JOB STRESS, INCENTIVES, AND PERFORMANCE: A STUDY OF UNIVERSITY LECTURERS IN A RESOURCE-CONSTRAINED REGION OF CHINA

Abstract

This study applies Yerkes-Dodson and performance management theories to analyze the effects of job stress and incentive systems on lecturer performance at Longdong University, Gansu, China. The data were collected from 508 lecturers by using structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were employed to analyze the data. The findings reveal that organizational and personal job stress significantly impact performance, with personal stress contributing to a 15.3% variance in job performance. Incentive systems, including promotions, rewards, and assessments, positively influence performance, with promotion incentives accounting for a 22.8% improvement. These results underscore the need for tailored stress management and incentive optimization strategies to enhance lecturer performance and support institutional development in resource-constrained higher education contexts.