It's All About the Motivation: Factors That Influence Employee Motivation in Organizations

University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange

Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School

5-2007

It's All About The Motivation: Factors That Influence Employee Motivation In Organizations

Abby M. Brooks University of Tennessee, Knoxville

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Part of the Communication Commons

Recommended Citation Brooks, Abby M., "It's All About The Motivation: Factors That Influence Employee Motivation In Organizations. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 2007. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/4229

This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council:

I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by Abby M. Brooks entitled "It's All About The Motivation: Factors That Influence Employee Motivation In Organizations." I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in Communication and Information.

Michelle T. Violanti, Major Professor

We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance:

John Haas, Kenneth Levine, Joan Rentsch

Accepted for the Council:

Carolyn R. Hodges

Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School

(Original signatures are on file with official studentecor r ds.) To the Graduate Council:

I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by Abby M. Brooks entitled "It's All About The Motivation: Factors That InfluenceEmployee Motivation In Organizations." I have examined the finalpaper copy of this dissertation forform and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillmentof the requirements forthe degreeof Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in Communication and Information Studies.

Dr. Michelle T. Violanti, Major Professor

We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance:

Accepted forthe Council:

Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School

It's All About The Motivation:

Factors That Influence Employee Motivation In Organizations

A Dissertation Presented for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

ii Dedication

This dissertation is dedicated to Joanna Larrick Boatman forher steadfastsupport during this degreeprocess and other lifechallenges. A superior educator, fantastic friend, extreme encourager and all aroundgreat grandmother, thank you Gra' for your love and drive that motivates me. This is foryou Wild Woman!

111 Acknowledgements

This dissertation would not be possible without the kindness and shared knowledge of

Michelle Violanti. She has been a tremendous attribute to my doctoral program in a variety of ways. The simple words thank you seem insufficientfor her many contributions to my doctoral degree. Mucho thanko Michelle forknowing when to push, when to release and when to coddle. I truly appreciate your time and your green pen!

I also express my appreciation to the outstanding individuals who agreedto serve on my committee. To Commander John Haas for encouraging this "buckaroo" to be at

UT to start with, always believing in me and perhaps most of all assuring a kid from

Kentucky she could handle all the orange. To Kenneth (KJL) Levine for your humor, fun facts and tolerance, I appreciate all your guidance and help growing as a scholarand as a person. To Joan Rentsch, a wonderfulexample of an educator and overall magnificent i