Predictors of Nursing Faculty Members' Organizational Commitment in Governmental Universities

1. Predictors of Nursing Faculty Members' Organizational Commitment in Governmental Universities Mahmoud Al-Hussami, D.Sc., Ph.D Mohammad Saleh, RN, PhD Alia Mahadeen PhD, RN Raghed Abdalkader RN, MSN

2. Introduction • University administrators often neglect faculty members. • Faculty members have felt that they receive no organizational support. • It is essential for all universities to develop and maintain an effective program in a climate that promotes work satisfaction and faculty members support in an effort to increase their retention.

3. Statement of the Problem • Organizational commitment affects organizational effectiveness and the quality of work life. • Organizational commitment has intuitive appeal because of the relationship of commitment to turnover, absenteeism, and organizational performance. • The challenge for today and the future is to develop and maintain a supply for nursing faculty members to adequately meet the teaching demand.

4. Purpose of the Study • The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship of faculty members’ organizational commitment to their job satisfaction, perceived organizational support, job autonomy, workload, and pay. • Research has suggested that faculty members are very important parts of the educational system. Since they perform important functions in the university system and are vital members of the university team, it is critical for university administrators to become aware of these faculty members’ attitudes and behaviors.

5. Significance of the Study • There is a dearth of research on the significance of nursing faculty members in university settings. Most studies tend to focus on nurses in acute care settings resulting in a major gap in the literature on issues and concerns of nursing faculty members in teaching settings. • A study of this nature is instrumental in helping university administrators to better meet the needs of nursing faculty members. • The study findings may serve to support the relationship of faculty members’ organizational commitment to job satisfaction and perceived organizational support.

6. Research Questions • Is there a relationship between the faculty members’ job satisfaction and their commitment to the university? • Is there a relationship between the faculty members’ perception of organizational support and their commitment to the university? • Is there a relationship between the faculty members’ job autonomy and their commitment to the university? • Is there a relationship between the faculty members’ workload and their commitment to the university? • Is there a relationship between the faculty members’ pay and their commitment to the university? • Is the strongest predictor of the faculty members’ commitment of the university job satisfaction, perceived organizational support, job autonomy, workload, or pay?

7. Design • This is a predictive study and utilized the analytical procedure of multiple regression to determine whether job satisfaction, perceived organizational support, transformational leadership, and level of education predict a score on the faculty members’ organizational commitment questionnaire. • The researchers randomly chose four universities from a total of six universities located in Jordan.

8. Design • The County divided into four geographical quadrants, north, south, west, and east; the researchers chose randomly one university from each quadrant. • The participants randomly chosen from a list provided by each university. • To assure anonymity, the list consisted only identifying numbers represent participants in each of the randomly chosen organization.

9. Population and Sample • The population targeted in this study included nursing faculty members employed in Jordan public universities. • A simple random sample used to select 35 participants from each one of the four universities.

10. Data Collection Procedure • Participants were invited to participate voluntarily. • The purpose of the study was explained and the participant allowed to decline if he/she did not want to participate. • 122 (92%) completed surveys were returned. • The data provided by the participants were completely anonymous and no names were collected on any of the instruments.

11. Data Collection Measures • Demographics • Organizational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ). • Survey of Perceived Organizational Support (SPOS). • Measurement of Job Autonomy (MJA) • Job-Related Tension Index • Index of Job Satisfaction

12. Method of Analysis • Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (r) were conducted to determine if the relationship existed between the variables. • The statistical procedure of multiple regression was utilized to determine the combined relationship of the independent variables on a single dependent variable.

13. Method of Analysis The regression equation that utilized in this research was Y1 = bX1 + bX2 + bx3 + bX4 + a. The alpha significant level of .05 was set for the statistical analysis. All returned questionnaires were kept in the researcher’s office for five years under lock and key, and after this period of time, all data will be shredded.

14. Description of DemographicVariables of the Sample

15. Demographic Effects on Organizational Commitment

16. Pearson Correlation of Variables

17. Stepwise Linear Regression Analysis of Predictors of Organizational Commitment

18. Limitations of the Study • The information obtained for this study was dependent on the participants’ self-reported responses. • This study included larger number of females than males. • The researchers' position as department heads may have influenced the participants' responses.

19. Implications of the Study • Even though, the findings were positive toward organizational commitment, continued consideration should be given to the fact that nursing faculty members remain committed because the cost associated with leaving is high.

20. Implications of the Study • University administrators should stay abreast of the current trends and factors that contribute to organizational commitment. Issues related to job satisfaction and organizational support, such as unfair work conditions, salary inequities, and lack of employee support should be addressed promptly and justly.

21. Recommendations • Replicate this study or conduct a similar one on faculty members in private universities. The purpose of such a study would be to determine how organizational commitment is viewed by faculty members in other type of universities compared to the faculty members in this study. • Another recommendation would be to conduct further studies with faculty members regarding their commitment to the organization, without including the construct organizational support. Requesting professors to address questions regarding their employers as opposed to themselves, or in addition to themselves, my produce totally different outcomes.

22. SHOKRAN