Impact of motivation and incentives on job performance and job satisfaction: An empirical study on dance teachers’ career development

In the evolving landscape of arts education, teachers encounter a distinctive combination of emotional labour, creative demands, and institutional uncertainty. This study examined the influence of motivation and incentive mechanisms on job performance and job satisfaction among arts educators in China, with dance teachers serving as the focal case group. Guided by Self-Determination Theory and Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, a conceptual framework was developed to integrate intrinsic psychological needs with extrinsic organisational rewards. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed using a structured questionnaire distributed to teachers in private arts institutions. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationships between intrinsic motivation, extrinsic incentives, job performance, and job satisfaction. The results highlight the significant roles of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors in shaping professional engagement and well-being. These findings provide practical insights for the development of sustainable human resource practices and motivation-sensitive policies in the growing arts education sector.