Reference no: EM132390992

Assignment - Quantitative Research Methods

Overview

Poor workforce engagement can be detrimental to organizations because of the ensuing decrease in employee well-being and productivity. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the degree to which psychological workplace climate was associated with personal accomplishment, depersonalization, emotional exhaustion, and psychological wellbeing, and whether employee engagement moderated these relations. The following hypotheses are of interest:

Hypothesis 1: Psychological workplace climate will be negatively related to emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and positively related to personal accomplishment and psychological well-being (see Figure 1).

Hypothesis 2: Employee engagement will moderate the relation between psychological workplace climate and personal accomplishment, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and overall well-being (see Figure 2).

Hypothesis 3: Employee hierarchical position will moderate the relationship between psychological workplace climate and personal accomplishment, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and overall well-being.

Data and Variables

Because research has suggested that those who work in health care are likely to experience higher levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization associated with job stress, a sample was purposefully sought from the health care industry to examine potential linkages within this study.

The sample (N = 350) represented employees currently working within the health care industry. The survey battery included separate sections for each measure. All scales were scored using a 7-point Likert-type continuum from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree).

PID. Identifier variable for each unique response.

Gender. Sex of the respondent (0 = male, 1 = female).

Age. Age of the respondent (in whole years).

Position. Hierarchical position of the respondent in the company, with 0 = staff and 1 = manager.

Employee Engagement. Measured using the 7-item Job Engagement Scale (JES). Higher total scores across each subscale and the combined scale represented higher degrees of reported engagement. A sample item of the JES is, "I work with intensity on my job."

Psychological Workplace Climate. Measured using the 5-item Psychological Climate Measure (PCM). Higher total scores across each subscale and the combined scale represented higher degrees of perceived positive workplace climate. A sample item of the PCM is, "I feel like a key member of the organization."

Emotional exhaustion. Emotional exhaustion was measured using the three-item Emotional Exhaustion Scale (EES). A higher total score represented elevated levels of perceived emotional exhaustion. A sample item of the EES is, "I feel emotionally drained from my work."

Depersonalization. Depersonalization was measured using a modified version of the three-item Depersonalization Scale (DS). A higher total score represented elevated levels depersonalization of work related tasks. A sample item of the EES is, "I worry that I have become insensitive toward people since taking this job."

Personal accomplishment. Measured using the three-item Personal Accomplishment Scale (PAS). A higher total score represented greater feelings of overall personal accomplishment in one's work life. A sample item of the PAS is, "I have accomplished many worthwhile things in this job."

Psychological well-being. Psychological well-being was measured using the Schwartz Outcome Scale-5 (SOS-5). A higher total score represented heightened levels of participants' general well-being. A sample item of the SOS-5 is, "I am hopeful about my future."

Assignment

Aggregate the items in each scale into a single total and provide descriptive statistics (e.g., means and standard deviations) as well as a correlation table. Create boxplots and histograms (with normal overlays) for all aggregate scales and check whether there are any obvious outliers. Finally, run (and interpret) normality tests, as well as Q-Q plots.

Using multiple linear regression, test the relationships implied by the three hypotheses above. Use hierarchical entry with gender and age as control variables in a first block, and the predictors of interest in subsequent blocks.

For those hypotheses that involve interactions, center the continuous predictors before creating the interaction terms. Plot and interpret the results of these analyses. For all tests check the multicollinearity diagnostics (e.g., tolerance and VIF). Also plot a histogram of the standardized residuals as well as a scatterplot of standardized residuals and standardized predicted values to check for any patterns indicating a violation of the linearity and/or homoscedasticity assumptions.

The "Guide and Partial Solution" document that accompanies this assignment includes all descriptive statistics and the correlation table, as well as plots and normality tests for one aggregate variable. It also includes two of the four tests underlying H1, and two of the four tests underlying H2, with instructions on how to conduct and interpret them.

Your submission for this assignment should include:

1. Your replication of the descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviations, and correlations).

2. For two aggregate variables of your choice (other than the one included in the solution), all necessary plots and normality tests, and your interpretation/explanation of those.

3. For Hypothesis 1:

a. Your replication of the first of the two analyses presented in the solution (tables only, no writeup).

b. Your own analysis of the relationship between Psychological Workplace Climate and Emotional Exhaustion (with your writeup, follow the same process and include the same output as in the guide).

c. Your own analysis of the relationship between Psychological Workplace Climate and Psychological Well-being (with your writeup, follow the same process and include the same output as in the guide).

4. For Hypothesis 2:

a. Your replication of the first of the two analyses presented in the solution (tables only, no writeup).

b. Your own analysis of the relationship between Psychological Workplace Climate and Employee Engagement (and their Interaction), and Emotional Exhaustion (with your writeup, follow the same process and include the same output as in the guide).

c. Your own analysis of the relationship between Psychological Workplace Climate and Employee Engagement (and their Interaction), and Psychological Well-being (with your writeup, follow the same process and include the same output as in the guide).

5. For Hypothesis 3:

a. Your own independent analysis of the relationship between Psychological Workplace Climate and Hierarchical Position (and their Interaction), and Personal Accomplishment (with your writeup, follow the same process and include the same output as in the guide; note that Hierarchical Position is a binary variable and adjust your interpretation of the results accordingly).