Training, Incentives, and Malaria Cadre Performance: Examining the Mediating Role of Work Motivation

Authors

  • Jack Henry Syauta Universitas Cendrawasih
  • Ricky Dwi Kurniawan Universitas Cendrawasih

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55583/invest.v7i1.2066

Keywords:

Malaria Cadres, Training, Incentives, Work Motivation, Performance

Abstract

Malaria remains a major public health challenge in Papua, where community-based control programs rely heavily on the effectiveness of malaria cadres. Although training and incentives are widely recognized as important human resource practices, previous findings regarding their influence on performance have been inconsistent, particularly in community health worker contexts. This study aims to examine the role of work motivation in explaining the relationship between training, incentives, and the performance of malaria cadres. A quantitative explanatory research design was employed using a census sampling approach involving malaria cadres participating in the PERDHAKI Malaria Program in Jayapura City. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). The findings indicate that training and incentives positively contribute to cadre performance and also enhance work motivation, which subsequently supports improved performance outcomes. However, the mediating role of work motivation appears to be relatively limited, suggesting that cadre performance is influenced more strongly by direct structural and operational interventions than by indirect motivational mechanisms alone. This study contributes to the human resource management literature by demonstrating that the role of motivation as a mediator is context-dependent in community-based health programs. Practically, the findings highlight the importance of integrating field-oriented training, fair incentive systems, supervision, and motivational support to strengthen malaria cadre performance sustainably.

References

Anton, M. (2024). The effect of training and incentive provision on health cadre performance through work motivation as an intervening variable. Indonesian Journal of Health Management, 12(1), 23–35. https://doi.org/10.14710/jmki.12.1.2024.23-35

Arfandi, M. A., & Candra, A. (2024). The effect of incentives and training on motivation and employee performance. International Journal of Human Resource Studies, 14(1), 45–58. https://doi.org/10.5296/ijhrs.v14i1.21234

Armstrong, M., & Taylor, S. (2020). Armstrong's handbook of human resource management practice (15th ed.). Kogan Page.

Blume, B. D., Ford, J. K., Baldwin, T. T., & Huang, J. L. (2010). Transfer of training: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Management, 36(4), 1065–1105. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206309352880

Blume, B. D., Ford, J. K., Surface, E. A., & Olenick, J. (2019). A dynamic model of training transfer. Human Resource Management Review, 29(2), 270–283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2017.11.004

Buback, L., Daniels, S., Lover, A., Ghinai, I., Kachur, S. P., & Gosling, R. D. (2025). Integrating community health workers to sustain malaria services in the Greater Mekong Subregion: Findings from implementer case studies. PLOS Global Public Health, 5(5), Article e0004528. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0004528

Chen, Y., Zhang, Z., Zhou, J., Liu, C., Zhang, X., & Yu, T. (2022). A cognitive evaluation and equity-based perspective of pay for performance on job performance: A meta-analysis and path model. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 1039375. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1039375

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Darmawan. (2022). Work motivation and employee performance in public organizations. Journal of Public Administration Studies, 7(1), 55–67. https://doi.org/10.31002/jpas.v7i1.4967

Dessler, G. (2020). Human resource management (16th ed.). Pearson.

Ghasemi, M., & Shakerian, S. (2025). Incentives on motivation and job performance: Insights from community health workers in Iran. BMC Health Services Research, 25, Article 1429. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-13543-6

Ghozali, I. (2012). Aplikasi analisis multivariate dengan program IBM SPSS. Badan Penerbit Universitas Diponegoro.

Glenton, C., Javadi, D., Perry, H. B., & Lewin, S. (2021). Community health workers at the dawn of a new era: Incentives and remuneration. Health Research Policy and Systems, 19(1), Article 112. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-021-00746-2

Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2021). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.

Kock, N. (2015). Common method bias in PLS-SEM: A full collinearity assessment approach. International Journal of e-Collaboration, 11(4), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJeC.2015100101

Kok, M. C., Dieleman, M., Taegtmeyer, M., Broerse, J. E. W., Kane, S., Ormel, H., Tijm, M. M., & de Koning, K. A. (2015). Which intervention design factors influence performance of community health workers? Health Policy and Planning, 30(9), 1207–1227. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czu126

Kok, M. C., Ormel, H., Broerse, J. E. W., Kane, S., Namakhoma, I., Otiso, L., Sidat, M., Kea, A. Z., Taegtmeyer, M., & de Koning, K. A. (2017). Optimising the benefits of community health workers’ unique position. Global Health Action, 10(1), Article 1387879. https://doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2017.1387879

Latan, H., & Ghozali, I. (2021). Partial least squares: Concepts, methods, and applications using SmartPLS 4. Diponegoro University Press.

Lestari, S., & Afifah, D. (2020). The effect of training on employee performance. Journal of Human Resource Management, 14(2), 112–120.

Likert, R. (1932). A technique for the measurement of attitudes. Archives of Psychology, 22(140), 1–55.

Mangkunegara, A. A. A. P. (2020). Human resource management in organizations. Remaja Rosdakarya.

Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2014). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.

Ndalama, F., Mulenga, D., Arnzen, A., Akalalambili, S., Tobolo, T., Maluma, C., Chishya, C., Saili, K., Ashton, R. A., Miller, J., Silumbe, K., Chanda, J., Hamainza, B., Littrell, M., & Orange, E. (2025). Comparative analysis of the use of community health workers while deploying the attractive targeted sugar bait (ATSB) for malaria control in Western Province, Zambia. Malaria Journal, 24(1), Article 260. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-025-05503-6

Noe, R. A. (2020). Employee training and development (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.

Okech, M., Gitau, T. M., Zoungrana, W., Yegon, E. K., Mwita, N., Kanyerere, S., Koimur, A., Arinda, A., Richard, K., & Chitwa, R. (2025). Effects of financial compensation structures on community health worker performance, motivation, and retention. Frontiers in Health Services, 5, Article 1687782. https://doi.org/10.3389/frhs.2025.1687782

Odaga, J., Sinclair, D., Lokong, J. A., Donegan, S., Hopkins, H., & Garner, P. (2021). Rapid diagnostic tests versus clinical diagnosis for managing people with fever in malaria endemic settings. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2021(4), CD008998. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD008998.pub3

Ormel, H., Kok, M. C., Kane, S., Ahmed, R., Chikaphupha, K., Rashid, S. F., Gemechu, D., Otiso, L., Sidat, M., Theobald, S., Taegtmeyer, M., & de Koning, K. A. (2019). Salaried and voluntary community health workers: Exploring how incentives and expectation gaps influence motivation. Human Resources for Health, 17(1), Article 59. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-019-0387-2

Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J. Y., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2003). Common method biases in behavioral research: A critical review. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(5), 879–903.

Preacher, K. J., & Hayes, A. F. (2008). Asymptotic and resampling strategies for assessing and comparing indirect effects. Behavior Research Methods, 40(3), 879–891.

Prameswari, H. D., Kisomb, J., Mapira, P., Keven, J. B., Susanto, H., Isa, R., Supriyanto, D., Garjito, T. A., Syafruddin, D., Ndoen, E., Iswahyudi, Firmansyah, Permana, F., Chin, N., Lobo, N. F., et al. (2025). Two nations, one front: Indonesia and Papua New Guinea forge a one-island approach to fight persistent malaria on New Guinea. Nature Communications, 16, Article 11474. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-66551-9

Pratama, Y. A. P. (2021). The effect of incentives on employee discipline and performance. Journal of Management and Business, 18(3), 201–214.

Prendergast, C. (1999). The provision of incentives in firms. Journal of Economic Literature, 37(1), 7–63. https://doi.org/10.1257/jel.37.1.7

Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2020). Organizational behavior (18th ed.). Pearson.

Rowe, A. K., Rowe, S. Y., Peters, D. H., Holloway, K. A., Chalker, J., & Ross-Degnan, D. (2018). Effectiveness of strategies to improve health-care provider practices. The Lancet Global Health, 6(11), e1163–e1175. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(18)30398-9

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 61, Article 101860. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101860

Salas, E., Tannenbaum, S. I., Kraiger, K., & Smith-Jentsch, K. A. (2015). The science of training and development. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 13(2), 74–101. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100612436661

Santri, S., Wahyuni, S., & Putra, R. (2023). Incentives and employee performance: Evidence from public sector. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 72(6), 1589–1606. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPPM-03-2022-0145

Sekaran, U., & Bougie, R. (2016). Research methods for business: A skill-building approach (7th ed.). John Wiley & Sons.

Sugiyono. (2019). Metode penelitian kuantitatif, kualitatif, dan R&D. Alfabeta.

Uslu, D., Marcus, J., & Kisbu-Sakarya, Y. (2021). Toward optimized effectiveness of employee training programs: A meta-analysis. Journal of Personnel Psychology, 21(2), 49–65. https://doi.org/10.1027/1866-5888/a000290

Wang, N., Luan, Y., & Ma, R. (2024). Detecting causal relationships between work motivation and job performance: A meta-analytic review of cross-lagged studies. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11, Article 38. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03038-w

Witter, S., Fretheim, A., Kessy, F. L., & Lindahl, A. K. (2012). Paying for performance to improve the delivery of health interventions. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2012(2), CD007899. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD007899.pub3

World Health Organization. (2021). What do we know about community health workers? WHO Press.

World Health Organization. (2022). World malaria report 2022. World Health Organization.

World Health Organization. (2024). Voices from the field: In Papua, health workers and communities mobilize against malaria. World Health Organization.

Zaresani, A., & Scott, A. (2021). Pay for performance in healthcare. BMC Health Services Research, 21, Article 175. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06118-8

Zulkarnaen, Z., & Mismarini, M. (2022). Factors influencing health cadre performance. Journal of Public Health Sciences, 13(1), 45–55. https://doi.org/10.26553/jikm.2022.13.1.45-55

Downloads

Published

2026-05-26

How to Cite

Syauta, J. H., & Kurniawan, R. D. (2026). Training, Incentives, and Malaria Cadre Performance: Examining the Mediating Role of Work Motivation. INVEST : Jurnal Inovasi Bisnis Dan Akuntansi, 7(1), 341-364. https://doi.org/10.55583/invest.v7i1.2066