ANALYSIS OF THE INFLUENCE OF RELIGIOSITY, WORK MOTIVATION, AND PRODUCT UNDERSTANDING ON AGENT PREFERENCES IN MARKETING INSURANCE PRODUCTS AT PT. PRUDENTIAL CBD POLONIA, MEDAN

Abstract

This research investigates the effects of religiosity, work motivation, and product understanding on agents' preferences in marketing insurance products at PT. PRUDENTIAL CBD Polonia, Medan. A quantitative research design was adopted by applying a cross-sectional survey. The research involved a population of 228 insurance agents, from which 145 respondents were selected using the Slovin sampling technique. Data were obtained through structured questionnaires based on a Likert scale and supported by company documentation. The proposed relationships among variables were examined using the Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method with SmartPLS 4.1 software, covering the evaluation of both the measurement model and the structural model. The empirical findings reveal that religiosity, work motivation, and product understanding each exert a positive and statistically significant influence on agents' preferences in marketing insurance products. In addition, product understanding significantly enhances work motivation. The mediation analysis further demonstrates that work motivation significantly mediates the relationship between product understanding and agent preferences, whereas the indirect influence of religiosity through work motivation is not statistically significant. These findings enrich the existing body of knowledge on insurance marketing by emphasizing the importance of product understanding and work motivation as key determinants of agents' marketing preferences. From a practical perspective, the results indicate that insurance companies should strengthen product knowledge training and implement effective motivational strategies to improve agents' marketing performance and support better decision-making.