Managing Motivation and Job Satisfaction of Scientists

This book, based on research conducted at a
government research institute in the UK, looks at
what motivates research scientists and leads to
high levels of job satisfaction and performance,
especially during organisational change and
transition. Two types of scientists were identified,
those who were loyal to their organisation and were
driven by the application of their science and those
who were driven by curiosity and were more
cosmopolitan in their outlook. Levels of job
satisfaction and motivation varied considerably
between individuals but could not be correlated with
age, length of service, gender, department or job
grade. Formal incentive schemes appeared to be
ineffective but management styles and appraisal
systems were identified as being very important in
motivating scientists. Local quality of life and
flexible employment conditions were important
factors in increasing job satisfaction and retaining
staff. This book should be useful to managers,
policy makers and academics interested in
understanding the impact of organisational change
and transition on motivation and job satisfaction.

Autorentext

Dr Jonathan Snape (MA MSc PhD MBA), previously a scientist, has been involved in transfer of technology from acadaemia to industry for the last 15 years in UK, Japan, Germany, Switzerland and Czech Republic. Dr Divya Jindal-Snape (MA MEd PhD) is interested in research related to psycho-social processes involved in transition and change.

Klappentext

This book, based on research conducted at a government research institute in the UK, looks at what motivates research scientists and leads to high levels of job satisfaction and performance, especially during organisational change and transition. Two types of scientists were identified, those who were loyal to their organisation and were driven by the application of their science and those who were driven by curiosity and were more cosmopolitan in their outlook. Levels of job satisfaction and motivation varied considerably between individuals but could not be correlated with age, length of service, gender, department or job grade. Formal incentive schemes appeared to be ineffective but management styles and appraisal systems were identified as being very important in motivating scientists. Local quality of life and flexible employment conditions were important factors in increasing job satisfaction and retaining staff. This book should be useful to managers, policy makers and academics interested in understanding the impact of organisational change and transition on motivation and job satisfaction.