ARTICLE CRITIQUE

TITLE OF THE PAPER: Effect of Motivation on Employee Performance of Commercial

BY

Pamela Akinyi Omollo

Journal: International Journal of Human Resource Studies ISSN 2162-3058 2015, Vol. 5, No.
2.

Introduction

This section presents the summary and review of an article titled “Effect of Motivation on

Employee Performance of Commercial Banks in Kenya: A case of Kenya Commercial Bank

in Migori County”. Here, the review of the named article is critically based on the outline of the

following; Abstract of the paper, introduction, literature, methodology, results and discussion,

conclusions drawn and recommendations made as well as the references presented. Thus, as a

summary of the paper, the paper sought to assess the effect that motivation had on employee

performance, specifically, on the job of workers of the Kenya Commercial Bank in Migori County

(Omollo, 2015). Further, the study focused on the demotivating factors like delay of promotion,

no clear career progression, unreasonable load, long working hours and lack of appreciation from

the managers.

This study adopted a descriptive design as a way achieving the objectives of the study

through interviewing or administering questionnaire to a sample of individuals (Orodho, 2005).

As a way of achieving the sampling objective, simple random sampling technique was used. The

study employed the use of self-administered questionnaire to collect the required primary data.

Descriptive statistical analysis technique was employed to obtain useful summary of responses.

Statistical Programme of Social Scientists (SPSS) version 17 was used to generate data that was

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presented in tables and pie charts as was necessary. The paper concluded that, managers should

know that employees are motivated by monetary rewards. Finally, the paper recommended that

there is need for managers to have a comprehensive motivation scheme in all aspects of an

organization as this is directly proportional to the output of the employees.

Strengths of the Paper

The paper deals with an important subject of interest for Western and African countries

and commercial banks’ workers facing challenges in terms of motivation and performance at the

workplace in the contemporary business environment. The article is well structured, in agreement

with the requirements of a research paper. An abstract was given to summarise the purpose,

method, and findings of the paper. The coverage of the study was also highlighted. In terms of the

results, the paper indicated the relationship between the variables under study. References were

provided both in-text and reference list. Generally, the paper was good. However, it has some

weaknesses

Weaknesses of the Paper

Topic of the Paper: The use of a “case” sounds more of the study going to last for a long time

and for that matter, the “evidence from Kenya Commercial Bank in Migori” should have been

proper. The reason for this is that in research, a case study of a particular institution for a short

period of time is proper rather using the institution as an evidence to deal with a particular is better

looking at the nature of the study.

Abstract: The abstract failed to incorporate the research approach used by the study and the range

of years covered in the study. Also, the research approach by the study was not indicated method

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used. In addition, the results or the findings of the study were not presented specific policy

recommendations were not included.

Problem Statement

In going through the statement of the problem, the research gap to be established to indicate

actual effect of motivation on employee performance was absent rather the paper was hovering on

the surrounding issues. Thus, from my perspectives, the paper should have highlighted on the

research gap which actually informed the guest for this study.

Hypotheses

The paper was about assessing the effect of motivation on employee performance.

However, the paper stated research questions in relation to the stated specific objectives. In

studying effect of a motivation on employee performance, hypotheses would have been better to

test the real significance of the effect on motivation on employee performance. Therefore, research

questions were not appropriate for the study.

Literature Review

The paper did not indicate any clear empirical review to inform the statement of the

problem. Hence, the absence of a research gap in the paper. The concepts of motivation and

employee performance were not explained in the paper. Moreover, the paper used more than one

theory (Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, ERG Theory and Fredrick Herzberg two

factor theory), however, what informed the use of more than one theory was not clearly stated in

the literature. In other papers on same topic, Boamah, R (2014), Process theories of motivation,

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Locke’s theory of goal setting and the Reinforcement theory of motivation were used to explain

the concept of motivation and employee performance.

Methodology

The authors did not indicate research approach the study adopted in carrying the study. In

addition, the basis for the selection of the four banks and employees of the banks as the sample

size was not given. The study did not explain more in depth the selection of the variables used as

explanatory variables. Also, such a study warrants a regression model and the paper did not specify

any regression model to study the relationship among the variables. There was no justification for

the use of descriptive research design and the questionnaire. Data source were not provided, and

the type of scale used for the questions was more of categorical which is not appropriate for the

study for the study was quantitative and that rate scale would have been better than the Likert scale

used in the study. No research design and estimation technique.

Results and Discussion

The presentations of the results were based on the descriptive analyses. This was as a result

of the nature of the questions used. From my perspectives, the authors should have gone further to

do correlation and regression analyses to effectively study the effect of motivation on employee

performance. Also, the presentation of the results was devoid of policy implications which are key

to inform policy makers and stakeholders. From my perspective, the results are incomplete for

meaningful generalization. The presentations of some of the results were poorly done and not clear

particularly Figures 4.5 and 4.8. Again, categorical data were not suitable for a quantitative study

of this nature, though the author claimed to use both qualitative and quantitative approaches.

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Recommendations

The paper did not base the recommendations on the conclusions and also the recommendations

were not specific which are of importance.

References: There were inconsistencies in the references. Also, some of the in-text references

were not in the reference list such as Kothari (2008).

Conclusions and Recommendations

Generally, the paper has informed us on the relation between motivation and employee

performance for policy purposes. However, critical review of the paper suggested that there more

to be done about the paper to effectively convince readers on the actual relationship between

motivation and employee performance. It is therefore recommended that further analyses should

be done such as correlation and regression and hypotheses testing to give a clear picture of the

study. Thus, the author should restructure the paper for future publication.

References

Omollo, P. A. (2015). Effect of motivation on employee performance of commercial banks in

Kenya: A case of Kenya commercial bank in Migori County, International Journal of

Human Resource Studies, ISSN 2162-3058, 5(2).

Orodho A. J. (2005). Elements of Motivation and Social Science Research Methods.

Boamah, R. (2014).The effect of motivation on employee’s performance: Empirical evidence from

Brong Ahafo education directorate.