Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation

12-2016

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph. D.

Department

Educational Leadership, Evaluation and Organizational Development

Degree Program

Educational Leadership and Organizational Development, PhD

Committee Chair

Shuck, Brad

Committee Co-Chair (if applicable)

Alagaraja, Meera

Committee Member

Alagaraja, Meera

Committee Member

Immekus, Jason

Committee Member

Leach, Mark

Committee Member

Vidoni, Carla

Author's Keywords

workplace spirituality; ethical leadership; work intentions

Abstract

This dissertation examined the extent to which workplace spirituality was associated with work intentions, and whether ethical leadership served as a mediator of the relationship between workplace spirituality and work intentions. The study begins with an overview of the significant workplace spirituality literature, and a brief overview of work intentions and ethical leadership. A convenience sample of 405 U.S. based adults, employed full-time were surveyed. Using correlation and path analysis, results from the study showed a positive strong association between workplace spirituality and employee work intentions, and mediation via ethical leadership. The findings of the study provided support for both hypotheses. Workplace spirituality received considerable attention in scholarship and practice over the past two decades (Duchon & Plowman, 2005; Giacalone & Jurkiewicz, 2010). As an emerging concept in contemporary literature (Ashmos & Duchon, 2000; Giacalone & Jurkiewicz, 2003; Stevens, 2008), workplace spirituality is broadly defined as an organization’s recognition that employees have an inner life that nourishes and is nourished by meaningful work, and that takes place in the context of a community (Ashmos & Duchon, 2000). Previous research reported that workplace spirituality was associated with positive benefits for both employees and organizations. This study extended the understanding of the contributions of workplace spirituality, a growing field of study, in the development of positive organizational cultures. Additionally, this study added to the existing body of research in which workplace spirituality is positioned as a construct that might positively affect employee work intentions, and consequently success of the organization and employee well-being.

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