Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation

5-2011

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph. D.

Department (Legacy)

Department of Leadership, Foundations, and Human Resource Education

Committee Chair

Petrosko, Joseph M., 1947-

Author's Keywords

Intent to stay; Organizational justice; Organizational socialization; Fast food restaurants; Turnover; Tenure

Subject

Fast food restaurants--Employees--Job satisfaction; Fast food restaurants--Employees--Social conditions; Fast food restaurants--Employees--Economic conditions; Labor turnover

Abstract

This study (N = 935) examined the relationships of demographic characteristics, organizational justice (including the three areas: distributive, procedural, and interactional), and organizational socialization with the dependent variable of intent to stay. Intent to stay has been identified as a criterion variable that predicts actual turnover behavior. If a person responds positively that they intend to stay, they in fact do so. A paper survey, both in English and Spanish, was sent to 100 fast food restaurants for hourly employees to complete anonymously and individually. Multiple regression analysis and hierarchical regression analysis were conducted to determine the strength of the relationships, at the individual response level and the aggregated restaurant location level. This study was unique in that it surveyed hourly employees in the fast food industry whereas the majority of studies have focused on managerial employees. The multiple regression analysis showed that age, primary wage earner status, distributive justice, interactional justice, and organizational socialization were all significantly related to an employee's intent to stay at the individual level. At the aggregated location level, distributive justice and organizational socialization were significantly related. Hierarchical regression analysis, controlling for the demographic variables, showed that age, primary wage earner status, and distributive justice were significantly related at the individual level. At the aggregated restaurant level, distributive justice and organizational socialization were related. This study supports the literature (with managerial respondents) showing that relationships exist with organizational justice and organizational socialization and either intent to stay or intent to leave. This study further supports the practical relevance for HRD leaders in fast food companies to understand the relationships and leverage the information to create practices that will increase employees' intention to stay, which will then translate to longer tenure.

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