MODAS, an acronym for Method of Designing Action Systems (Ingham, 1972), was the method chosen for this action research project. This twelve step procedure was used to explain and control turnover (the dependent variable) of security specialists in a psychiatric hospital. / During the fiscal year 1988-1989, 34% of the security specialists voluntarily resigned from SFSH. The general resignation rate for the hospital was 24.1%. / The observed phenomena was classified as an instance of turnover. Knowledge statements from the Price and Mueller (1986) nurse turnover model were used to develop an explanatory system. Multiple methods (document analysis, survey questionnaires, interviews and observation) were used to determine which knowledge statements best explained turnover of security specialists at SFSH. The following independent variables were identified: Intent to leave, commitment, job satisfaction, distributive justice, and centralization. / A plan of action was developed, and exogenous variables identified (environmental opportunity, promotional opportunity, and general training). An evaluation mechanism was designed prior to the implementation of the plan of action. Stufflebeam's (1973) context, input, process and product approach to evaluation was selected. Pre-intervention and intervention measures (survey questionnaire) using a time-series model, coupled with monthly site visits and interviews of key hospital personnel, were the primary data gathering methods for the evaluation of the project. / The monthly intervention measures indicated the following trends: (a) increased turnover of security specialists was consistent with increased intent to leave and decreased commitment, and (b) increased job satisfaction was consistent with an increase in distributive justice, and decrease in centralization. It is possible that although commitment and job satisfaction were associated, they were also separate constructs that were influenced by independent events. / Recommendations were made in a revised plan of action to continue the action research project. Activities were designed to reinforce the developing job satisfaction and to reverse the trend of decreasing commitment. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-08, Section: A, page: 2607. / Major Professor: Roy J. Ingham. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1990.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_78285 |
| Contributors | Sample, John A., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 302 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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