Researchers' Motivational Preferences : From a Need Theory Perspective

Abstract: The purpose of this thesis is to broaden the understanding of researchers’ motivation by studying R&D personnel in a Swedish company environment and within an area of research that has not been studied before for this purpose. Further we aim to question that they are motivated differently than other occupational groups and to go deeper and develop what we refer to as the myth by looking at it from a need theory perspective. The studied case is the R&D function at an R&D intensive Swedish company within the food industry. In order to fulfil our purpose we also included the production unit for comparative reasons. Hence, the production unit represents other occupational groups in this study. The data collection method used is questionnaires, and 15 people within R&D and 16 from the production personnel were included in the study. Our aim is not to generalise but to contribute to earlier scientific studies concerning motivational factors within R&D. What we have found is that the myth is applicable in a Swedish industrial company but with some adjustments. The studied researchers are for example not as unsociable as suggested in the myth. We chose the need theories to explain possible differences in motivational preferences since our initial research around the myth pointed at different characteristics as the reason for researcher’s motivational preferences, and we see needs as a part of a person’s characteristics. Our conclusion is though that differences in needs can not explain the differences in motivational preferences that we found between production- and R&D personnel in our company. Instead the differences that do exist might be explained by the difference in work duties, possibilities at work and the overall work situation. That is, the amount of freedom, responsibility and challenges they are subjected to in their work.