Revisiting Herzberg’s dual-factor theory: path analysis of motivational drivers among academics in higher education institutions

The study analyzes the relevance of Herzberg’s two-factor theory as a tool for analyzing the motivation of teacher groups in higher education institutions in Nepal. Using structural equation modeling and path analysis, it evaluated the influence of hygiene and motivator factors on academic staff motivation. The results showed that hygiene factors, such as job security, working conditions and institutional policies, are among the most influential factors in motivating teachers. Among these factors, job security and benefits had the most substantial effect (β = 0.88, p < 0.05), followed by the work environment (β = 0.78, p < 0.05) and institutional policies (β = 0.37, p < 0.05). In contrast, the relationship between co-workers and supervisors was not statistically significant (β = 0.08, p > 0.05), which might indicate the hierarchical organizational culture common in Nepal. At the same time, achievement (β = 0.07, p > 0.05) and recognition (β = 0.08, p > 0.05), motivators in the traditional sense, showed no statistically significant effect, and the overall motivator construct was negative and non-significant (β = –0.131, p = 0.242), indicating that motivator factors did not meaningfully drive academic motivation and job satisfaction in this context. The research emphasizes the necessity of context-specific strategies for faculty motivation and expands the application of Herzberg’s model to different cultural contexts.