
workforce is necessary for the business organizations, as this improves employee performance
and productivity and ensures competitive advantage.
Air Service Limited is the most trusted name in the Guyana’s sky with over five decades
of service in the aviation industry. The company offers efficient, safe and reliable services to all
the Guyana’s domestic destinations. It is located at the EFC International Airport, Ogle, East

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Coast Demerara and operates an extensive fleet of 25 aircrafts that includes helicopters as well.
The company was registered in 1978 and today the company supports government, tourism,
shop-owners and miners. The company has also started its Flight training school that is approved
by GCAA. The study of work motivation and its effect on employee performance and business
productivity is investigated in respect to Air Service Limited in Guyana (Aslgy.com 2019)
1.1 Problem statement
Issues in motivation at work are a widely researched topic, as there is no specific way of
ensuring motivation continuously for the employees. Ensuring work motivation is a major issue
for Air Service Limited in Guyana because it is difficult to understand the needs and desires of
each employee within the workforce. The workplace is a diversified place with people having
distinctive beliefs, needs and desires (Ganta 2014). It is difficult for the human resource
management of Air Service Limited in Guyana to identify the motivational factors for individual
employees continuously that affect their performance and productivity. As the employees lack
adequate motivation, their engagement, commitment and dedication towards job roles and
responsibilities are compromised due to which their performance is questioned (Afsar, Badir and
Kiani 2016).
The employees are unable to perform that result in poor quality in work, failing to meet
deadlines and offering the best within time in Air Service Limited in Guyana. Due to this, the
productivity of the employees is negatively affected that also hampers the organizational
productivity. Another issue noticed with motivation is that it is not a constant thing. Once an
employee achieves motivation, it does not stay for long, as the needs and desires of the
employees keep on changing thereby, making it an issue for Air Service Limited in Guyana
(Perryer et al. 2016).

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1.2 Research aim
The aim of the research is to investigate work motivation of the employees and its impact
on their performance as well as productivity of the business organizations.
1.3 Research objectives
The objectives of the research are:
 To understand the concept of motivation, employee performance and productivity
 To critically analyze the factors affecting work motivation
 To assess the relationship between work motivation and employee performance and
productivity
 To provide suitable recommendations for improving work motivation and improving
employee performance and productivity
1.4 Research questions
The questions of the research are:
 What do you mean by work motivation, employee performance and productivity?
 What are the factors affecting work motivation for the employees?
 What is the relationship between work motivation and employee performance and
productivity?
 What are the suitable recommendations for improving work motivation and improving
employee performance and productivity?
1.5 Research hypotheses
The hypotheses of the research are: