APPENDICES Appendix 1
QUESTION LIST – MOTIVATION UNDER EMPLOYEES’ INNOVATIVENESS REMARKS
This study is conducted in the name of the University of Groningen. The University of Groningen guarantees confidential treatment with all the information. The agreeing company has the right to inspect the written interview conversations and decide what to include. It is possible for the firm to stay anonymous in the study.
Student: Ya-Ching Chou Student number: s1413074 Supervisor: Dr. G. de Jong Faculty: Faculty of Economics Date: June 2007
General Questions
1. Is headquarters established in the Netherlands or abroad? If it is established abroad, where?
2. How many employees does your total company exist of? How many employees does this subsidiary have?
3. What is the average age of this plant’s employees?
4. What is the educational background of the employees (cultural)?
5. What is the ratio between males and females working in your subsidiary? 6. In which industry can we classify your company?
Motivation Behaviour Drivers – Sociological, psychological, generational, knowledge work, and cultural.
Employees’ innovation – For example, more productive working methods, bringing in new knowledge and ideas to the firm. All have to do with learning.
Sociology
1. Sociology is important in the motivation of employees, because it is trying to analyze the human behaviour. Certain norms and values have changed over years, do you think that these influence the employees’ individual motivation to innovate? Please explain why.
2. Demographic influences such as women and minorities coming into the workforce have changed certain relationships on the workfloor. How do you see these changes in demographics influencing the motivation of other innovative workers? Are there positive or negative influences? Could you give some examples that can support your opinion?
3. Globalization forces have brought many important changes. How has globalization affected employees within this company? What were the difficulties and possibilities? Did it increase overall motivation? If so, was this remarkable in employees’ innovative behaviour?
Psychological
1. Incentives given to employees are important in motivating them. Salaries are primary incentives to keep employees coming to their work. What other important incentives are provided to employees in order to keep them stimulated? Are these incentives positively or negatively received? Do these stimulate employees’ behaviour to innovate? Give examples.
In other words, explain what the importance is of using those practices or not using them.
Generational
1. The company has employees of different ages. On what grounds can you distinguish the employees on basis of their age? Can you notice certain differences between the generations when stimulating them? How do the differences between the employees’ generations influence their working behaviour?
Knowledge Work
1. Technology is an important factor contributing to the innovation process. The use of machines goes together with codified and tacit knowledge. The introduction of new hard capital goes together with codified knowledge. Later on, employees will develop tacit knowledge by using it more efficiently. How does the firm stimulate employees to exploit the overall benefits of using new technologies? Are there strict procedures, or does top management give employees the freedom to figure it out by themselves?
Cultural
1. Globalization forces have brought many important changes. How has globalization affected employees within this company? What were the difficulties and possibilities? Did it increase motivation overall? Give examples.
Motivation Antecedents/Sources Job
1. Job characteristics are important in order to attract and retain employees. What does the firm do in order to make the job more exciting? Examples are work schedules, job satisfaction, the resources that the firm makes available to the employee to let them develop (technology). Do you think that job components within your firm do excite employees? Where can you see this from?
Outcomes
1. Do you think that when linking incentive benefits to the performance will enhance the motivation of employees? Why?
2. Does the firm use tailor-made incentive schemes for employees? Give the reason why.
Organisational System
1. Organisational structure is an important factor contributing to motivation and hence the innovative potential of employees. How is the firm structurally organized? Do you think as an HR-manager that this structure gives the ability to employees to innovate? Explain why.
2. Are there any rigid controls and checks within the firm? Do you think that the motivation factor contributing to the innovative potential of employees is sufficiently incorporated in the organisation? What should the firm do in its policies and practices in order to make the creative potential of employees more enhancing?
3. Does the firm have any partnerships? Do these partnerships influence employees’ innovative behaviour? In what manner?
Final
