International Conference on Secure Systems Design and Technology Development (SysTechDev 2026)

Comparative Analysis of Motivational Factors for Service in the Bulgarian Armed Forces (2017–2025)

Not scheduled

20m

''Vasil Levski'' National Military University

Paper – Oral Presentation Defense and Security Technology

Speaker

Dr Teodora Grozdanova (Assistant Professor, Research Section "Strategic Security and Defence Studies", Defence Advanced Research Institute, Rakovski National Defence College)

Description

This study focuses on the dynamics of motivational factors for service in the Bulgarian Armed Forces. It aims to guide management policies toward enhancing motivation and retention of personnel within the context of a constantly changing security environment.
The analysis is based on a cross-sectional study of two independent representative samples of military personnel. Each of them comprises of approximately 1,500 respondents. Primary data were collected through a direct anonymous survey conducted within two representative empirical sociological studies of the Bulgarian Armed Forces. The latter were carried out in 2017 and 2025, respectively. The period between the two surveys provides a relatively broad time horizon for conducting a comparative analysis of mean values and the rank structure of motivational factors.
The results indicate an increased significance of factors related to social security, remuneration, and the balance between professional and personal life. At the same time, there is a gradual decline in the influence of traditionally dominant internal motivators for service. The observed dynamics reflect the impact of the changing institutional and socio-economic environment on the motivational priorities of the military personnel.
The study provides up-to-date empirical data on the transformation of military personnel’s motivational attitudes, in which the amount of remuneration, job security and the balance between professional and personal life are of leading importance.
Recommendations from the analysis include the introduction of personalized incentives, improvement of social benefits, and systematic monitoring of motivational trends to update motivation strategies and human resource management policies. Aligning management practices with the factor structure of military personnel’s motivational attitudes contributes to personnel retention, enhances individual and organizational effectiveness, and strengthens operational readiness within the national security and defense system.