Two Recommended Perspectives -Lens Foundation-Appropriate to a Research Study

Two Recommended Perspectives -Lens Foundation-Appropriate to a Research Study

Two theoretical frameworks are selected to form the basis upon which the intended topic of study will be evaluated. The study topic relates to the work environment’s influence on employee turnover during the COVID-19 pandemic. A context of the health environment is adopted for the study because it was one of the most impacted work environments during the period. Essentially, various variables that can be tested to evaluate whether there is an association between work environment and employee turnover are identified. These include employee motivation, job crafting, turnover intentions, retention, and satisfaction. It is worth noting that a basis upon which the relationships between these variables are to be tested is needed. Notably, it is the point at which theoretical and conceptual frameworks come in. Two of these are discussed below and how they can be applied to the selected topic of study.

McCarthy Conceptual Framework

McCarthy’s conceptual framework can be applied to the current topic of study. The conceptual framework was developed by McCarthy et al. (2002) in a study to examine turnover in nursing and midwifery. The framework has formed a basis for many subsequent studies attempting to answer various questions about employee turnover in the healthcare sector (Stanz & Greyling, 2010). The authors of the conceptual framework were all workers in the Department of Nursing Studies at the University College Cork-National University of Ireland. The conceptual framework focuses on individual and organizational factors that influence the intention to stay or leave an organization, thus, resulting in turnover behavior. Since the framework was based on the healthcare sector at the time of conceptualization, it becomes relevant in the current study of attempting to evaluate the impact of work environment and employee turnover during COVID-19.

According to McCarthy’s conceptual framework, turnover determinants can fall into individual or organizational factors. The assertion was established from numerous empirical literature reviews reporting that an employee’s decision to leave or stay in an organization is a function or product of the interaction between personal factors and factors arising from the work environment (Bell & Sheridan, 2020). In this case, personal factors can include aspects like age, gender, education, tenure, family responsibility, marital status, and job commitment. On the other hand, work environment factors include aspects like communication and participation, job security, distributive justice, economic rewards, perceived status of the organization, quality of work, and position held in the organization or field of practice. When organizational factors hold the upper hand over individual factors, an employee will more likely decide to stay in an organization, and thus, the overall employee turnover will reduce. However, the contrary is true when individual factors hold an upper hand over organizational factors, leading to employees deciding to leave the organization and, consequently, higher employee turnover.

The conceptual framework has been in use since its conceptualization in 2002. It is relevant for use in the present and, thus, considered for adoption for the current study topic. However, it will not be copied for use in the current study topic; borrowings will be made from the framework. The borrowings will then inform the conceptual framework for the current study. For instance, the concept of the theory regarding the decision to leave or stay in an organization as the measure for employee turnover will be borrowed and applied to evaluate the association between employee turnover and the work environment.

Theoretical Framework: Herzberg’s Theory

Fredrick Herzberg developed this theory in the late 1950s. Notably, this theory of motivation was informed by interviews that Herzberg made with a group of employees to evaluate what made them satisfied or dissatisfied with their jobs (Thant & Chang, 2021). From the interviews, two important dimensions were identified and framed to be hygiene issues and motivation. Hygiene issues include supervision and salary, which can influence an employee’s satisfaction with the work environment. On the other hand, motivators include achievement and recognition, which satisfy employees with their work environment.

Herzberg’s theory has been applied in contemporary practice since its formulation, with organizations identifying their hygiene and motivation issues and giving them necessary attention (Siruri & Cheche, 2021). Regarding hygiene issues, organizations ensure that their administrative policies, supervision, and work conditions do not cause workers dissatisfaction. On the other hand, the same organization ensures employees are motivated through better salaries, the work itself, recognition, advancement, and responsibility for workers (Mohammed et al., 2021). The application of Herzberg’s theory in modern practice makes it suitable for the theoretical framework of the current study.

Overall, the theory offers useful insights that can be used in contemporary life and for research purposes. For my topic of study, the theory will help shape the research questions to be included in questionnaires. For instance, to evaluate how an organization’s administrative policy influences worker’s decision to stay, I will inquire whether the organization has a policy manual, whether employees have ease of access to policies, fairness of the policies, the policies’ ease of understanding, employees’ input in the policies, and how the policies compare with those of other organizations in the same industry. Notably, this is an example of how the hygiene factor, as identified in Hertzberg’s theory, will be borrowed and applied. A similar application will be made to all other factors relevant to the subject research topic.

References

Bell, M., & Sheridan, A. (2020). How organizational commitment influences nurses’ intention to stay in nursing throughout their career. International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances, 2, 100007.

McCarthy, G., Turrell, M., & Cronin, C. (2002). National Study of Turnover in Nursing and Midwifery. Department of Nursing Studies, National University of Ireland Cork. Commissioned by the Department of Health and Children. Accessed July 7, 2023.

Mohammed, A., Abdulaziz, I. A., & Hananu, B. (2021). Determining Job Satisfaction of Faculty Members in The University for Development Studies: An Analysis of Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory. ADRRI Journal of Arts and Social Sciences, 18(3 (6) October-December), 17-39.

Siruri, M. M., & Cheche, S. (2021). Revisiting the Hackman and Oldham job characteristics Model and Herzberg’s two-factor theory: Propositions on how to make job enrichment effective in today’s organizations. European Journal of Business and Management Research, 6(2), 162-167.

Stanz, K., & Greyling, J. (2010). Turnover of nursing employees in a Gauteng hospital group. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 36(1), 1-11.

Thant, Z. M., & Chang, Y. (2021). Determinants of public employee job satisfaction in Myanmar: Focus on Herzberg’s two-factor theory. Public Organization Review, 21, 157-175.

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Background
For this assignment, you will select two plausible conceptual or theoretical “foundational lenses” under which your research focus might be explored. If you are pursuing a theoretical (PhD) research study then it is advisable, but not necessary for this assignment, to limit your selections to theories. If you are pursuing an applied doctorate then you may select either theoretical or conceptual, or one of each. The intent of this assignment is to initiate thinking through how a conceptual or theoretical framework might be applied to a research study. It is acknowledged that these frameworks may or may not result in the final selection for your dissertation research study.

Instructions
Review the literature to identify two frameworks that are appropriate for your degree type. Include an introduction to your research focal topic and then section your assignment document using headers to identify each framework.

For each of the frameworks, complete the following:

Name the theory or conceptual framework in a heading.
Write two or three paragraphs about the author, the concept of the theory, or the conceptual framework.
Write at least one paragraph about the use in history and use today, or if it is no longer used, why it is not used today.
Write a conclusion about your thoughts on how the theory or conceptual framework might be applied to a dissertation research study (preferably yours).
References: Include a minimum of 6 scholarly resources, three for each framework.

Length: Your assignment should be about 3-4 pages. Note, that this assignment does not include previously written assignments.