The aim of the project is to examine a new motivation model in the management of technical universities. The motivation of academic scholars may act as a mediator between institutional resources (adequate and fair remuneration, leadership style) and scientific effectiveness (scientific productivity, organizational citizenship behaviours, and work engagement). The theoretical framework for the problem links the organizational management paradigm — including strategic paradoxes (the synergy of antinomies; Leja, 2013) — with Positive Organizational Scholarship (Cameron & Spreitzer, 2011). The changes that have taken place in university education since 2011 aim to increase the significance of Polish science. We are therefore convinced that universities need a new model of academic scholars' work motivation — one that allows them to achieve greater effectiveness and competitiveness internationally.

What we already know about motivation to work in science is insufficient. Being an effective scientist manifests itself in publishing articles, managing grants, and internationalizing scientific research. Most existing research concentrates on institutional determinants, which are poorly supplemented by individual factors; a serious limitation is the failure to account for the diversity of motives to work and the needs satisfied by that work. Consequently, drawing on self-determination theory in the context of work (Deci, Olafsen, & Ryan, 2017; Pink, 2009), the new motivation model consists of three motivation types: autonomous motivation (e.g. intrinsic motivation), controlled motivation (e.g. external and financial motivation), and lack of motivation (meaning professional goals are not achieved). These motivations are related to three basic needs: the need for autonomy (independence at work), the need for mastery (becoming increasingly competent), and the need for purpose (meaningfulness of work). We will therefore verify the relationships between motives and needs in connection with scientific effectiveness, and investigate how adequate remuneration and engaged leadership shape academic scholars' motivation, and in turn influence scientific effectiveness.

We will implement mixed-methods research. We will carry out qualitative research — in-depth interviews with representatives of technical university authorities — as well as quantitative research among academic scholars employed at technical universities. We want to invite academic scholars from different scientific fields: engineering and technology (e.g. civil engineering), natural sciences (e.g. physics), and social sciences (e.g. economics and business). We will carry out our statistical analyses on several levels in order to capture both the scholars' perspective and the scientific-field perspective.

First, we want to describe and verify the new model of academic scholars' motivation in the context of technical university management. Second, we want to integrate results from the institutional level with the scholars' level. Third, we want to examine how motivation varies across scientific fields. The scientific problem we address — a new motivation model in university management — will broaden knowledge in management science in the area of university research.

Paper — Szuflita-Żurawska, M., & Basińska, B. A. (2021). Visegrád countries' scientific productivity in the European context: a 10-year perspective using Web of Science and Scopus. Learned Publishing. doi.org/10.1002/leap.1370 Abstract: Measuring the growth of research productivity is a core element of performance in the higher education sector. This paper analyses the scientific productivity of the Visegrád Group countries (2010–2019) based on data from the WoS and Scopus databases, alongside demographic and socio-economic data. Quantitatively, Poland has the highest output, largely due to its comparative size, whereas output per researcher in Poland is lower than in other V4 countries. Qualitatively, Hungary and the Czech Republic are significantly more effective in terms of scientific collaboration and receive more European Research Council grants. University management within the Visegrád Group must develop strategies to strengthen international collaboration between researchers in order to accelerate the dissemination of scientific output globally. Paper — Basińska, B. A. (2020). Work motivation profiles and work performance in a group of corporate employees: a two-step cluster analysis. Roczniki Psychologiczne/Annals of Psychology, 23(3), 227–245. doi.org/10.18290/rpsych20233-3 Paper — Szuflita-Żurawska, M., Basińska, B. A., & Leja, K. (2020). Barriers to and facilitators of scientific productivity: A case study from a Polish technical university. Proceedings of the 36th IBIMA Conference: Education Excellence and Innovation Management — A 2025 Vision to Sustain Economic Development during Global Challenges, Granada, Spain, November 2020. Abstract: Scientific productivity plays an essential role in the creation of innovation and stimulates social and economic growth. This study identifies barriers to and facilitators of scientific productivity in engineering and technology, based on semi-structured interviews with seven deans and deputy deans from four faculties. The case study was analysed following Braun and Clarke's six-step framework and coded using NVivo. The findings fell into four themes: scientific publication, recognition, funding research, and collaboration, revealing more barriers than facilitators, mostly related to human, financial, organisational, and structural resources, and organizational culture. Paper — Basińska, B., Leja, K., & Szuflita-Żurawska, M. (2019). Positive Management of Universities: A Model of Motivation to Strive for Scientific Excellence. Entrepreneurial Business and Economics Review, 7, 239–251. Oral presentation — Szuflita-Żurawska, M., & Basińska, B. Motivate to enhance scientific effectiveness: a qualitative study among authorities at the technical university. Oral paper at the 19th European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology Congress (EAWOP), 29 May – 1 June 2019, Turin, Italy. Oral presentation — Szuflita-Żurawska, M., & Basińska, B. (2018). Polska nauka na tle Europy: produktywność naukowa i praktyki publikacyjne w wybranych dyscyplinach naukowych w latach 2015–2017. 6th National Conference of Higher Education Researchers, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland, 25–26 October 2018. Oral presentation — Basińska, B., Leja, K., & Szuflita-Żurawska, M. (2018). Positive management of universities: A new model of motivation. International Conference "Management and Governance of the University of the Future," Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland, 21 October 2018.