An investigation of motivating factors among lower cadre administrative staff : a case study of public and private Universities in Kenya

Abstract

This study was set to investigate factors that motivate administrative staff in public and private universities in Kenya.Every manager must be concerned with the level of motivation of employees under his /her docket because this directly or indirectly affects their performance. Members of staff would perform better if they feel valued; their achievements are recognized, faced with challenge and their individual differences appreciated.Achieving a high level of motivation is an important component of good management in organizations. However, most managers and heads of organizations may not achieve fully because of issues such as communication failure, people have unique and unlimited needs and lack of control of the external environment e.g. political interference.In this research, a general overview was presented to indicate the broad concern of the study including the statement of the problem under investigation, the specific objectives of the study, how the research was conducted, and highlights the significance visa vis the limitations of the study.The study sample was randomly selected from the various departments of public and private universities in Kenya that will participate in the study. A questionnaire was administered amongst the administrative staff in various departments including finance, library, health, transport, accommodation and security. The data collected was analysed and presented using descriptive statistics. However, the Statistical Package for Social Sciences was used where necessary to analyse data.The finding of this research will be useful to the management of both the private and public universities in Kenya in designing staff motivation strategies and Government of Kenya in planning for higher education manpower.