What motivates young researchers in Japan

Abstract

In this study interviews were conducted with 19 young researchers and engineers at universities and a public research institute in Japan to find R&D environments, rewards and evaluations that enable such individuals to demonstrate a more creative performance. As a result, this study has confirmed that there are three types of young researchers and engineers – the problem-finding type, the problem-solving type and the co-ordinating type. All types indicate high-intrinsic motivation. Factors to either improve or impede motivation as well as responses to impediments were different between the types. One finding was that young researchers and engineers can improve their motivation for R&D efforts by sharing technological and social challenges, visions and values with the organisations or research communities to which they belong. Another finding was that motivation for research can decline substantially due to unclear performance evaluation standards and benchmarks in an increasingly competitive environment.