The crucial first year: Students’ motivation at a Swiss Business School--a longitudinal study

Despite students’ motivation being considered a strong predictor of performance, the development of motivation of business school students has rarely been investigated. Additionally, little is known about the relation of motivational aspects with other influences on study performance. This is surprising, as the transition from school to university is a crucial phase in the academic career and can be overwhelming for some students. The present study addresses this research gap and examines the development of economics and management students’ study motivation. The longitudinal study included four waves of data collected throughout the first year using quantitative surveys. Regarding students’ development over time, the analysis showed a gradual decline in students’ motivation. Above all, the transition from secondary to higher education seems to be a driver for this decline