Research productivity is a key performance indicator for universities globally, leading to intense competition and pressure on faculty, particularly in the context of 'publish or perish' culture. This pressure is heightened for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in non-English-speaking countries like China, where English language proficiency and access to international publication venues are key barriers. While numerous individual and institutional factors influence research productivity, research motivation stands out as a critical component. This study focuses on the Chinese context, examining the impact of institutional support (specifically mentorship and working environment) on the research motivation of EFL teachers. China's higher education system is stratified, with 'Project 985' and 'Project 211' universities receiving significantly more resources than ordinary universities. This stratification is expected to influence the availability of mentorship and conducive working environments, hence influencing research motivation differently across university types. The study aims to understand this relationship and provide insights for policy and practice.

The literature extensively explores factors influencing teacher research productivity, including individual factors (competency, self-efficacy, motivation, socialization, demographics, experience) and institutional factors (working environment, time allocation, administrative duties, support, funding, culture, mentoring, skills training, collaboration). While many studies focus on general research behavior or specific contexts, few specialize in EFL teachers' research motivation in China. The existing literature highlights the importance of both intrinsic (internal satisfaction) and extrinsic (external rewards) motivation, but the relative importance of each varies across contexts. This study draws upon previous research to examine both intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors within the context of Chinese EFL teacher research, acknowledging the scarcity of research specifically focusing on research motivation in this context and the need for a mixed-methods approach to gain a comprehensive understanding.

This study employed an explanatory mixed-methods design, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. The quantitative phase utilized online questionnaires (Questionnaire on Teacher Research Motivation (QTRM) and Questionnaire on Institutional Support for Teacher Research (QISTR)) administered to 536 EFL teachers from various Chinese universities. QTRM measured intrinsic and extrinsic research motivation, while QISTR assessed mentorship support and working environment. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were used to analyze the quantitative data. The qualitative phase involved semi-structured interviews with 12 teachers and diaries from 2 teachers, providing in-depth insights into their experiences. Thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data. Snowball sampling was used for participant recruitment in the quantitative phase, while the first 12 teachers who consented to interviews were included in that phase, and two voluntarily participated in diary writing. Participants represented diverse demographic characteristics, including university type, gender, age, rank, and department type. A significant portion of participants came from ordinary universities.

SEM analysis revealed that working environment significantly influenced teachers' research motivation (β=0.344, p<0.05), explaining 18.1% of the variance in research motivation. Mentorship, however, showed no significant impact. Qualitative findings revealed contrasting experiences based on university type. Teachers from 'Project 985' and 'Project 211' universities reported supportive working environments with access to resources like online databases, research team support, and opportunities to attend workshops. In contrast, teachers from ordinary universities reported insufficient mentorship, poor working conditions, inadequate time support, and limited opportunities to attend conferences. Specific challenges faced by teachers at ordinary universities included a lack of mentorship and guidance, leading to feelings of isolation and struggle; insufficient office space or lack thereof, impacting work efficiency; limited access to online databases, hindering literature reviews; heavy teaching loads and administrative duties, leaving little time for research; and limited funding for attending academic conferences, reducing opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange.

The findings highlight the significant role of working environment in shaping EFL teachers' research motivation. The discrepancy between the quantitative and qualitative results regarding mentorship might be due to the limitations of self-reported data and the complexity of mentorship dynamics. The study corroborates previous research emphasizing the importance of supportive working environments for research productivity. The significant differences observed between elite and ordinary universities underscore the impact of unequal resource distribution within the Chinese higher education system. The lack of sufficient support at ordinary universities negatively influences research motivation, potentially explaining the lower research productivity of EFL teachers in these institutions. The lack of adequate mentorship, time, funding, and resources create a challenging environment, potentially hindering teachers' research endeavors and creating a self-perpetuating cycle of low research activity.

This study demonstrates the crucial influence of working environment on EFL teachers' research motivation in Chinese universities, particularly the disparity between elite and ordinary institutions. While mentorship did not show a significant impact in the quantitative analysis, the qualitative data underscores its critical role, especially in ordinary universities. The findings advocate for the development of practical mentorship programs, improved working conditions, and more equitable resource allocation to enhance research motivation and productivity among EFL teachers. Future research could explore the effectiveness of specific intervention strategies and delve deeper into the nuances of mentorship within the Chinese context.

The study's reliance on snowball sampling in the quantitative phase may limit the generalizability of findings to the broader population of Chinese EFL teachers. The cross-sectional nature of the data collection (one semester) prevents capturing the dynamic changes in teachers' research motivation over time. Future research should employ more rigorous sampling methods and longitudinal designs to address these limitations.