Sankey, Kim (2013) Sustaining Proactive Motivation for Non-Mandatory Professional Development: Building Self-Determined Employees. Coursework Masters thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
This dissertation examined the motivations energising employees’ participation in non-mandatory professional development (PD) provided within their work organisation using a proactive motivation framework (Parker, Bindl, & Strauss, 2010) and a Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985) perspective. Two studies were conducted using a mixed-method design. Study 1 was conducted in a specific organisation and involved both quantitative and qualitative data. Both aspects of this study informed the development of the quantitative Study 2 conducted in an organisation non-specific sample. The quantitative aspect of both Study 1 and Study 2 provided support for a structural model of employees’ motivation to participate in non-mandatory PD within their work organisation as a proactive, self-determined process that includes transfer implementation intentions as a pre-participation commitment toward change and readiness to transfer what is learned. Study 1 demonstrated that employees’ Transfer Implementation Intentions were energised by autonomous motivation for participation in non-mandatory PD and the intrinsic benefits envisioned from participation. As an organisational context variable, positive work environment directly influenced each aspect of the model. From the Study 1 qualitative findings it was concluded that organisational commitment to employee development, useful to job, useful to career, and prosocial benefits were important variables to include in the structural model tested in Study 2. Study 2 demonstrated that employees’ transfer implementation intentions were influenced by both intrinsic benefits and prosocial benefits. Autonomous motivation demonstrated only an indirect influence on transfer implementation intentions. An organisational commitment to development influenced employees’ perceptions of useful to career and useful to job. Useful to job influenced autonomous motivation ii and prosocial benefits, while useful to career influenced intrinsic benefits. Together, the results of the two studies highlight the importance of autonomous motivation, intrinsic and prosocial goals, and the provision of organisational support to facilitate employees’ proactive involvement in nonmandatory PD and their intention to transfer what is learned. These influences are important, as participation and the use of what is learned are paramount to the success of non-mandatory PD activities (Goldstein & Ford, 2002).
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Coursework Masters) |
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| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology, Counselling and Community (1 Jul 2013 - 31 Dec 2014) |
| Supervisors: | Tony Machin |
| Qualification: | Doctor of Psychology |
| Date Deposited: | 30 Sep 2025 00:42 |
| Last Modified: | 30 Sep 2025 00:42 |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52731 |
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