Government & International Relations Seminar Series:

Employee Motivation and Work Engagement: An Overview of the Research Field and Major Trends in the Non-Western Scholarship

Presenter: Dr Assel Mussagulova, University of Sydney

Hybrid event: RD Watt seminar room (A04,203) and Zoom

Human resources are central to any organisation. The effective use of human resources is largely dependent on the availability and quality of insights on employee motivation and engagement. In other words, to achieve optimal performance, it is essential to understand what drives employees and contributes to their work commitment and dedication. This is especially crucial for public sector organisations which often operate in tight budgetary conditions and are rarely able to use monetary incentives to attract and retain top talent. In this presentation I will give an overview of my research on employee motivation and work engagement in non-Western public administration contexts, such as different regions in Asia. I will argue that in a US- and Western Europe-dominated field, islands of excellence exist that promote regional scholarship. Public management research attuned to cultural and contextual sensitivities is more likely to help public managers understand individual and organisational factors affecting employee motivation and engagement.

Dr Assel Mussagulova is a Lecturer in Public Policy and Public Administration at the University of Sydney. She holds a PhD in Public Policy and Global Affairs from the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Her research interests are in organisational behaviour and human resource management, particularly in the public sector context, and draws on insights from multiple disciplines, including psychology, management studies, political science, and ethics. As a policy researcher she is particularly interested in how findings from public management research can inform strategies and policies aimed at bettering government performance and promoting national development. She has published on the topic extensively in various public administration journals, including Public Administration Review, Public Administration, Review of Public Personnel Administration, Public Administration and Development, among others.