Modeling the Significance of Motivation on Job Satisfaction and Performance Among the Academicians: The Use of Hybrid Structural Equation Modeling-Artificial Neural Network Analysis

Abstract

The competition in higher education has increased, while lecturers are involved in multiple assignments that include teaching, research and publication, consultancy, and community services. The demanding nature of academia leads to excessive work load and stress among academicians in higher education. Notably, offering the right motivational mix could lead to job satisfaction and performance. The current study aims to demonstrate the effects of extrinsic and intrinsic motivational factors influencing job satisfaction and job performance among academicians working in Malaysian private higher educational institutions (PHEIs). Cross-sectional data were collected from the Malaysian PHEIs and the randomly selected 343 samples. The data analysis was performed with the dual analysis of partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and artificial neural network (ANN) analysis. As a result, it was found that financial rewards, promotion, performance appraisal, classroom environment, and code of conduct significantly predicted job satisfaction. The code of conduct, autonomy, and self-efficacy strongly influenced job performance. The relationship between job satisfaction and job performance was highly moderated by self-efficacy. It was suggested from the ANN analysis that the three prominent factors influencing job satisfaction are financial rewards, performance appraisal, and code of conduct. The analysis supported three significant factors influencing job performance: self-efficacy, performance appraisal, and code of conduct. The management of PHEIs should build the correct policies to transform job satisfaction into job performance. Self-efficacy plays an essential role in activating job performance. Other significant motivating factors that promote job satisfaction and performance, such as emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and other personal traits, should be included in future studies. In addition, future research could use a mixed-method or multi-respondent approach to investigate the important variables and their impact on lecturers’ job satisfaction and performance.

The influence of grit on nurse job satisfaction: Mediating effects of perceived stress and moderating effects of optimism

“…Practicing medical care during a pandemic is a challenge for nurses (Tyer-Viola, 2019) and can result in higher occupational stress and low job satisfaction (Kwiecień-Jaguś et al, 2018;Leskovic et al, 2020). Conversely, medical professionals with a higher degree of fit have higher job satisfaction (Sinniah et al, 2022). The moderating role of optimism…”

“…Although public attention has focused primarily on the relationship between grit and achievement, grit has also been highlighted as a predictor of nurses’ subjective well-being ( Seguin, 2019 ). Positive personality traits are motivation to promote job satisfaction ( Sinniah et al, 2022 ), and grit as a personality strength affects people’s subjective well-being and is a significant predictor of job satisfaction in particular ( Goodman et al, 2017 ). A meta-analysis ( Hou et al, 2022 ) has shown that grit was positively associated with job satisfaction, suggesting that more extraordinary grit was associated with greater job satisfaction.…”

The Impact of Higher Education Institution Culture on Teachers' Job Satisfaction

“…In order to find the relationship between the culture of a HEI and teachers' job satisfaction, a conducted literature review (Abid Alvi, et al, 2014;Bahir, 2020;Pavlović, et al, 2020;Serinkan & Kiziloglu, 2021;Blömeke, et al, 2021;Smith, 2021;Sinniah, et al 2022;Chonody, et al 2022;Sell, 2023;Borrego, et al 2023;Geiger, et al 2023;Chen, 2023, etc.) revealed more detailed findings of the factors of HEI culture that affect teachers' job satisfaction (Table 1). Sell (2023) argues that maintaining transparency in decision-making and resource allocation is important in creating workplaces that support employee well-being.…”

“…Personal factors such as professional development and career progression are also addressed in the context of the impact of the culture of a HEI on teachers' job satisfaction. According to Yang & Hwang (2014), Sinniah et al (2022), Borrego, et al (2023), professional development opportunities empower teachers of a HEI psychologically, boost their intrinsic motivation and increase job satisfaction. According to Sell (2023) and Chen (2023), in order to ensure employee job satisfaction, it is important for institutions to provide a better work-life balance and to expand professional development opportunities.…”

“…Job satisfaction is a complex and multifaceted concept. An analysis of scientific literature (Duan & Yuanyuan, 2018;Sinniah et al, 2022;Marasi, et al, 2022;Kim et al, 2023;Chen, 2023;Smith, 2021;Geiger, et al, 2023;Serinkan & Kiziloglu, 2021;Blömeke, et al, 2021;Pavlović, et al, 2020;Borrego, et al, 2023;Sell, 2023;Serinkan & Kiziloglu, 2021; allows perceiving job satisfaction as a multidimensional construct, distinguishing various factors that affect employees' job satisfaction, fostering a cohesive organisational community, ensuring employees' gender equality, revealing the relationship between teachers' satisfaction with their job and students' satisfaction with their studies, identifying problems of the entire organisation and cases of its successful performance.…”