Date of Award

1988

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Management (Business Administration)

First Advisor

Arthur G. Bedeian

Abstract

This paper extends previous research by analyzing the effects of selected variables on employee turnover decisions. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to: (a) examine both the relation of ease of movement to turnover and intent to leave and the relation of job satisfaction to perceived career opportunities, as moderated by labor market classification; (b) test the relation of professionalism to organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and turnover; and (c) examine the relation of perceived career opportunities to turnover and intent to leave, as moderated by career commitment. Subjects were Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses and Nurses' Aids (n = 302) employed by two medium sized hospitals in a southern community. Questionnaires were used to measure independent variables, and six months after the initial questionnaire distribution, turnover data were collected from hospital records. Given the dichotomous nature of turnover as a dependent variable, analyses were conducted using both moderated and logistic regression techniques so as to compare results. The results suggest that professionalism should be considered as a construct separate from career commitment when predicting turnover. Labor market classification was found to significantly moderate the relationship between job satisfaction and perceived career opportunities, although it did not moderate the relationship between ease of movement and turnover. Career commitment was found to significantly moderate the relationship between perceived career opportunities and intent to leave, although it did not moderate the relationship between perceived career opportunities and turnovers. There is evidence that moderated regression may be a more stringent test than logistic regression when a dichotomous dependent variable is employed. Results are discussed in terms of their impact on managing turnover and on future investigations in this theoretical arena.

Pages

155

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_disstheses.4532

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