This study investigated the relationship between university students' motivation and their academic performance, with effort acting as a mediating variable. The study strives to add to the body of knowledge on motivation, effort and academic performance, with specific reference to tertiary level institutions in the South African context. Motivation is separated into intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation, which were used as the independent variables. Academic performance is the dependent variable, which was measured using the cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA). A quantitative relational design was employed to investigate the degree to which motivation predicts a students' academic performance. The data were collected through an online questionnaire from a convenience sample of 254 commerce faculty students within a university in the Western Cape, ranging from first year to fifth year of study. The empirical results obtained from the data, using the Pearson correlation coefficients, indicated significant relationships between intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation and academic performance. Evidence was further found that students' intrinsic and extrinsic motivation influenced the amount of effort they exerted in trying to achieve their desired performance outcome. Through the use of Baron and Kenny's procedure to test mediation, effort was found to be a partial mediator of the relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and academic performance. Furthermore, a multiple regression analysis of the data indicated that intrinsic motivation is the strongest predictor of academic performance, followed by effort. In the regression model extrinsic motivation could not explain unique variance in academic performance.

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -The purpose of this paper is to investigate if the presence of non-financial rewards (specifically work-life balance, learning, and career advancement) were able to influence the perceived attractiveness of a job offering. A secondary objective was to establish if there were demographic differences, specifically, gender, race, and age differences in the manner in which these non-financial rewards influenced the perceived attractiveness of a job offer. Design/methodology/approach -A quantitative research approach was followed and a 23 full-factorial experimental design utilised. Data were collected with two questionnaires via convenience (non-probability) sampling. The first job attraction questionnaire assessed the perceived level of attractiveness to one of eight randomly assigned experimental conditions (stimuli) that were expressed as eight fictitious job advertisements. Employees who responded were from various industries (n ¼ 180). The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and a full-factorial ANOVA. A second questionnaire was used to assess the perceived attractiveness of various elements of a typical total rewards package. The validity and reliability of the second questionnaire was assessed using Exploratory Factor Analysis utilising the Principal Axis Factoring extraction method, employing a Direct Oblimin (i.e. Oblique) rotation, and calculating Cronbach α coefficients, respectively. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the composite factors or reward elements. Findings -The non-financial reward elements (work-life balance, learning, and career advancement) were found to have statistically significant main effects on employees' perceived attractiveness of a job offering. Gender was further found to also have a significant main effect, indicating that the presence of non-financial rewards was more attractive in job offerings for women than for men. Research limitations/implications -The sample group was obtained by means of convenience sampling and may not have been adequately representative of the target population. Practical implications -Organisations may benefit from these results by implementing and/or emphasising non-financial r...

Employee engagement and retention are overwhelmingly cited by the Chief Executive Officers of some of the largest and fastest growing companies, as the number one priority on the Human Resource or Human Capital agenda (Frank, Finnegan & Taylor, 2004;Schlechter, Faught & Bussin, 2014). Business strategies, products and services can often be replicated, but it is nearly impossible to replicate a company's talent pool, a fundamental aspect whereby a business distinguishes itself from its competitors (Jensen, McMullen & Stark, 2007). Background of the studyThe turnover of critical or key staff members, often referred to as talent, is associated with significant direct and indirect costs to an organisation. These costs include, for example, the costs associated Orientation: Changing workplace demographics and a dearth of employees with scarce skills have forced employers to better understand the various factors that retain talented employees. Research purpose:In this empirical study, the reward preferences and ideal combination of total reward elements (based on an estimation of their relative importance) that retain employees from various demographic groups, including employees of different race, gender and age groups, were investigated.Motivation for study: Organisations are competing for talented employees and to benefit from the value these individuals add, it is required of them to stay at the respective businesses. Previous studies have indicated that employees who are offered a reward package that is aligned to their personal preferences are prone to stay longer at the organisation and to be more engaged at work. However, new and novel ways need to be found to identify the reward preferences of employees.Research design, approach and method: A quantitative approach and descriptive research design was employed to estimate the individual reward preferences and identify an ideal mix of total reward elements that retain different cohorts of employees. Three questionnaires were distributed, including a Remuneration Managers Questionnaire (n = 7), a Remuneration Preference Questionnaire (n = 368) and a Choice-based Conjoint Task Questionnaire (n = 368). The latter two questionnaires were distributed as an online questionnaire to South African businesses and consisted of eight choice-based conjoint tasks, as well as a field survey. Main findings:The results of the choice-based conjoint analysis revealed that all respondents considered financial rewards (Benefits, Performance and Recognition, Remuneration, Career, in that order) as relatively speaking, the most important components in their total rewards package that would lead to their retention. For most demographic groups, the remaining three places (i.e. ranked) were Career Advancement, Learning and Work-life balance. Work-life balance was found to be relatively more important for Generation Y than career advancement. For those employees with only a matric qualification and those in non-managerial positions, access to learning opportunities were the least important...

This exploratory study tested a model within a team context consisting of transformational-leadership behaviour, team-leader emotional intelligence, trust (both in the team leader and in the team members) and team commitment. It was conducted within six manufacturing plants, with 25 teams participating. Of the 320 surveys distributed to these teams, 178 were received (which equals a 56% response rate). The surveys consisted of the multi-factor leadership questionnaire (MLQ), the Swinburne University emotional intelligence test (SUEIT), the organisational-commitment scale (OCS) (adapted for team commitment) and the workplace trust survey (WTS). The validity of these scales was established using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confrmatory factor analysis (CFA). The Cronbach alpha was used to assess the reliability of the scales. The model was tested using structural equation modelling (SEM); an acceptable level of model ft was found. Signifcant positive relationships were further found among all the constructs. Such an integrated model has not been tested in a team context before and the positive fndings therefore add to existing teamwork literature. The fnding that transformational leadership and leader emotional intelligence are positively related to team commitment and trust further emphasises the importance of effective leadership behaviour in team dynamics and performance

Orientation: In order to attract knowledge workers and maintain a competitive advantage,it is necessary for organisations to understand how knowledge workers are attracted todifferent types and levels of financial rewards.Research purpose: This research investigated a set of financial reward elements (remuneration, employee benefits and variable pay) to determine whether knowledgeworkers perceived them as attractive inducements when considering a job or position.Motivation for the study: In South Africa there is a shortage of talent, largely due to highrates of emigration of scarce skills (human capital). Financial rewards or inducementsare necessary to attract talent and it is essential to assess which of these rewards are mostsuccessful in this regard.Method: A 23 full-factorial experimental design (field experiment) was used. The threefinancial reward elements (remuneration, employee benefits and variable pay) weremanipulated in a fictitious job advertisement (each at two levels). Eight (2 × 2 × 2 = 8) differentversions of a job advertisement were used as a stimulus to determine the effect of financialreward elements on perceived job attractiveness. A questionnaire was used to measure howparticipants perceived the attractiveness of the job. A convenience sampling approach wasused. Different organisations throughout South Africa, as well as corporate members of the South African Reward Association, were asked to participate in the study. Respondents (n = 169) were randomly assigned to the various experimental conditions (i.e. one of the eightadvertisements). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. A full-factorial analysis ofvariance was used to investigate if significant main effects could be found.Main findings: Participants considered high levels of remuneration, the inclusion ofbenefits and variable pay to be significant job attraction factors within a reward package. Remuneration was found to have the largest main effect on job attractiveness of the three. Gender, race and age did not have statistically significant main effects on job attractiveness.Practical/managerial implications: High levels of remuneration, benefits and variable payshould be incorporated and emphasised in organisational talent attraction strategies as theyare attractive for knowledge workers. If organisations want to attract prospective talentthey need to offer high levels of remuneration to make their offers appealing and attractive.Variable pay and benefits are, further, not sufficient to mitigate a low remuneration offer.Contribution: This study adds to the body of social science research as few studieshave empirically demonstrated a causal link between financial reward elements and jobattractiveness within a controlled laboratory environment. There is also limited empiricalresearch in South Africa that highlights the level and combinations of financial rewardelements that are attractive for talented knowledge employees.