Research Proposal on Staff Motivation in Public Service: The Implication for Development.

1.0 Title

The proposed and drafted title for the paper is “Staff Motivation in Public Service: The Implication for Development.” This proposal will present background information about staff motivation in public service. In addition, it will also present and describe the different approaches, methods and instruments to be used to implement the proposed study in successful and efficient manner.

2.0 Background of the Study

Motivation at work has been an accepted area of literature for a long time from 1930s up to current (Lee-Ross, 2002). Sims (2002) defined motivation as the process of satisfying internal needs via actions and behaviours. Thus, it pertains on the composite of mental and physical drives, together with the environment, which makes people behaviour the way they do (p. 55).

Motivation also pertains on how well a task will be performed or done, and it applies to individuals and groups in equal and balance manner. Currently, the public service sector is becoming highly competitive with the increasing involvement of the private sector in the traditional public services. Thus, it means that the police, fire service, customs as well as other uniformed services must have a highly motivated workforce if they are to compete effectively against the private security companies, private prisons as well as private healthcare (Gray 2004).

3.0 Objectives of the Study

The main aim of the study is to investigate and assess the motivation of staff in the public service industry and the implication for development. In line with this, the following are the specific objectives of the study:

· to present different motivation theories;

· to evaluate the different motivation strategies used in the public service industry;

· to assess the advantages of motivation strategies in the public service industry; and

· to recommend effective strategies to be implemented to improve human resource management in public service industry.

4.0 Methodology

This paper will be qualitative and quantitative in nature. Thus, it will gather both numerical and textual data in order to meet the objectives of the study.

The research design used in this study is the descriptive approach. A descriptive research intends to present facts concerning the nature and status of a situation, as it exists at the time of the study (Creswell, 1994; Saunders et al, 2003). It is also concerned with relationships and practices that exist, beliefs and processes that are ongoing, effects that are being felt, or trends that are developing. (In addition, such approach tries to describe present conditions, events or systems based on the impressions or reactions of the respondents of the research) (Creswell, 1994; Saunders et al, 2003).

4.1 Data Collection

Survey questionnaires and interviews will be implemented in the study. Surveys are the most common form of research method for collection of primary data (Commonwealth of Learning, 2000). One of its purpose is to describe, e.g., to count the frequency of some event or to assess the distribution of some variables such as proportion of the population of different age groups, sex, religion, castes and languages, knowledge, attitude and adaption of practices about particular issues, and other information of similar nature about the population (Commonwealth of Learning, 2000).

4.2 Sample Frame

This study will survey 50 staffs in public service industry, which will include those related with the human resource department. The name of the respondents will be selected in random manner, in order to prevent problems related to personal bias from the researcher.

4.3 Data Analysis

The numerical data results of the study will be analyzed by determining their corresponding frequency, percentage and weighted mean. The following statistical formulas will be used:

1. Percentage – to determine the magnitude of the responses to the questionnaire.

% = ——– x 100 ; n – number of responses

N N – total number of respondents

2. Weighted Mean

f1x1 + f2x2 + f3x3 + f4x4 + f5x5

x= ——————————————— ;

where: f – weight given to each response

x – number of responses

xt – total number of responses

4.4 Timetable

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Aug

Sep

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Nov

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Jan

Feb

Problem

Identification

Literature

Review

Research

Design

Choice of

Methodology

Data

Sources

Data

Collection

Data

Analysis

Writing up

Draft

Editing

Final

Document

Binding of

Document

References

Commonwealth of Learning 2000, Manual for Educational Media Researchers: Knowing your Audience, Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA), Vancouver, Canada.

Creswell, J W 1994, Research design: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. Thousand Oaks, Sage, California.

Gray, D 2004, BTEC National in Public Services, Heinemann.

Lee-Ross, D 2002, ‘An Exploratory Study of Work Motivation Among Private and Public Sector Hospital Chefs in Australia’, Journal of Management Development, vol. 21, no. 8, pp. 576 – 588.

Saunders, M, Lewis, P & Thornhill, A 2003, Research Methods for Business Students, 3rd Ed., Prentice Hall Financial Times, London.

Sims, R 2002, Managing Organizational Behavior, Quorum Books, Westport CT.

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