Public sector motivation and employee performance: a qualitative study of Australian academics

Links between Public Sector Motivation (PSM) and employee performance (EP) have yet to be made in the higher education sector. This paper presents results from a qualitative study of 20 semi-structured interviews of business academics from Australian universities. The results indicate a relationship between PSM and EP, however, they are not as strongly supported as expected based on the literature. The performance measures examined may also affect the attraction and retention of students and government funding, both of which are essential for the survival of a university, particularly in an environment which is becoming increasingly competitive. In the context of universities, PSM appears to influence employees in terms of their attraction to the profession, but not necessarily their allegiance to one university over another. This information could be a way for universities to set themselves apart from their competitors when it comes to the attraction and retention of academic staff.