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Outline the research instruments (questionnaires) used in this study and their statistical coefficients of reliability and validity, as motivation for the authors' choice. Hypothesis being

Outline the research instruments (questionnaires) used in this study and their statistical coefficients of reliability and validity, as motivation for the authors' choice. Hypothesis being tested are the following:

Hypothesis 1: Job security and leadership empowerment behaviour

predict employee engagement.

Hypothesis 2: Low employee engagement predicts turnover

intention.

Hypothesis 3: Employee engagement mediates the relationship

between job insecurity and leadership empowerment behaviour

on the one hand, and turnover intention, on the other hand

Case study provided hereunder:

Research approach

This study can be classified as quantitative, because it relies on

measurements to compare and analyse different variables. A

correlational design was used. Data about job insecurity, the

empowerment behaviour of leaders (as perceived by employees

who report to them), employee engagement, and turnover

intention was collected at a single point in time, with the primary

aim of establishing relationships between variables.

Research method

Participants

The participants constituted a convenient sample of employees

working in a petrochemical laboratory. A total population of 240

employees was targeted. A response rate of 169 (70.42%) was

achieved, and 168 responses (99%) could be utilised. Descriptive

information of the sample is given in Table 1.

The study population consisted mainly of male (62.5%)

employees. A total of 44.6% of the participants were between the

ages of 25 and 35. The majority of the participants held either a

grade 12 certificate (52.4%), or a post-school diploma (32.14%).

A total of 32.1% worked in the routine section of the laboratory.

Almost one third were on a non-management level, with 2-5

years working experience in the laboratory.

Measuring battery

A biographical questionnaire was developed to gather

information about the demographical characteristics of the

participants. Information gathered included age, gender, race,

education, and number of years employed.

The Job Insecurity Inventory (JII) (De Witte, 2000) was used to

measure job insecurity. Although the JII consists of 11 items, a

factor analysis, which was conducted for the purposes of this

study, showed that only 9 items loaded significantly on one

factor. This factor was labelled 'Job Insecurity'. The items are

rated on a Likert scale varying from 1 ('strongly disagree') to 5

('strongly agree'). Examples of items include: 'I fear that I might

get fired' (reversed scored); 'I feel uncertain about the future

of my job' (reverse scored); and 'I am certain/sure of my job

environment'. A Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.92 was recorded

by De Witte (2000). Reynders (2005) obtained an alpha coefficient

of 0.82 for the scale. These results confirm the reliability of the JII.

The Leader Empowering Behaviour Questionnaire (LEBQ)

(Konczak et al., 2000) was used to measure leadership

empowerment behaviour. The scale is one-dimensional

but measures six dimensions of leadership empowerment

behaviour: the delegation of authority, the emphasis on

accountability for outcomes, self-directed decision-making,

information sharing, skills development, and coaching

for innovative performance. It consists of 19 items that are

arranged along a Likert-type scale varying from 1 ('strongly

disagree') to 7 ('strongly agree'). Mar (2007) found that the

LEBQ consisted of one factor. The LEBQ has shown acceptable

internal consistency (Konczak et al., 2000). Tjeku (2006) obtained

an alpha coefficient of 0.92 in her study of a South African steel

manufacturing organisation.

The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) (Schaufeli et al.,

2002) was used to measure employee engagement. The scale

consists of 17 items that measure vigour (six items), dedication

(five items) and absorption (six items). High levels of these

three scales indicate that a person experiences a high level of

engagement. Items are arranged along a Likert scale varying

from 0 ('never') to 6 ('every day'). Examples of items include

'I am enthusiastic about my work' and 'My job inspires me'.

For the purposes of this study, a principal factor analysis

performed on the 17 items of the UWES resulted in one factor

that explained 49.49% of the total variance. The one-factor

structure is supported by Rathbone (2006), who obtained a onefactor

structure among employees in the South African mining

industry.

Intention to leave was measured by two items, namely 'How

often do you think about leaving the job?' and 'How likely

are you to look for a new job within the next year?' Items are

arranged along a 5-point scale varying from 1 ('very often') to 5

('rarely or never'). One factor was extracted, explaining 78.68%

of the total variance. Items loading on this factor were related

to intention to leave. Firth et al. (2004) obtained a one-factor

structure, which supports the findings of this analysis. Firth et

al. (2004) have shown that this measure has satisfactory internal

reliability estimates (a = 0.75).

Research procedure

The researchers obtained permission from the laboratory

management to conduct the study. The researcher administered

hard copies of the questionnaires. They were collected directly

after they had been completed by the participants. The

participants completed the questionnaires anonymously. The

researchers explained to the participants that the questionnaires

would be treated confidentially.

Statistical analysis

The statistical analysis was carried out with the SPSS

(2007) program. Descriptive statistics (e.g. means, standard

deviations, skewness and kurtosis) were used to analyse the

data. Cronbach alpha coefficients were used to determine the

internal consistency of the measuring instruments (Clark &

Watson, 1995). Product-moment correlation coefficients were

used to specify the relationships between the variables. In

terms of statistical significance, it was decided to set the value

at a 95% confidence interval level (p 0.05). Effect sizes (Cohen,

1988) were used to determine the practical significance of the

findings. A cut-off point of 0.30 (medium effect, Cohen, 1988)

was set for the practical significance of correlation coefficients.

A series of multiple regression analyses were performed to test

whether job insecurity and leadership empowerment behaviour

predict employee engagement and turnover intention and to

test whether employee engagement mediates the relationship

between job insecurity and leadership empowerment

behaviour on the one hand, and turnover intention, on the

other hand. Baron and Kenny (1986) recommend three steps to

test for mediation. According to these authors, beta coefficients

of different regression equations must be compared. Firstly,

the mediator should be predicted by the independent variable.

Secondly, the dependent variable should be predicted by

the mediator and the independent variable and, lastly, the

dependent variable should be regressed on the independent

variable, controlling for the mediator. If all steps prove

significant, perfect mediation holds when controlling for

the mediator, the independent variable does not predict the

dependent variable.

RESULTS

Descriptive statistics and correlations

The descriptive statistics, alpha coefficients, and product-

moment correlations of the scales are reported in Table 2.

Table 2 indicates that Cronbach alpha coefficients, varying

from 0.73 to 0.96 were obtained. These alpha coefficients were

acceptable compared to the guideline of > 0.70 (Nunnally &

Bernstein, 1994). Job insecurity was statistically significantly

and negatively related to leadership empowerment behaviour.

Leadership empowerment behaviour was statistically and

practically significantly related to employee engagement

(medium effect). Leadership empowerment behaviour was

statistically, practically significantly and negatively related to

intention to leave (both medium effects). Employee engagement

was statistically, practically significantly and negatively related

to intention to leave (large effect).

Multiple regression analyses

Multiple regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses

of this study. The results of a multiple regression analysis,

with employee engagement as dependent variable, and

Job Insecurity and leadership empowerment behaviour as

independent variables

The results of a multiple regression analysis with turnover

intention as dependent variable, and employee engagement as

independent variable, are reported in Table 4.

Table 4 shows that 26% of the variance in turnover intention

is predicted by employee engagement (F = 53.06, p < 0.05).

Employee engagement contributed statistically significantly to

low turnover intention ( = -0.51). Hypothesis 2 is supported by

this finding. Furthermore, it provides evidence for the second

requirement for mediation (Baron & Kenny, 1986), namely that

the dependent variable (turnover intention) should be predicted

by the mediator (employee engagement).

Next, multiple regression analyses were carried out with

turnover intention as dependent variable. In the first step,

job insecurity and leadership empowerment behaviour

were entered into the regression analysis. In the second step,

employee engagement was added as an independent variable.

The results are reported in Table 5.

Table 5 shows that 12% of the variance in turnover intention

is predicted by Job insecurity and leadership empowerment

behaviour (F = 9.67, p < 0.05). Leadership empowerment behaviour

contributed statistically significantly to low turnover intention

( = -0.32). This finding provides evidence for the third

requirement for mediation (Baron & Kenny, 1986) - that the

dependent variable (turnover intention) should be predicted by

the independent variable (leadership empowerment behaviour).

Table 5 also shows that a statistically significant model

(F = 19.20, p < 0.05) resulted when employee engagement was

entered in the second step of the regression analysis. The

increase in R2 was statistically significant when employee

engagement was entered into the regression equation with

Job insecurity and leadership empowerment behaviour

(DR2 = 0.16). The standardised regression coefficient for leadership

empowerment behaviour in step 1 of the regression analysis

( = -0.32, p < 0.01) decreased to ( = -0.16, p < 0.05) in step 2. The

standardised regression coefficient of employee engagement

in step 2 was statistically significant ( = -0.44, p < 0.01). These

results indicate that employee engagement partially mediates

the relationship between leadership empowerment behaviour

and turnover intention. These findings provide partial support

for Hypothesis 3.

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