JOB SATISFACTION AND THE PERCEIVED ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE OF U.S. MILITARY AND MILITARY AFFILIATED PERSONNEL

1. JOB SATISFACTION AND THE PERCEIVED ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE OF U.S. MILITARY AND MILITARY AFFILIATED PERSONNEL 

2. Outline Background of the study The problem Significance of the problem—relevant issues Purpose of the study Research Questions Theoretical Foundation Research Methods Findings Summary Conclusions Recommendations

3. Background of the Study Career decisions, demographics, problems, and issues--interaction with potential employers and co-workers Consistency of developed training and education programs The work environment--shaped by social and cultural changes Satisfaction in chosen occupations Organizational culture and eventual career transition

4. Statement of the Problem The problem of the study was to (a) investigate demographic characteristics including career preparation activities, the level of job satisfaction, the range of opposition between current and preferred organizational culture, and (b) to determine the nature and strength of the associated relationships.

5. Significance of the Problem—Relevant Issues  Inability to find employment after military service Presence of increased trauma systems negatively affecting the career development process Military conflicts-past and present

6. Significance…Relevant Issues Continued Lack of a professional career network or transition support system 260,000 homeless military veterans in the United States at some point during the course of a year (NCHV, 2009) The availability of resources Intense training regimes, prolonged war environments and an engrained military culture

7. Purpose of this Study The purpose of the study was to contribute to the knowledge regarding the nature and strength of relationships between demographic characteristics level of job satisfaction current organizational culture preferred organizational culture perceptions among military and military affiliated participants

8. Research Questions 1. Nature and strength of the relationship between job satisfaction responses and the participant demographics of gender, age, military status/affiliations, and exploration of career opportunities, current occupation, and preferred occupation 2. Nature and strength of the relationship between the participant’s level of job satisfaction and the current organizational culture in which they work

9. Research Questions Continued 3. Nature and strength of the relationship between the participant’s level of job satisfaction and their preferred organizational culture 4. Nature and strength of the relationship between job satisfaction and current organizational culture among active duty military compared to military affiliated

10. Research Questions Continued 5. Nature and strength of the relationship between job satisfaction and preferred organizational culture among active duty military compared to military affiliated 6. Nature and strength of the relationship between job satisfaction and the incongruence (strong opposition) of the current and preferred organizational culture

11. Theoretical Foundation Variables that can be used to investigate the relationships formed between an individual’s personal traits, relationships, gender roles, career choices Investigation of career compromises, thought processes, and specific personality factors Includes several career development theories

12. Career Development Theories Donald Super’s Theory of Vocational Choice (1953) Ann Roe’s Personality Theory (1956) John Holland’s Career Typology Theory of Career Development (1959)

13. Career Development Theories Continued Lent, Brown and Hackett’s Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT-1994) Alfred Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory (1994) Linda Gottfredson’s Theory of Circumscription and Compromise (1996)

14. Research Methods Design Participants Instrumentation Demographics Questionnaire Job Satisfaction Survey Organizational Culture Survey Data Collection Data Analysis Design---non-experimental descriptive research study---utilized a convenience sample---survey instrument technique Participants—off campus military degree program Data Collection—pilot study prior to study Data Analysis—SPSS—Cross tabulation nonparametric associations—Bivariate correlationsDesign---non-experimental descriptive research study---utilized a convenience sample---survey instrument technique Participants—off campus military degree program Data Collection—pilot study prior to study Data Analysis—SPSS—Cross tabulation nonparametric associations—Bivariate correlations

15. Data Analysis-Why use Pearson’s Chi square/Eta versus ANOVA? Eta is a measure of the strength of a relationship based on the sums of squares—such as computed in an analysis of variance Eta is a useful coefficient outside the context of ANOVA Eta equals the square root of the sum of squares for an interval variable “y” between “classes (columns)” divided by the total sum of squares

16. Pearson’s Chi square/Eta Continued Coefficient of nonlinear association....for linear relationships...equals the correlation coefficient (Pearson’s r)....for nonlinear relationships it is greater...so the difference between eta and r is a measure of the extent of the nonlinearity of the relationship Used for categorical and interval variables Not significant if X²> .05 and significant if X²< .05

17. Pearson’s Chi square/Eta Continued Eta cannot prove causal direction....only measures levels given the researcher’s assumptions....eta has no + or – sign and varies from 0 to 1.0 Can be performed using SPSS---descriptives—crosstabs---row/column---Statistics---Chi square, Eta Didn’t report Eta² in the study because Eta² interpreted as the percent of variance in the dependent variable explained by the independent variable---not necessary to answer the research questions---issue of confusion

18. Research Findings 1. A statistically significant relationship was found between promotion, and coworker satisfaction with participant gender, between benefit satisfaction and participant active duty status/ military affiliation, between promotion, pay, and coworker satisfaction and the participant’s current occupation at the .05 level, so there was statistical strength shown in these relationships

19. Research Findings 2. A statistically significant relationship was found between participant responses in job satisfaction and current organizational culture, support at the .05 alpha level, so there was statistical strength shown in this relationship 3. A statistically significant was found between the participant responses in job satisfaction and preferred organizational culture; therefore, support was found at the .01 and .05 alpha levels, so there was statistical strength shown in this relationship

20. Research Findings 4. A statistically significant relationship was found between participant responses in job satisfaction and current organizational culture between active duty military and military affiliated; therefore, support was found at the .05 alpha level, so there was statistical strength shown in this relationship 5. A statistically significant relationship was found between participant responses in job satisfaction and preferred organization culture between active duty military and military affiliated, support was found at the .05 alpha level, so there was statistical strength shown in this relationship

21. Research Findings Lastly…. 6. A statistically significant relationship was found between job satisfaction and the incongruence (strong opposition) of the current and preferred organizational culture was statistically significant, support was found at the .01 and.05 alpha levels, so there was statistical strength shown in these relationships

22. Conclusions to Research Questions 1-6 Significant relationships Descriptive Questionnaire Age Service Branch Gender Status Job Satisfaction Survey Pay Rewards Promotion Operating Procedures Supervision Nature of Work Benefits Communication Coworkers Organizational Culture Survey Clan Market Adhocracy Hierarchy

23. Overall the participants reported ambivalence with job satisfaction in their current occupations Most of the active duty military and military affiliated participants were found to be satisfied with their current occupations based on their gender, status, and current occupation There were also relationships between career experiences, reward systems, and the military and military affiliated occupations Perceptions of satisfaction within such an organization are based on and are a direct result of the many behavioral modification techniques used during the initial phases of basic training Although gender does have an effect on the perceptions of total job satisfaction it really doesn’t explain much in terms of their promotion and coworker satisfaction Perceptions of satisfaction within such an organization are based on and are a direct result of the many behavioral modification techniques used during the initial phases of basic training Although gender does have an effect on the perceptions of total job satisfaction it really doesn’t explain much in terms of their promotion and coworker satisfaction

24. Conclusion 1 Continued The status of the participants, whether military or military affiliated, had no effect on their perceptions of overall job satisfaction; however, it did have an effect on their perceptions about satisfaction with benefits within the organization Participants reported that they are more motivated or satisfied with relevant reward systems and use of their acquired skills Other relevant associations included the relationships found between gender and several of the job satisfaction subscales

25. Conclusion 2 Overall, most participants identified their current organizational culture as being associated with a hierarchy Most of the active duty military participants, in this study, perceived their current culture as having a hierarchical structure while their veteran cohorts perceived their current culture as having more of a clan association Veterans who are now out of the main organizational structure can identify the clan affiliations formed while on active service as being their primary culture. This seems consistent given the military veteran’s perception of distance from such a structured environment With the military being viewed as a rigidly organized rule and regulation oriented environment, the active duty participant’s perception of a hierarchical culture is based on current participation in that cultureVeterans who are now out of the main organizational structure can identify the clan affiliations formed while on active service as being their primary culture. This seems consistent given the military veteran’s perception of distance from such a structured environment With the military being viewed as a rigidly organized rule and regulation oriented environment, the active duty participant’s perception of a hierarchical culture is based on current participation in that culture

26. Conclusion 3 Most participants both active duty military and military affiliated participants perceived their preferred culture as being a clan culture with a preference for a familial structure Familiarity with stable structures and regulated work systems, cannot fully operate in environments that incorporate free thought and flexibility Desire for a flexible and open communication system such as in the clan culture is an essential element in the preferred culture It is the sheer experience of being a soldier that forms the cultural bonds and connections within the military units, not the age, gender or race of the individuals The participant’s desire for a preferred culture as a clan culture seems consistent given the connections or affiliations formed in the smaller units within the military organizationIt is the sheer experience of being a soldier that forms the cultural bonds and connections within the military units, not the age, gender or race of the individuals The participant’s desire for a preferred culture as a clan culture seems consistent given the connections or affiliations formed in the smaller units within the military organization

27. Recommendations for Future Research Increase the sample size. A larger sample size would yield further implications into the relationship between job satisfaction, and organizational culture—this could be accomplished through hand delivery of the survey to the selected locations with the researcher speaking to the perspective participants prior to administration of the survey Make the survey instrument shorter in length—so that the testing time is less than 10 minutes

28. Recommendations for Future Research Continued Use different instruments to assess job satisfaction, and organizational culture with additional instruments, found or developed, producing higher validity and/or reliability within this population Perform a qualitative study utilizing the same participants to gauge the relevance of perceptions of job satisfaction to their current and preferred organizational cultures Make the instrument user friendly with simple instructions and a generic scoring system

29. Why This Topic….The Process…What I would have Done Differently Relative lack of available empirical research sources on active duty military, veterans and their families Began my research by choosing/developing/altering survey instruments Choosing my participant group—take in to account resources, time constraints What I would have done differently and why My dissertation research began in 2004 ….couldn’t find much about job satisfaction and organizational culture My dissertation research began in 2004 ….couldn’t find much about job satisfaction and organizational culture

30. Recommendations for the Profession So…If I were to do this study again I would….. Have a face-to-face meeting with perspective course instructors outlining the purpose, procedures, and instructions of the proposed study Have a face-to-face meeting with perspective participants outlining the purpose, procedures and instructions of the proposed study Offer incentives to the perspective participants for their participation in the study such as entry into drawing for a prize, cash or gift card Create a video presentation to be sent to students prior to their receiving the survey instrument

31. Recommendations for the Profession Continued Develop undergraduate college students skills in understanding statistical research methods, instruments, language, and the importance of conducting research in an academic setting of research through college course development and curriculum initiatives—issue of statistical terms and the confusion with occupational or military language...example: rank the options—confusion with the term for structure within the military (rank of Enlisted grade 1)

32. Recommendations for the Profession Continued Increase statistical demonstration and practice with research language, instruments, and statistical tools—incorporate research development skills Introduce career workshops as education tools... to develop strategies for career success after military discharge and or college completion Create greater awareness of the required participation and support of college course coordinators to support academic research initiatives at all levels—have a faculty member intervene with coordinators/instructors on researcher’s behalf

33. Good Luck with Your Research Endeavors!