Robert J. Vandenberg

Examining the Causal Order of Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment

Four hypotheses have been advanced regarding the causal relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment: (a) satisfaction causes commitment, (b) commitment causes satisfaction, (c) satisfaction and commitment are reciprocally related, and (d) no causal relationship exists between the two constructs. These four hypotheses were represented by separate structural equation models in a longitudinal research design. Using a sample of management information systems professionals, the models were tested using a combination of pseudo-generalized least squares, and full information maximumlikelihood estimation procedures. The latter procedures controlled for the unmeasured causal variables problem characterizing past studies. Results supported the commitment-causes-satisfaction model.

Disaggregating the Motives Underlying Tiarnover Intentions: When Do Intentions Predict Thrnover Behavior?

Although intention to quit an organization represents one of the better predictors of actual turnover behavior, the intention-behavior relationship varies widely across studies. This study argues that one reason for the variability is that individuals possess different motives for stating a high intention of leaving, and it is the motive that accounts in part for when the intention will manifest itself in actual turnover. Using a longitudinal design, expectations were supported in that only those intentions motivated by disaffection with the organization and its values resulted in the loss of employees.

The Satisfaction With My Supervisor Scale: Its Utility for Research and Practical Applications

This paper describes initial development and testing of an empirically derived scale that measures satisfaction with immediate supervision. The Satisfaction With My Supervisor Scale (SWMSS) was developed over a 3-year period. Developmental samples consisted of 2,101 employees at seven manufacturing plants located across the United States. The scale was subsequently applied to a sample of 1,104 employees of a major insurance company in New England. The SWMSS exhibits convergent, discriminant, predictive, and content validities. Moreover, it shows promise for generalizability across employee groups and employment situations.

Multitrait-Multimethod Validation of the Satisfaction with My Supervisor Scale

Using hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis to analyze multi-trait-multimethod data, the validity of the Satisfaction With My Supervisor Scale (SWMSS) was evaluated by comparing the SWMSS to commitments to the organization, department, and occupation. The SWMSS exhibited a strong convergent validity coefficient, and this coefficient was significantly greater than the discriminant validity coefficients representing its relations to the three forms of commitment.

Differences in Employee Attitudes and Behaviors Based on Rotter's (1966) Internal-External Locus of Control: Are They All Valid?

Rotters (1966) Internal-External Locus of Control (LOC) has been widely used to explain differences in many employee attitudes and behaviors. A review of organization studies employing Rotters LOC scale reveals, however, that researchers used different strategies for classifying employees as “internals” and “externals,” and different statistical techniques and research designs to test hypothesized internal-external (I-E) differences. The present study examined the influence these variations in research method and design have on expected (I-E) differences in a blue-collar and a professional sample. Results showed that findings regarding expected 1-E differences varied by research method and design and were more likely to be supported: (1) when they were tested with I-E subgroups formed with only employees scoring at the extremes on Rotters LOC scale, (2) when they were examined in a cross-sectional rather than a longitudinal research design, (3) when they were based on self-report rather than behavioral outcomes, and (4) when they were examined within the professional rather than the blue-collar sample. The present studys results suggest, therefore, that reported I-E differences on some employee attitudes and behaviors may not be as valid as suggested by past studies. Moreover, the results suggest a need for a meta-analysis of the organizationally-relevant LOC literature to determine which differences in employee attitudes and behaviors are due to true differences on the LOC construct and which are due to statistical artifacts. Further implications of the present studys results and recommendations for future LOC research are discussed.

Placing recruiting effectiveness in perspective: A cognitive explication of the job-choice and organizational-entry period

Abstract Although a basic understanding of recruiting methods and processes is available, two decades of research have also identified critical gaps in this understanding. Closing these gaps is important to meeting the challenges facing human resource management practices and research by the rapidly changing composition of our contemporary and future work forces. The present article argues that for recruiting the gaps are due in part to an over reliance upon stimulus-response reasoning for developing our frameworks of recruitment methods. It is further argued that our contemporary thoughts need to be supplemented by considering the cognitive elements in the frameworks. The present article presents a model of the recruiting process with emphasis placed upon the decision making process undertaken during job-choice deliberations. The implications of the models components for practice and research are considered.