Motivation for research career in high-tech industries

Abstract

The paper examines approaches to studying the readiness of employees in public and private sector organizations for research activities. It reveals the importance of understanding the driving forces of motivation for increasing staff engagement in scientific research and the proportion of employees engaged in intellectual work. The main components of employee motivation are characterized. Dominant and situational clusters of motivation driving forces are identified. The presented results of an empirical study of the readiness components of employees in various organizations in high-tech industries show that the intellectual component in the dominant cluster of driving forces encourages individuals to maintain interest in creative activities for a long time, build a research career, acquire and develop new innovative knowledge and skills, thereby increasing the organization’s intellectual potential and consequently, its competitive advantage. An organization’s intellectual capital can be increased by identifying employees with appropriate motivational profiles and potential for learning and cognition. Thus, analyzing the driving forces and forming motivational profiles of organization employees allows for the determination of an individual combination of motivational factors which also enhances employee activity in creative work to achieve high results for both personal goals and the goals of the entire organization.