Identifying Motivation Patterns of the Experienced Knowledge Workers to Promote Innovation (Iran Telecommunication Research Center (ITRC) as a Case Study)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD Student, Alborz Campus, University of Tehran, Iran.

2 Faculty Member of Management, University of Tehran, Iran.

3 Faculty Member of Information Technology, ICT Research Institute, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Knowledge Workers (KWs) are the driving force in knowledge-based economy and their performance and motivation have a direct impact on technological evolution and innovation. This research, using Q Methodology, focuses on the experienced Knowledge Workers’ attitude and their mental patterns of motivation. To this end, a systematic review was carried out to form the concourse of communication and more than 1000 papers which were published in the authentic scientific databases were reviewed and 90 most-relevant papers were selected to extract the KWs’ motivating factors. Having consulted with experts, the concourse of communication was finalized and Q set was formed. Thirteen experienced KWs from ITRC were selected to participate in Q sorting. Finally, using factor analysis, the mental patterns of the experienced knowledge workers were extracted and five mental patterns were identified as “boss”, “conservative”, “sentimentalist”, “ambitious” and “perfectionist”. The results of this study provide us with useful information to better understand the experienced knowledge workers and find ways to motivate them. The research center can achieve its goals, enhance KWs’ performance and innovativeness using the motivating factors identified for each pattern. 

Keywords

References

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Alexander, K. M. (2014). Generation knowledge workers’ experience of work motivation : A grounded theory study. Capella University.
Amar, A. D. (2004). Motivating knowledge workers to innovate: A model integrating motivation dynamics and antecedents. European Journal of Innovation Management,7(2), 89–101.
Amin, Z. (2000). Q-Methodology: A journey into the subjectivity of human mind. Singapore Medical Journal, 41(8), 410–414.
Badawy, M. K. (1978). One more time: How to motivate your engineers. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management EM, 25(2), 37–42.
Bashatah, L. S. (2016). Q-methodology: What and how?. Journal of Research & Method in Education, 6(5), 37–43.
Brenner, P. M. (1999). Motivating knowledge workers: The role of the workplace. Quality Progress, 32(1) ,33–37.
Brown, S. (1993). A Primer on Q Methodology.Operant Subjectivity,16(3/4), 91–138.
Bussin, M. H. R., & Brigman N. (2019). Evaluation of remuneration preferences of knowledge workers. South African Journal of Human Resource Management, 17(0), 1–10.
Corchon, N., & Wingsternes, H. (2014). Are knowledge workers more intrinsically motivated than manual workers?: An explanatory study on work motivation in odfjell drilling. University of Pretoria.
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Drucker, P. F. (1999). Knowledge-worker productivity: The biggest challenge. California Management Review, 41(2), 79–94.
Du, H. (2015). Motivation of knowledge workers in chinese small and medium-sized high-tech enterprises.
Exel, J. V., & Gjalt D. G. (2005). Q-methodology: A sneak preview. Social Sciences, 2, 1–30.
Frick, D. E. (2010). Motivating the knowledge worker. Defense Intelligence Agency. Washington Dc.
Gambardella, A., Claudio, P., & Valentini, G. (2015). Strategic incentives to human capital. Strategic Management Journal, 36(1), 37–52.
Gomez, R. F. (2013). The factors determine knowledge workers productivity within the irish IT industry, Journal of Strategy and Performance Management, 8(2), 1–94.
Hendriks, P. (1999). Why share knowledge? The influence of ICT on the motivation for knowledge sharing. Knowledge and Process Management, 6(2), 91–100.
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Kalia, S. (2015). Promoting socio-economic development through business integration. IGI Global.
Khalid, I. (2015). Motivation factors for knowledge workers in pakistan. Journal of Strategy and Performance Management, 3(2), 51.
Kubo, I., & Ayse, S. (2002). An inquiry into the motivations of knowledge workers in the japanese financial industry. Journal of Knowledge Management, 6(3), 262–271.
Lord, R. L., & Farrington P. A. (2006). Age-related differences in the motivation of knowledge workers.EMJ - Engineering Management Journal, 18(3), 20–26.
Mckeown, B. F., & Thomas, D. B. (1988). Q-methodology in assessment and research. Summer Methodology Quantitative Applications in the Social Sciences Series, 66, 302–29.
Mládková, L. (2016). The enneagram as a tool of management of knowledge workers. Proceedings of the European Conference on Knowledge Management, ECKM 2016-Janua, 614–621.
Muo, I. K. (2013). Motivating & managing knowledge workers: Evidences from diverse industries & cultures. Journal of Management and Sustainability, 3(2), 119–131.
Nicholas, J. B. (2011). Reliability in Q-methodology: A case study. Eastern Education Research Association Annual Conference. The University of Akron. Ohio.
Olomolaiya, A., & Egbu, C. (2004). Motivating Knowledge Workers: The Dilemma of HRM’S Contributions To KM, Construction Industry. Journal of Knowledge Management, 12, 129–139.
Ong, H. B., Chong, L.L., & Hatta, K. (2016). Retaining knowledge worker through motivation. The 8th Knowledge Management International Conference KMICe. Big Data to Knowledge Discovery.
Paige, J. B., & Morin, K. H. (2016). Q-sample construction: A critical step for a Q-methodological study. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 38(1), 96–110.
Petroni, A., & Colacino, P. (2008). Motivation strategies for knowledge workers: Evidences and challenges. Journal of Technology Management and Innovation, 3(3), 21–32.
Stickl, J. E., Kelly, L. W., & Carrie, A. (2019). Making sense of subjectivity: Q-methodology in counseling research. Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluatio, 10(2), 106–18.
Sumbal, M. S. (2020). A framework to retain the knowledge of departing knowledge workers in the manufacturing industry. VINE Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems, 21(2), 321-329.
Tampoe, M. (1993). Motivating knowledge workers: The challenge for the 1990s. Long Range Planning, 26(3), 49–55.
Todericiu, R., Anca, S., & Dumitrascu, O. (2013). Particularities of Knowledge Worker’s Motivation Strategies in Romanian Organizations. Procedia Economics and Finance, 6(13), 405–13.
Valenta, A. L., & Ulrike, W. (1997). Q-methodology: Definition and application in health care informatics. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Associatio,. 4(6), 501–510.
Ward, W. (2010). Q and you: The application of Q-methodology in recreation research. Knowledge Management, 10, 75–80.
Zhan, H., Peng, L., Yuanyuan, M., & Jianhuang, L. (2013). The research on characteristics of e-commerce enterprises’ knowledge workers and their motivating factors: A review and comparison study. Proceedings of the 25th Australasian Conference on Information Systems, ACIS 2014 (October), 557–564.
Zupancic, M. (2016). Older knowledge workers as the labour market potential : (slovenia versus finland). Nase gospodarstvo, 62, 33–41.
Akhtar-Danesh, N., Baumann, A., & Cordingley, L. (200). Q-Methodology in nursing research: A promising method for the study of subjectivity.  Western Journal of Nursing Research, 30(6), 759–773.
Alexander, K. M. (2014). Generation knowledge workers’ experience of work motivation : A grounded theory study. Capella University.
Amar, A. D. (2004). Motivating knowledge workers to innovate: A model integrating motivation dynamics and antecedents. European Journal of Innovation Management,7(2), 89–101.
Amin, Z. (2000). Q-Methodology: A journey into the subjectivity of human mind. Singapore Medical Journal, 41(8), 410–414.
Badawy, M. K. (1978). One more time: How to motivate your engineers. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management EM, 25(2), 37–42.
Bashatah, L. S. (2016). Q-methodology: What and how?. Journal of Research & Method in Education, 6(5), 37–43.
Brenner, P. M. (1999). Motivating knowledge workers: The role of the workplace. Quality Progress, 32(1) ,33–37.
Brown, S. (1993). A Primer on Q Methodology.Operant Subjectivity,16(3/4), 91–138.
Bussin, M. H. R., & Brigman N. (2019). Evaluation of remuneration preferences of knowledge workers. South African Journal of Human Resource Management, 17(0), 1–10.
Corchon, N., & Wingsternes, H. (2014). Are knowledge workers more intrinsically motivated than manual workers?: An explanatory study on work motivation in odfjell drilling. University of Pretoria.
Denson, F. (2012). Knowledge worker motivation. University of Pretoria.
Drucker, P. F. (1999). Knowledge-worker productivity: The biggest challenge. California Management Review, 41(2), 79–94.
Du, H. (2015). Motivation of knowledge workers in chinese small and medium-sized high-tech enterprises.
Exel, J. V., & Gjalt D. G. (2005). Q-methodology: A sneak preview. Social Sciences, 2, 1–30.
Frick, D. E. (2010). Motivating the knowledge worker. Defense Intelligence Agency. Washington Dc.
Gambardella, A., Claudio, P., & Valentini, G. (2015). Strategic incentives to human capital. Strategic Management Journal, 36(1), 37–52.
Gomez, R. F. (2013). The factors determine knowledge workers productivity within the irish IT industry, Journal of Strategy and Performance Management, 8(2), 1–94.
Hendriks, P. (1999). Why share knowledge? The influence of ICT on the motivation for knowledge sharing. Knowledge and Process Management, 6(2), 91–100.
Hobbs, S. & Véron, J. (2014). Discussing the motivation of knowledge workers to engage in employee driven innovation – The influence of trust in organisation processes. Institute of Healthcare Improvement. http:// www.ihi.org
Horwitz, F. M. (2003). Retaining knowledge workers: A ranking of the most valuable rewards, Journal of Knowledge Management, 13(4), 23–44.
Kalia, S. (2015). Promoting socio-economic development through business integration. IGI Global.
Khalid, I. (2015). Motivation factors for knowledge workers in pakistan. Journal of Strategy and Performance Management, 3(2), 51.
Kubo, I., & Ayse, S. (2002). An inquiry into the motivations of knowledge workers in the japanese financial industry. Journal of Knowledge Management, 6(3), 262–271.
Lord, R. L., & Farrington P. A. (2006). Age-related differences in the motivation of knowledge workers.EMJ - Engineering Management Journal, 18(3), 20–26.
Mckeown, B. F., & Thomas, D. B. (1988). Q-methodology in assessment and research. Summer Methodology Quantitative Applications in the Social Sciences Series, 66, 302–29.
Mládková, L. (2016). The enneagram as a tool of management of knowledge workers. Proceedings of the European Conference on Knowledge Management, ECKM 2016-Janua, 614–621.
Muo, I. K. (2013). Motivating & managing knowledge workers: Evidences from diverse industries & cultures. Journal of Management and Sustainability, 3(2), 119–131.
Nicholas, J. B. (2011). Reliability in Q-methodology: A case study. Eastern Education Research Association Annual Conference. The University of Akron. Ohio.
Olomolaiya, A., & Egbu, C. (2004). Motivating Knowledge Workers: The Dilemma of HRM’S Contributions To KM, Construction Industry. Journal of Knowledge Management, 12, 129–139.
Ong, H. B., Chong, L.L., & Hatta, K. (2016). Retaining knowledge worker through motivation. The 8th Knowledge Management International Conference KMICe. Big Data to Knowledge Discovery.
Paige, J. B., & Morin, K. H. (2016). Q-sample construction: A critical step for a Q-methodological study. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 38(1), 96–110.
Petroni, A., & Colacino, P. (2008). Motivation strategies for knowledge workers: Evidences and challenges. Journal of Technology Management and Innovation, 3(3), 21–32.
Stickl, J. E., Kelly, L. W., & Carrie, A. (2019). Making sense of subjectivity: Q-methodology in counseling research. Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluatio, 10(2), 106–18.
Sumbal, M. S. (2020). A framework to retain the knowledge of departing knowledge workers in the manufacturing industry. VINE Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems, 21(2), 321-329.
Tampoe, M. (1993). Motivating knowledge workers: The challenge for the 1990s. Long Range Planning, 26(3), 49–55.
Todericiu, R., Anca, S., & Dumitrascu, O. (2013). Particularities of Knowledge Worker’s Motivation Strategies in Romanian Organizations. Procedia Economics and Finance, 6(13), 405–13.
Valenta, A. L., & Ulrike, W. (1997). Q-methodology: Definition and application in health care informatics. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Associatio,. 4(6), 501–510.
Ward, W. (2010). Q and you: The application of Q-methodology in recreation research. Knowledge Management, 10, 75–80.
Zhan, H., Peng, L., Yuanyuan, M., & Jianhuang, L. (2013). The research on characteristics of e-commerce enterprises’ knowledge workers and their motivating factors: A review and comparison study. Proceedings of the 25th Australasian Conference on Information Systems, ACIS 2014 (October), 557–564.
Zupancic, M. (2016). Older knowledge workers as the labour market potential : (slovenia versus finland). Nase gospodarstvo, 62, 33–41.
Journal of Technology Development Management
Volume 7, Issue 4
March 2020
Pages 63-95

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History

  • Receive Date: 29 February 2020
  • Revise Date: 09 May 2020
  • Accept Date: 12 January 2020

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