Factors affecting the working motivation of the teaching staff of the University of Fire Prevention and Fighting

This study investigates key determinants of lecturers’ work motivation in the unique administrative and disciplinary context of the University of Fire Prevention and Fighting. A sample of 439 faculty members across three campuses was analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to examine the effects of six factors: Nature of Work, Compensation & Recognition, Perceived Competence, Organizational Engagement, Performance–Reward Expectancy, and Career Autonomy. Results confirm that all variables positively influence motivation (R² = 0.712), with Performance–Reward Expectancy (β = 0.417) being the strongest predictor, followed by Career Autonomy (β = 0.318) and Perceived Competence (β = 0.314). Interestingly, Organizational Engagement shows only moderate influence (β = 0.260), suggesting that in hierarchically structured institutions, motivation stems more from internalized career expectations and symbolic recognition than from social affiliation. The model demonstrates excellent fit (CFI = 0.978; RMSEA = 0.023), validating both its measurement reliability and theoretical soundness. Keywords: factors, work motivation, lecturers, semi-militarized context.