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Much room to foster the motivation of researchersElizabeta Zirnstein, 2011, published scientific conference contribution
Abstract: Innovations are one of the key factors, influencing the development and the progress of any society. Innovation capabilities of companies depend on a variety of factors, such as R&D expenditure, knowledge management processes, culture, organization structure, management systems etc. In search of new, innovative ideas and solutions the undertakings tend to co-operate more and more often also colleges, universities and other public research institutions, in which research is actually one of their basic missions. If once the purpose and the pinnacle of scientific research work of scientists, employed at the universities and research institutes, was publication of research results in scientific magazines and presentations at the conferences (result of basic research), today the results of research are conveyed through patents, trademarks and other forms of commercial application to a much greater extent. Consequently, the degree of innovation is tightly related to the co-relation between the universities and economy. This paper seeks to provide insights into researchersʼ motives to innovate. Although motivation has been investigated in many fields, there is not much to be found with regard to how to motivate the researchers at universities, research institutes and last but not least in the enterprises to research and to innovate. Hereby, we present the results of a research, which analysed what motivates and what hinders the Slovenian researchers, foremost those involved in patentable inventions, at their work. We asked the researchers which factors either as incentive or as obstacle influence most their scientific research work and in this regard the patent activity in different phases of research process. The picture of the factors (hindrances and motivators), collected through our research, could present a strong support in planning and forming the work of researchers at universities, research institutes and in enterprises. Based on the results obtained through the research we can conclude that the Slovenian universities and research institution have still a lot of work to do in the field of increase of efficiency of the scientific research activity. Considering the Herzberg motivation theory the factors, which especially encourage the researchers towards research work, should be integrated in the work environment as much as possible; those, taking their motivation away, should be eliminated or at least limited. The findings of there search will be of special importance to the management persons of universities, research institutes and enterprises, who are responsible for setting up an encouraging and motivational work environment with the aim to achieve higher innovation and more effective research.
Keywords: scientific research, motivation, employee rewards, innovation
Published in RUP: 15.10.2013; Views: 3375; Downloads: 29
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