Perceived Organizational Support for Women’s Advancement and Turnover Intentions and Career Advancement Aspirations. The Mediating Role of Job and Employer Satisfaction.

Author

Marta Squadrito, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow

DOI

https://doi.org/10.25772/0QY4-EQ19

Defense Date

2021

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Public Policy & Administration

First Advisor

Dr. Myung H. Jin

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine whether the lack of organizational support for women’s advancement decreases female supervisors and managers’ aspiration to advance their careers and increases their turnover intentions and, the mediating effect of job satisfaction and employer satisfaction on the relationship between support and advancement aspirations and turnover intentions.

The antecedents of turnover intentions have been widely studied in the literature, while the antecedents of career aspirations, especially women’s, have not been a focus of much scholarly attention. Based on a review of the literature and drawing upon social exchange theory, and social cognitive theory, it is expected that perceived organizational support of women’s advancement would negatively affect turnover intentions and positively affect career advancement aspirations of women who hold supervisory and managerial roles within the federal government.

This study employs secondary data analysis of survey data provided by the U.S. Federal Government, Merit Principle System, 2016 data. Ordinal regression analysis supported the relationship between support and career advancement aspiration and a stronger mediating effect of employer satisfaction, which partially mediated the relationship. The relationship between support and turnover instead was found to be non-significant.

Women who perceived their organization as supportive of their advancement are encouraged to do so and are more likely to advance their careers by aspiring to achieve executive roles within the organization. Job and employer satisfaction influence women’s career advancement aspirations. Employer satisfaction had, as hypothesized, a more substantial mediating effect.

Perceived organizational support for women’s advancement is a newer construct used in the literature, more relevant to women in middle management, such as supervisors and managers, than perceived organizational support. Also, employer satisfaction is a newer construct, which this research suggests further testing in future investigations.

Rights

© The Author

Is Part Of

VCU University Archives

Is Part Of

VCU Theses and Dissertations

Date of Submission

8-5-2021