Previous research has shown that job satisfaction contributed to better employee engagement and intention to stay in organizations. Hotel employees who are satisfied with their job pursue their job tasks in a quality manner which possibly will establish competitive advantage for hotel organizations. This study extended the prior work of intrinsic motivation from the job itself based on Job Characteristics Model by examining: (1) the differences in job satisfaction of chain hotel employees from three generations; Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials, and (2) to compare and contrast the generational perspectives on job satisfaction. The job satisfaction was measured in terms of the core job characteristics, critical psychological states, aspects of the jobs, and feeling of other employees with similar jobs. The Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS) was used in this study with some demographic questions. A purposive sample of 108 chain hotel employees from five hotel chains in three counties in southern Illinois participated in this survey. One way ANOVA and Welch ANOVA were conducted to investigate the differences between groups. The Games-Howell post-hoc test was used to confirm group differences. Overall differences were found between Baby Boomers and Millennials and between Baby Boomers and Generation X. There were no overall differences found between Generation X and Millennials. The findings indicated that Baby Boomers have the most engagement in the workplace and have more intention to stay in hotel organizations.

Immigrant entrepreneurship is defined as business establishment and ownership among immigrants who arrive to a new host country. Immigrant entrepreneurship has become an important theme due to the increasing rates of immigration to developed countries, and its impact on their economic development. However it is also discredited and qualified as low value-added, rarely innovative, restricted to the ethnic communities and with stagnating growth potential. Following this debate, a new research stream affirms that immigrants should not be treated as one entity. Thus attention is shifting towards groups of immigrant entrepreneurs that were previously neglected in the literature. One such group consists of the second generation children of immigrants. Work to date provides ample investigation about immigrant entrepreneurs and their entrepreneurial process; however there is less research on similarities and differences in the entrepreneurial process experienced by first and second generation immigrant entrepreneurs. Despite some recent research on second generation immigrant entrepreneurs, this topic remains understudied. The objective of this study is to understand, from a multi-level perspective, how different generations of immigrant entrepreneurs experience the entrepreneurial process. Using a grounded theory approach and qualitative in-depth interviews, the findings indicate that first and second generation immigrant entrepreneurs experience the entrepreneurial process differently by facing different micro and macro level enablers and obstacles. They also recognize, evaluate and exploit opportunities differently. The extent to which they are embedded in specific environments affects their entrepreneurial experiences.

Thesis advisor: Eric Dearing / The education and successful integration of immigrant youth are imperative for the U.S. economy. Indeed, first- and second-generation immigrants are estimated to account for 93% of the nation’s working-age population growth over the next three decades (Pew, 2013). However, existing empirical work on postsecondary outcomes among immigrant youth mainly focuses on differences between pan-racial/ethnic categories, potentially masking within-group differences (e.g., ethnic/regional variations) arising from unique pre- and post-migration contexts and experiences. This dissertation aims to uncover heterogeneity within and between immigrant racial/ethnic groups’ trajectories in higher education. A special focus is placed on Asian immigrants, a pan-racial group that represented about 28% of the immigrant population in 2018 but comprised several distinct ethnic and regional groups with considerable variation in pre- and post-immigration experiences (Pew, 2018). The dissertation also helps advance current knowledge by simultaneously examining variations by ethnic/regional groups and generational statuses for Asian youth. Utilizing data from the High School Longitudinal Study 2009, the first part of the dissertation explores enrollment, attainment, and persistence differences among pan-racial/ethnic groups and, in turn, disaggregated analyses specifically for Asian ethnicities and regions. Second, the dissertation examines variations in postsecondary outcomes as a function of immigrant generation (i.e., first, second, or third generation, focusing on both within– and across–racial and ethnic group differences). For this second aim, variations within and between Asian ethnicities and regions are closely examined. The findings indicate that pan-racial/ethnic differences follow patterns previously highlighted in the literature; however, evidence of generational differences within and between groups in this study extends the existing literature. For example, there was evidence of generational advantages in educational outcomes for first- and second-generation youth compared with the third generation for Asian and Black youth. On the other hand, there was evidence of disadvantage among first-generation Latinx youth. The disaggregated analyses for Asian immigrants also revealed several important findings. For example, the second-generation advantage found at the pan-racial level for Asian immigrants persisted for Southeast Asians and partially for Chinese and South Asian immigrants. However, it disappeared for other Asian ethnic/regional groups for several outcomes. These findings have implications for the discourse around immigrants by challenging current pervasive pan-racial/ethnic narratives. In particular, for Asian immigrants, often stereotyped as the “Model Minority,” the immigration and assimilation process is not monolithic. Therefore, postsecondary outcomes reflect these complex and heterogeneous processes. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2022. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology.

Denna studie syftar till att belysa medarbetarnas värderingar under organisationsförändringar och därigenom få förståelse för hur Generation Z skiljer sig från tidigare generationer. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka och jämföra värderingar av ledarskap mellan Generation Z och tidigare generationer vid organisationsförändringar. Studien söker svar på vilka aspekter av ledarskap Generation Z och tidigare generationer värderar vid organisationsförändringar och om dessa värderingar skiljer sig mellan generationerna.   Undersökningen grundas på en kvantitativ tvärsnittsstudie där data samlats in genom enkäter. Enkäterna har skickats ut via sociala plattformar och har sammanlagt 137 respondenter som alla förvärvsarbetar fördelat på fyra generationer. Mätverktyget är en omarbetad form av “Developmental Leadership Questionnaire" (DQL) av Gerry Larsson. Datan har analyserats med hjälp av medelvärdesanalys, T-test och en envägs ANOVA (variansanalys) med tillhörande post-hoc-test.  Studiens resultat tyder på att det finns statistiskt signifikanta skillnader i vad generationerna värderar för ledarskap vid organisationsförändringar. Resultatet visar på en statistiskt signifikant skillnad där Generation Z generellt sett värderar de transaktionella ledarskapet aspekterna högre än övriga generationer. Resultatet visar att samtliga generationer motsätter sig aspekterna för icke-ledarskapet. Jämfört med tidigare generationerna visar resultatet att Generation Z har ett högre intresse av att vara delaktig vid organisationsförändringar, samtidigt som de värderar att känna ansvar för enhetens mål lägre jämfört med övriga generationerna.   Studien konstaterar att Generation Z skiljer sig från tidigare generationer i ett flertal aspekter men i större utsträckning gentemot Generation X än Millennials. Studiens resultat indikerar att det blir allt viktigare för arbetsgivare att anpassa sitt ledarskap, där generationernas unika drag kan vara en god utgångspunkt. / This study aims to shed light on employees' values during organizational changes and thereby gain an understanding of how Generation Z differs from previous generations. The purpose of this study is to investigate and compare leadership values between Generation Z and previous generations during organizational changes. The study seeks answers regarding which aspects of leadership Generation Z and previous generations value during organizational changes and whether these values differ between the generations. The research is based on a quantitative cross-sectional study where data was collected through surveys. The surveys were distributed via social platforms and a total of 137 respondents, all of whom are employed, participated, representing four generations. The measurement tool used is a modified version of Gerry Larsson's "Developmental Leadership Questionnaire" (DQL). The data was analyzed using mean analysis, t-tests, and one-way ANOVA (analysis of variance) with accompanying post-hoc tests. The results of the study indicate that there are statistically significant differences in what the generations value in leadership during organizational changes. The results show a statistically significant difference where Generation Z generally values transactional leadership aspects higher than the other generations. The results also indicate that all generations oppose the aspects of non-leadership. Compared to previous generations, the results show that Generation Z has a higher interest in being involved in organizational changes while valuing a sense of responsibility for unit goals lower compared to the other generations. The study concludes that Generation Z differs from previous generations in several aspects, but to a greater extent compared to Generation X than Millennials. The results of the study indicate that it is increasingly important for employers to adapt their leadership, where the unique characteristics of the generations can be a good starting point.

Background: Leadership practices in general are of great interest and today’s workforce mainly consist of people from the millennial generation. As this phenomenon is becoming apparent, management must adapt to the changing needs of employees. Long gone are the times when people stayed at the company for their whole careers since it is not only easier to relocate but they act on their dissatisfaction more frequently. Therefore, it is imperative that leadership evolves to match the new demands set out by millennials to make them less inclined to depart.   Purpose: We set out to explore how leadership can be used to satisfy the needs of millennial employees. Empowering leadership is the style that was found to fit the best so we set out to explore millennials through the lens of empowering leadership. This in turn allowed us to also enrich the leadership theory with added insights based on employee needs.   Method: We conducted a qualitative study with thirteen semi-structured interviews which resulted in rich data. Gaining insights from our interviewees, we were able to critically assess the validity of empowering leadership. We analyzed our data with thematic analysis to categorize it in different themes and further comprehend the findings.   Conclusion: The results show that most empowering leadership practices fit the needs of millennial employees. Based on the findings, we further identified two distinct practices that are to be added to leadership literature and were able to understand what the millennials require in the workplace.

This phenomenological study addressed the transitions of biology and chemistry adjunct faculty, with full or part-time positions outside of academia, as they navigate the transition between their workplaces and the academic environment and also transition toward becoming confident and competent educators. Using the final two stages of Schoening's (2013) Nurse Educator Transition (NET) Model as a framework, this qualitative study examines the transitions of nine biology and chemistry adjuncts at College Alpha, which is a community college located in a southern state. Study findings indicated both degrees of transition, the day-to-day and the overall transition into teaching, impact the overall adjunct experience. The College's involvement with the adjunct and the generational differences between the adjuncts and their students also play a role in the transitions. The literature review addressed the use of the NET Model as a means of examining transitions toward teaching, the roles of adjunct faculty on college campuses, the workplace transition, and the particular needs of Millennial students are also addressed. The study culminated with conclusions about the experiences of the participants, recommendations for future research, and calls for action by community colleges to improve the adjunct experience. A chapter is also included that reflects upon the dissertation writing experience and the challenges of qualitative research not addressed in graduate programs.

The use of employer branding has gained popularity since the concept was introduced by Tim Ambler and Simon Barrow in 1996. At first, this consisted of three types of benefits (e.g., functional, economic and psychological) and later Lievens and Highhouse (2003) added two additional benefits: instrumental and symbolic. The concept of employer branding has then been used to attract potential employees, and lately, it has been discussed that the employer brand needs to be adapted to attract and retain Millennials. One way to adapt the employer brand is to review what attributes of an organization is communicated to potential employees. Most research regarding Millennials and employer branding has been conducted in the United States of America (USA) and not in many countries. Because of this, this thesis was conducted with the foundation of previous research that was adapted to and focused on Swedish Millennials. The objective was to find out what attributes is the most important to Swedish Millennials in order to attract and retain them as employees. The result of this thesis was created by first looking at previous research and defining a research problem and a research question. Then, the theoretical framework was conducted, leading to the method chosen to perform this study. Thereafter, the data was gathered and analyzed, leading up to the findings and conclusions that the attributes that are most important concerns the psychological benefits, followed by instrumental benefits and then functional benefits. Furthermore, economic and symbolic benefits are not considered to be as important to Swedish Millennials. / Sedan begreppet employer branding introducerades av Tim Ambler and Simon Barrow år 1996, har dess användning ökat. När begreppet först introducerades bestod det av tre förmåner (funktionella, ekonomiska och psykologiska) och utökades sedan av Lievens and Highhouse (2003) med instrumentella och symboliska förmåner. Sedan dess har employer branding använts för att attrahera eventuella arbetstagare. På senare tid har diskussioner först huruvida ett företags employer brand behöver anpassas för att attrahera och behålla individer som tillhör Generation Y (milleniegenerationen). Ett sätt att anpassa ett företags employer brand är att undersöka vilka attribut en organisation förmedlar till potentiella anställda. Majoriteten av all forskning som har skett kring Generation Y har genomförts i USA och det är svårt att hitta forskning kring ämnet som har utförts i ett annat land. På grund av detta har denna uppsats fokuserat på svenska millennier och undersökt vilka attribut hos ett företag som är viktigast för att ett företags ska bli attraktivt för dem. Resultatet i den här uppsatsen togs fram genom att först att ha tittat på vad tidigare forskning har kommit fram till och vad som har saknat för att hitta ett teoretiskt gap och framställa ett syfte med den här uppsatsen. Sedan sammanställdes relevant forskning som ledde till en passande metod. Detta i sin tur ledde till en datainsamling som analyserades för att hitta vilka attribut som är viktigast för svenska millennier, vilket visade sig vara främst psykologiska följt av instrumentella samt funktionella attribut. De ekonomiska samt symboliska attributen räknas inte vara lika viktiga som de övriga attributen.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management reported the productivity levels of the American multigenerational workforce decreasing as leaders strive to actively engage employees to improve organizational output. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore what leadership strategies federal government managers use to engage a multigenerational workforce. The conceptual framework consisted of Kahn's employee engagement theory and Strauss and Howe's generational cohort theory. The sample consisted of 3 federal government managers within metro Atlanta, Georgia who had successfully managed a multigenerational workforce, demonstrated through the feedback they received from their employees. Data were collected using face-to-face semistructured interviews and a review and analysis of company documents. Data analysis consisted of applying Yin's 5 step data analysis process, and member checking and methodological triangulation of the data strengthened the trustworthiness of interpretations. Emergent themes included generational differences; strategies for working with multigenerational differences; and strategies for engaging a multigenerational workforce. The most effective strategies involved training, communication skills, and team building. Findings from this study may contribute to social change by providing federal government managers with the framework for understanding and engaging its multigenerational workforce, which can result in promoting positive relationships between coworkers, families, and communities. Positive relationships in the workforce may increase employee morale and motivation and decrease employee turnover and the unemployment rate.

A new generation of recent graduates and young workers, the Millennials, have started entering the workforce within the last ten years and work alongside older generations, such as Generation Xers and Baby Boomers. The limited research on Millennials suggests that Millennials are significantly different from their predecessors. The lack of robust or academic findings on the subject of Millennials and their impact in the workplace form the motivation for this research. To give clarity and cohesion on the topic of Millennials and to guide the analysis, it was necessary to develop a comprehensive taxonomy, or model, of Millennials’ traits. Two aspects of the model were investigated through the use of interviews. The results of the study do not support the existence of all of the numerous and distinct traits that Millennial have, as suggested by the literature; however, the results do support a subset of the traits. Compared to other current generations and to other recent generations of youths, the results suggest that Millennials have a greater sense of entitlement, have more unrealistic expectations, and need a greater amount of management involvement, such as supervision, structure, and feedback. Some factors outside of the model were found during the course of conducting the study. These factors may have impacted the results and possibly resulted in a false rejection of the propositions of this study. This exploratory research takes a step towards getting a better understanding of Millennials by providing a comprehensive taxonomy of Millennials’ traits and some academic findings for future research to build upon. A more rigorous study with a strengthened field methodology may better explore the impact of various factors on the results of intergenerational and Millennial investigations.

A new generation of recent graduates and young workers, the Millennials, have started entering the workforce within the last ten years and work alongside older generations, such as Generation Xers and Baby Boomers. The limited research on Millennials suggests that Millennials are significantly different from their predecessors. The lack of robust or academic findings on the subject of Millennials and their impact in the workplace form the motivation for this research. To give clarity and cohesion on the topic of Millennials and to guide the analysis, it was necessary to develop a comprehensive taxonomy, or model, of Millennials’ traits. Two aspects of the model were investigated through the use of interviews. The results of the study do not support the existence of all of the numerous and distinct traits that Millennial have, as suggested by the literature; however, the results do support a subset of the traits. Compared to other current generations and to other recent generations of youths, the results suggest that Millennials have a greater sense of entitlement, have more unrealistic expectations, and need a greater amount of management involvement, such as supervision, structure, and feedback. Some factors outside of the model were found during the course of conducting the study. These factors may have impacted the results and possibly resulted in a false rejection of the propositions of this study. This exploratory research takes a step towards getting a better understanding of Millennials by providing a comprehensive taxonomy of Millennials’ traits and some academic findings for future research to build upon. A more rigorous study with a strengthened field methodology may better explore the impact of various factors on the results of intergenerational and Millennial investigations.