Education Qualitative Paper

Abstract

Education is a major contributor to a balanced economic system and teachers are a vital part of this sector and the basic pillar on which the structure of any society stands. To know the factors which are linked with the high quality teaching and for improving the effectiveness of the teachers, it is important to study that which factors can affect intrinsic motivation and job satisfaction. The goal of this paper is to enrich the understanding of how various factors contribute to the intrinsic motivation and job satisfaction on educational sector of Pakistan. It further explores how much this sector is influenced by intrinsic motivation and job satisfaction, which will assist in retaining and hiring more skilled labor to make this pillar strong so that our economy get out of the era of continuous downfall

Empirical qualitative data was collected to explore the effect of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation and job satisfaction in what way extrinsic rewards affects any individual’s job satisfaction on educational sector of Pakistan. The data analysis process was done using the principles recommended by Spiggle (1994) and others (Strauss and Corbin, 1990; Arnould and Wallendorf, 1994).  The findings of the study suggest that that for teachers, job satisfaction is more related to extrinsic rewards than intrinsic motivation.

This research is useful in explaining that in what way extrinsic rewards affects any individual’s job satisfaction? Job satisfaction arises basically when any individual feels positive both emotionally and psychologically as a result of good job experience (Clark; 1996 and Cranny, Smith, and Stone, 1992). In many different researches it came forward that extrinsic rewards have a very strong and positive impact on the performance on an employee and the crux of all these theories is that all sort of organizational rewards enhances employee’s job satisfaction.

This research is conducted on teachers which have not been given much importance in the previous studies as the effect of the relationship between extrinsic rewards and intrinsic motivation is seen mostly on children, students and athletes. It therefore adds value to the literature by exploring aspects that are novel and significant.

Introduction

Education provides the bedrock for reducing poverty and also plays a crucial role in building up of human capital of a country which elevates the social development and a major contributor to a balanced economic system (Clark; 1996 and Cranny, Smith, and Stone, 1992). Unfortunately in Pakistan like many other developing countries, it is one of the most under developed sector.

Teachers are a vital part of this sector and the basic pillar on which the structure of any society stands. So, a high quality teaching staff is the need of the time. It is thus important to know the factors which are linked with the high quality teaching. Intrinsic motivation and job satisfaction are among these factors. Teacher satisfaction is an important issue as it determines the effectiveness of the teacher which can directly affect the performance of the students. For improving the effectiveness of the teachers, it is important to study that which factors can affect intrinsic motivation and job satisfaction. For this purpose extrinsic rewards is one of the variable which has been studies for over last 30 years.

Pakistan is one of the developing countries where the need is to research on the areas that can enhance the productivity of the sectors that can uplift the economy. Educational sector holds a vital importance in this regard and we all know that teachers are a pillar of this sector. Due to this central place that teachers hold, it is important to study the factors that can affect teacher’s behavior; intrinsic motivation and job satisfaction are among those variables as these are correlated the standard and quality of education.

The effect of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation is controversial in the previous literature. There is an established and growing body of research on intrinsic motivation, however, traditional theories encounters some limitations in trying to grasp the depth of the phenomenon. Some people have used rewards as a way of controlling behavior with the children, students and athletes. Deci(1971) the pioneer of the work on extrinsic rewards and intrinsic motivation explained that extrinsic rewards have negative relationship with intrinsic motivation, however it has positive relationship with job satisfaction (Rehman, Khan, Lashari and Lashari; 2010).

Every now and then various researchers have performed radical experiments on different respondents belonging to different age groups, even nursery children were considered as respondents but the traditional view doesn’t take into consideration the educational sector  specifically with Asian perspective as well the variables are under researched in accordance with qualitative research techniques. The problem in Pakistan is that the senior teachers and professors that is major skilled labor of this sector prefer to serve in developed countries rather than developing countries. The reason for such brain drain is that they are not intrinsically motivated, and neither they are satisfied with their jobs. They prefer to work for developed countries because they not only believe but they are assured that they will get sufficient recognition and compensation of the services they incur. Hence it can be said that teachers serving in Pakistan are not sufficiently satisfied and motivated. Thus not only attracting but also retaining a quality faculty has become a necessity for quality education.

The present study is conducted to explore the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation and job satisfaction on the educational sector of Pakistan. This topic has not given much importance in the research conducted in Pakistan which has created a gap which needs to be accomplished as today’s economy demands to explore the neglected areas and work on their improvement. Present study is a step towards the fulfillment of this demand. This research will highlight the effect of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation and job satisfaction in the eastern context.

Given these gaps, and building on the argument that is in what way extrinsic rewards affects any individual’s job satisfaction? Job satisfaction arises basically when any individual feels positive both emotionally and psychologically as a result of good job experience (Clark; 1996 and Cranny, Smith, and Stone, 1992). In many different researches it came forward that extrinsic rewards have a very strong and positive impact on the performance on an employee. Different types of extrinsic rewards like pay, incentive, compensation and any other type of financial reward increase the devotion as well as commitment of employees which results in increasing the satisfaction level. There are certain theories on how rewards affect job satisfaction. The crux of all these theories is that all sort of organizational rewards enhances employee’s job satisfaction. Moreover another aspects which employees consider is that rewards given to them must be fair and equitable, this is also one of the crucial aspect  that impact the relationship of rewards with satisfaction, when individuals are confident that whatever extrinsic rewards they receive are equitable and fair than they will believe that organization will reward them as per their performance without any biasness as a result they will be more satisfied with their jobs and will provide outstanding outcomes. Putting everything in a nut shell it can be concluded that extrinsic rewards have negative impact on intrinsic motivation and positive relationship with job satisfaction, major issue is that how it will affect Pakistan’s educational sector.