The Influence of Intrinsic Factors on the Research Performance of Vocational Lecturers with the Mediating Role of Organizational Support in the Former Pekalongan Residency Area

Abstract

This study aims to examine the relationship between intrinsic factors, organizational support, and lecturers’ research performance in vocational higher education. A quantitative approach was employed using Structural Equation Modeling based on Partial Least Squares. The respondents consisted of vocational higher education lecturers involved in research activities. The research instrument was evaluated through measurement model testing to ensure validity and reliability, followed by structural model analysis to identify relationships among variables. The results indicate that intrinsic factors have a positive effect on lecturers’ research performance, primarily reflected in academic responsibility for completing research agendas as the indicator with the highest mean value. Organizational support also contributes to improving research performance, particularly through research training and feedback that are associated with the achievement of research grants as the most prominent performance indicator. Furthermore, organizational support functions as a mediating variable that strengthens the relationship between intrinsic factors and lecturers’ research performance. These findings confirm that the interaction between lecturers’ internal motivation and institutional support plays a crucial role in sustaining research performance within vocational higher education. The study provides theoretical implications by reinforcing the integration of intrinsic motivation and organizational support in explaining lecturers’ research performance, as well as practical implications for vocational higher education institutions to prioritize research capacity development through continuous training, academic feedback, and expanded access to research funding.