Research Questions 1

Research Questions and Analytical Methods in

Business/Organizational Research

by

Edgardo Donovan

RES 601 – Dr. Roger Rensvold

Module 3 – Case Analysis

Monday, August 18, 2008

Research Questions 2

Research Questions and Analytical Methods in Business/Organizational Research

ith few exceptions, most companies have a vested interest in being

able to retain quality employees from today’s highly specialized and

mobile workforce. Recruiting and training new employees is very

expensive and it takes a long time to for a new employee to acquire

the organizational experience to equal the level of a veteran employee There is a desire

among companies to better understand the dynamics of job satisfaction not only because

that leads to less turnover but also because it contributes to the enhancement of

employees' commitment to their organizations (Chen). Organizational commitment

impacts employee retention. This is a study that can be readily absorbed by most

organizations given its direct impact on the bottom line. Each organization attracts

different types of people and offers different work environments with many factors that

may on average increase or decrease organizational commitment. What follows is a mini-

meta-analysis regarding several research sources regarding organizational commitment:

Good data analysis does not assume data types A number of authors have noted that in data analysis, “Things are seldom what they seem.” For example, Joiner (1981) noted examples in which data that appear to have one type in fact hideother information (“lurking variables” in his terminology).

LELAND WILKINSONThe American Statistician, 1993

Research Questions 3

Article Research Questions Data Analytical TechniquesBashir, Sajid. (2005). Determinants of organizational commitment. A Study of Information Technology Professionals in Pakistan.

This study examines the relationship between career opportunities, work life policies, job characteristics and organizational commitment of information technology (IT) professionals in Pakistan. The results show that career opportunities and work life policies in IT professionals are significantly correlated with organizational commitment, while job characteristics do not determine their organizational commitment. Organizations will have to devise more family friendly policies and provide opportunities for career development to ITprofessionals to induce organizational commitment. Strategies addressing these issues are also discussed.

Longitudinal survey of high technology employees in South Africa --self-reports of levels of affective commitment, continuance commitment, normativecommitment and their relationship with work life policies, job characteristics, and career opportunities

Relative strength of relationships between organizational commitment and itsdeterminants was examined through regression analysis. The correlation matrix indicated that career opportunities are positively and significantly correlated with organizational commitment of IT professionals.

Nie, Norman (2004). A preliminary report. Stanford Institute for the Quantitative Study of Internet and Society.

Study regarding Internet usage with extensive analysis of a large amount of survey data collected to better assess the growing social, societal, economic, and educational applications of the Internet.

Longitudinal survey of households , self-reports of social involvement, and automatic recording of Internet use

This research possibly used regression analysis to determine negative or positive correlations or perhaps just asked specific questions in its survey. It cannot be determined due to research model design information to that degree was not divulged. The data pool was restricted to users of set top boxes bundled with InterSurvey questionnaire software thereby only reflecting the answers of a niche audience.

Chen, Yi-Jen. (2007). Relationships among service orientation, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment in the international tourist hotel industry. Journal

Research in service orientation, job satisfaction, and organization commitment suggest that service orientation is indispensable for the successful management of the service industry. Furthermore, job satisfaction among employees contributes to the enhancement of employees' commitment to their organizations. This study used a questionnaire survey to investigate the relationships among service orientation, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment

Longitudinal survey of Taiwanese hotel employees ranging from managers with international experience in 5 or more hotels to new employees with at least a

Regression analysis indicated that job satisfaction and service orientation were positively correlated to organizational commitment. This research conducted convergent validity analysis to ensure that the variances between the

Research Questions 4

of American Academy of Business.

of employees who have worked at least one year in international tourist hotels.

year of experience. The survey attempted to measure service orientation, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment.

survey variables were optimal according to the size of the survey sample.

Dale, Kathleen. (2008). Leadership style and organizational commitment: mediating effect of role stress. Journal of Managerial Issues.

Commitment to an organization involves three attitudes: a sense of identification with the organization's goals, a feeling of involvement in organizational duties, and a feeling of loyalty to the organization.

Longitudinal survey of all full-time employees of a large manufacturing corporation located in the Midwest. The study attempted to measure varying indicators of organizational commitment.

In order to ensure an appropriate level of statistical power for the study the required sample was determined using Cohen’s power analysis procedure. Years of education, years in current position, gender, age, and years within the organization acted as control variables to the overall trend that leader consideration and leader imitated structure related positively to organizational commitment.

De Clercq, Dirk. (2007). Organizational commitment in Mexican small and medium-sized firms: the role of work status, organizational climate, and entrepreneurial orientation. Journal of Small Business Management.

In this study, we examine the role of individuals' commitment in small and medium-sized firms. More specifically, it isargued that employees will commit themselves to their firm based on their current work status in the firm, their perception of the organizational climate, and the firm's entrepreneurial orientation.

Longitudinal survey of all full-time employees of a group of small to medium size Mexican firms. The study attempted to measure varying indicators of organizational commitment.

Regression analysis showed positive correlations between organizational commitment and effortand that organizational commitment was higher among females and older employees.

Annenberg School. (2006). A longitudinal international study of the individual and social effects of PC/Internet technology. The

Study regarding Internet usage with extensive analysis of a large amount of survey data collected to better assess the growing social, societal, economic, and educational applications of the Internet.

Longitudinal survey of households, self-reports of social involvement, and automatic recording of Internet use

This research possibly used regression analysis to determine negative or positive correlations or perhaps just asked specific questions in its survey. It cannot be determined due to research model design

Research Questions 5

University of Southern California.

information to that degree was not divulged.

Huang, Tung-Chun. (2007). The causal relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Academy of Management Journal.

This paper provides a thorough assessment of the causal relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment and in relation to the controlling the influence of personal traits and organizational attributes.

Longitudinal questionnairesubmitted to a sample of 3037 employees drawn from a pool of 9000 Taiwanese employees in the manufacturing, electric, construction, commerce, transportation, and financial service sectors.

Correlation analysis showed that job satisfaction had a positive impact (Beta = .208, t-value = 3.2) on organizational commitment and vice versa (Beta = .368, t-value – 5.093).

The 2005 research titled “Determinants of Organizational Commitment”

published by Saiid Bashir in “A Study of Information Technology Professionals in Pakistan”

examines the relationship between career opportunities, work life policies, job

characteristics and organizational commitment of information technology (IT)

professionals in Pakistan. Relative strength of relationships between organizational

commitment and its determinants was examined through regression analysis. The

correlation matrix indicated that career opportunities are positively and significantly

correlated with organizational commitment of IT professionals. The results show that

career opportunities and work life policies in IT professionals are significantly correlated

with organizational commitment, while job characteristics do not determine their

organizational commitment. Organizations will have to devise more family friendly policies

and provide opportunities for career development to IT professionals to induce

organizational commitment. Strategies addressing these issues are also discussed. This

Research Questions 6

work does not distinguish between three types of commitment. It focuses on continuance

commitment. It examines different factors that contribute to organizational pseudo-

affective commitment. It will be very difficult for this research to prove any standard level

of affective commitment due to the fact that the IT sector historically has been characterized

by dynamic hiring and firing policies that do not bode well in creating an environment

where affective motivation can flourish. . This trend is exacerbated during boom cycles

when there is a shortage of qualified experienced professionals to fulfill demand driving

more towards a continuative based retention model.

The 2004 research titled “ A Preliminary Report” published by Norman Nie in the

”Stanford Institute for the Quantitative Study of Internet and Society” consisted in an

extensive analysis of a large amount of survey data collected to better assess the growing

social, societal, economic, and educational applications of the Internet. Longitudinal survey

of households, self-reports of social involvement, and automatic recording of Internet use.

This research possibly used regression analysis to determine negative or positive

correlations or perhaps just asked specific questions in its survey. It cannot be determined

due to research model design information to that degree was not divulged. The data pool

was restricted to users of set top boxes bundled with InterSurvey questionnaire software

thereby only reflecting the answers of a niche audience.

The 2007 research titled “Relationships Among Service Orientation, Job

Satisfaction, and Organizational Commitment in the International Tourist Hotel Industry”

published by Yi-Jen Chen in the “Journal of American Academy of Business” used a

questionnaire survey to investigate the relationships among service orientation, job

Research Questions 7

satisfaction, and organizational commitment of employees who had worked at least one

year in international tourist hotels. Regression analysis indicated that job satisfaction and

service orientation were positively correlated to organizational commitment. This research

conducted convergent validity analysis to ensure that the variances between the survey

variables were optimal according to the size of the survey sample. Research in service

orientation, job satisfaction, and organization commitment suggest that service orientation

is indispensable for the successful management of the service industry. This research is

limited to a select group of hotels and deals with an industry historically less affected by

massive boom and bust cycles such as the IT sector.

The 2008 research titled “Leadership Style and Organizational Commitment:

Mediating Effect of Role Stress” published by Kathleen Dale in the “Journal of Managerial

Issues” states that commitment to an organization involves three attitudes: a sense of

identification with the organization's goals, a feeling of involvement in organizational

duties, and a feeling of loyalty to the organization. In order to ensure an appropriate level of

statistical power for the study the required sample was determined using Cohen’s power

analysis procedure. Years of education, years in current position, gender, age, and years

within the organization acted as control variables to the overall trend that leader

consideration and leader imitated structure related positively to organizational

commitment. This research goes into greater detail in breaking down organizational

commitment in three distinct groups: normative, affective, and continuance. It examines the

role stress has on all three. The survey is limited to a manufacturing environment. This

research relates to Caykoylu’s work where an attempt at deriving a universal organizational

commitment dynamics model is made.

Research Questions 8

The 2007 research titled “Organizational Commitment in Mexican Small and

Medium-Sized Firms: the Role of Work Status, Organizational Climate, and Entrepreneurial

Orientation” published by Dirk De Clerq in the “Journal of Small Business Management”

examines the role of individual commitment in small and medium-sized firms. Regression

analysis showed positive correlations between organizational commitment and effort and

that organizational commitment was higher among females and older employees. More

specifically, it argues that employees will commit themselves to their firm based on their

current work status in the firm, their perception of the organizational climate, and the firm's

entrepreneurial orientation. Issues of employee work status, organizational climate

perception, and entrepreneurial orientation are measured and weighed against each other.

This research is unique in that it deals with dynamics well know to boot-strap

entrepreneurs as well as growing small companies where organizational commitment is

strongly influenced by intangibles such as a feeling of unlimited potential, risk, status, and

excitement about future prospects. Although, this ethos is sometimes cultivated

aggressively in fast growing large companies such as Microsoft and Apple Computer did in

their early years, it is a phenomenon which is difficult to effectively manage in larger

organizations where employees value predictability, stability, and long-term professional

growth.

The 2006 research titled “A Longitudinal International Study of the Individual and

Social Effects of PC/Internet Technology” published by the Annenberg School at the

University of Southern California examines Internet usage with extensive analysis of a large

amount of survey data collected to better assess the growing social, societal, economic, and

educational applications of the Internet. It consists largely of a longitudinal survey of

Research Questions 9

households, self-reports of social involvement, automatic recording of Internet use. This

research possibly used regression analysis to determine negative or positive correlations or

perhaps just asked specific questions in its survey. It cannot be determined due to research

model design information to that degree was not divulged.

The 2006 research titled “The Causal Relationship between Job Satisfaction

and Organizational Commitment” published by Tung-Chun Huang in the “Academy of

Management Journal” provides a thorough assessment of the causal relationship between

job satisfaction and organizational commitment by controlling the influence of personal

traits and organizational attributes. Job satisfaction and organizational commitment have

been the subjects of a large amount of empirical research, but the nature of their causal

relationship is still disputed. One hypothesis is that organizational commitment is required

for job satisfaction and vice-versa. Correlation analysis showed that job satisfaction had a

positive impact (Beta = .208, t-value = 3.2) on organizational commitment and vice versa

(Beta = .368, t-value – 5.093). The unique illustrated hypothetical causal model seems

logical and abstract enough to be applicable among a wide array of organizations. This work

relates to Dale’s thesis that predicates the strong unique role that local leadership in

affecting the balance of different types of organizational commitment. This research seems

useful in that it broadens the argument that others, such as Caykoylu, have attempted to

synthesize and render universal.

With few exceptions, most companies have a vested interest in being able

to retain quality employees from today’s highly specialized and mobile workforce.

Recruiting and training new employees is very expensive and it takes a long time to

Research Questions 10

for a new employee to acquire the organizational experience to equal the level of a

veteran employee There is a desire among companies to better understand the

dynamics of job satisfaction not only because that leads to less turnover but also

because it contributes to the enhancement of employees' commitment to their

organizations (Chen). Organizational commitment impacts employee retention.

This is a study that can be readily absorbed by most organizations given its direct

impact on the bottom line. Each organization attracts different types of people and

offers different work environments with many factors that may on average increase

or decrease organizational commitment.

Research Questions 11

Bibliography

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Annenberg School. (2006). A longitudinal international study of the individual and social

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Bashir, Sajid. (2005). Determinants of organizational commitment. A Study of Information

Technology Professionals in Pakistan.

Caykoylu, Sinan. (2007). Organizational commitment across different employee groups. The

Business Review.

Chen, Yi-Jen. (2007). Relationships among service orientation, job satisfaction, and

organizational commitment in the international tourist hotel industry. Journal of American

Academy of Business.

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Dale, Kathleen. (2008). Leadership style and organizational commitment: mediating effect

of role stress. Journal of Managerial Issues.

Research Questions 12

De Clercq, Dirk. (2007). Organizational commitment in Mexican small and medium-sized

firms: the role of work status, organizational climate, and entrepreneurial orientation.

Journal of Small Business Management.

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Research Questions 13

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