A test of two conceptual models of job turnover

Abstract

With few exceptions, previous job turnover research has has failed to examine in detail the interrelationships among turnover and the individual attitudes and perceptions which are generally predictive of this behavior. The purpose of the present investigation was to address this deficiency in the literature. Two conceptual models of job turnover based on antecedent general attitudes, behavioral intention, and job related perceptions were formulated. The first model represented the "traditional" conceptualization of the turnover process which viewed behavioral intentions as the only direct antecedent to turnover, and subsequently, as the sole mediator of the relationships between turnover and all other attitudes and perceptions. The second model, which was based on recent research and theory, proposed that, in addition to behavioral intentions, two other work relevant perceptions were related directly to turnover, and also served as intervening variables for certain attitude-turnover relationships. These two proposed intervening variables were the individual's perception of the feelings of significant others regarding his/her turnover decision, and perceived job alternatives. Regression procedures were used to test the two models on a sample of 277 first-term Navy enlisted personnel. The results generally supported the traditional model of turnover. The only finding that supported the alternative model was that of a significant direct relationship between perceived feelings of significant others and turnover. This variable, however, did not mediate the relationship between turnover and the other variables in that model. Supplemental exploratory analyses revealed that tenure and external economic conditions moderated some of the relationships found in the test of the models, however, the magnitude of the interaction effects was extremely small. The results generally supported the central role of behavioral intention in accounting for the majority of the variance in turnover and mediating the relationships between turnover and attitudes and perceptions. Furthermore, these relationships were found to be stable across a lengthy period of time. The results obtained for the perceived feelings of significant others variable suggests that factors external to one's immediate work environment influence turnover decisions directly, and thus warrant increased attention in future research.