An Interactionalist Analysis of Soldier Retention across Career Stages and Time
Abstract
Ever since the Army became an All-Volunteer force, it has become critical to understand the factors influencing Soldiers' retention decisions. While the Army can implement short-term solutions to problems resulting from turnover (e.g., increasing recruitment efforts), a long-term solution requires an understanding of the dynamics driving the current levels of attrition. The authors propose an integrative, interactional model of retention, with links among general cognitive ability, situational variables (i.e., work characteristics and social support), job attitudes, motivation, and retention. In general, it is proposed that job attitudes and motivation mediate the impact of ability and situational variables on retention outcomes. Furthermore, the model considers the influences of career stage and changes over time in job attitudes and motivation on the retention process. Findings provided mixed support for the theoretical model of relationships. A unique contribution of this research over and above previous research is the longitudinal examination of several relationships as they unfold within Soldiers over time, and across different career stages. In particular, a key finding was that, irrespective of absolute levels of job attitudes (i.e., mean levels across time), more negative changes over time in job attitudes were associated with greater inclination to leave the U.S. Army.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA448543
Entities
People
- Gilad Chen
- Robert E. Ployhart
Organizations
- Texas A&M University