Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Doctor of Education

Major

Adult & Higher Education

Date of Defense

5-10-2011

Graduate Advisor

Lloyd I Richardson, PhD

Committee

Ding, Cody

Henschke, John

Schnell, Thomas

Abstract

Focusing on the relationship between supervisors and subordinates, the purpose of this research was to study the causal relationship among seven exogenous variables (Supervisor empathy with subordinates, Supervisor trust of subordinates, Planning and delivery of instruction, Accommodating subordinate uniqueness, Supervisor insensitivity toward subordinates, Subordinate-centered learning process, and Supervisor-centered learning process) and two endogenous variables (Employee’s job satisfaction, and Employee’s intention to remain in the company). The study was based on the belief that the seven factors, which were beliefs, feelings, and behaviors of supervisors in helping adults learn, based on andragogical principles of learning, are not only methods to help subordinates learn, but techniques to increase employee’s job satisfaction and intention to remain in the company as well. Five hundred and thirteen survey responses of Thai employees were used in the study to describe demographic characteristics and statistical test. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, Cronbach alpha’s coefficient, and path analysis. The findings from the statistical analysis revealed that three out of seven characteristics of supervisors (Supervisor empathy with subordinates, Supervisor trust of subordinates, Supervisor insensitivity toward subordinates) have either direct or indirect effect on an employee’s intention to remain in the company. Supervisor insensitivity toward subordinates was found to be a direct predictor of Employee’s intention to remain in the company. In addition Supervisor empathy with subordinates and Supervisor trust of subordinates were found to be indirect predictors of Employee’s intention to remain in the company thorough Employee’s job satisfaction. Recommendations for future research include repeating the study when the economy improves to examine for consistencies and conducting the research in different industries and different physical areas to generalize the findings.

OCLC Number

745098285

Included in

Education Commons

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