Term Paper Outline
Chosen Topic:
Motivation and Organizational Culture
My paper will explore how employee motivation and organizational culture intersect and shape recruitment and engagement practices in a growing medical device company.
Organization Description:
l Name: China Shandong Nuotai Health Technology Co., Ltd. (Hangzhou Branch)
l Industry/Type: Medical device industry, focused on e-commerce-based product sales
l Size and Location: Small to mid-sized company headquartered in China Shandong, with a regional branch in China Hangzhou
l Personal Connection: I interned in the Human Resources Department of the Hangzhou Branch for six months in 2022.My responsibilities included resume screening, initial phone interviews, interview scheduling, and evaluating candidate competencies in collaboration with department managers. Over time, I progressed from assisting interviews to independently handling first-round interviews and making hiring recommendations.
Essay Question or Focus Statement:
How effectively does Shandong Nuotai’s Hangzhou branch foster employee motivation and reinforce organizational culture through its recruitment and selection practices?
This paper critically examines whether the company’s HR strategies align with motivational theories and cultural frameworks discussed in the course.
Key Theories/Concepts:
1. Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory – to evaluate how hygiene factors (e.g., job security, working conditions) and motivators (e.g., growth, recognition) are present in the recruitment and onboarding processes
2. Organizational Culture Types – especially Adhocracy and Market cultures, to explore how the company encourages innovation and results-oriented problem solving
3. Job Characteristics Model (JCM) – to assess how the design and communication of roles affect candidate motivation and job satisfaction
Preliminary Thoughts:
During my internship, I found that Nuotai Health Technology Co., Ltd. places strong emphasis on selecting candidates who align with its dynamic and performance-driven culture, especially through structured interviews and active engagement from both HR and line managers. Moreover, the company exhibits a hybrid culture that blends Adhocracy (focused on innovation, initiative, and adaptability) with Market Culture (emphasizing goals, competition, and results). A central value in the company’s culture is encouraging employees to voice dissatisfaction or problems—but only if they can also propose constructive solutions. This problem-solving mindset fosters ownership and accountability, although it may place pressure on less-experienced employees. In terms of motivation, the organization appears to favor external rewards such as compensation and performance-based advancement, while intrinsic motivators like autonomy or long-term personal development receive less structured attention. Although many of the course theories help explain the organization's strategies, they may not fully capture the informal, fast-paced decision-making processes typical of smaller and entrepreneurial firms.