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Article
Publication date: 9 May 2008

Ingwer Borg, Michael Braun and Miriam K. Baumgärtner

The purpose of this research is to investigate whether the participants in an employee survey who do not answer one or more demographic items differ systematically from those who…

1638

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to investigate whether the participants in an employee survey who do not answer one or more demographic items differ systematically from those who fill out all demographic items.

Design/methodology/approach

Logistic regression, with affective commitment, job satisfaction, and attitude towards leadership as predictors of responding to demographic items is used to analyze the data of an employee survey in a German company.

Findings

Survey participants with low commitment, poor job satisfaction, and negative attitudes towards leadership are more likely not to provide demographic information, while highly committed participants tend to answer all demographic items. Non‐respondents are also more concerned that their skills become obsolete, and they feel that employees do not have enough say.

Research limitations/implications

The paper does not distinguish among demographic item non‐respondents on the basis of how many and which items are omitted. Future research should take a closer look at the different sensitivity of the demographic items.

Practical implications

Managers should be aware that it is likely that the results of an employee survey for their organizational subunits tend to be biased and show a picture that is too optimistic as compared to company‐wide results.

Originality/value

The value of the paper lies in demonstrating a systematic and practically important bias in employee survey statistics that has been overlooked so far.

Details

International Journal of Manpower, vol. 29 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7720

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 May 2012

Ingwer Borg and Cornelia Zuell

Items that ask the respondent for a comment in his/her own words are becoming increasingly popular in online employee surveys, but research on such comments is scarce. The purpose…

1379

Abstract

Purpose

Items that ask the respondent for a comment in his/her own words are becoming increasingly popular in online employee surveys, but research on such comments is scarce. The purpose of this paper is to analyze, theoretically and empirically, what kind of comments are generated in employee surveys by respondents who differ in terms of job satisfaction and commitment.

Design/methodology/approach

The data studied here are from an online employee survey conducted in 2004 in a multinational IT organization with a German headquarter. Some 24,000 employees generated about 75,000 comments focusing on 15 topic fields. The comments were additionally coded on their tone, using a computerized dictionary approach especially developed for this purpose. Frequencies, wordiness, and the tone of different types of comments are measured. The statistical relationship of comments to job satisfaction and to organizational commitment is analyzed.

Findings

Some 40 per cent of the respondents provide comments. Most comments have a negative tone. Negative comments are wordier than positive ones. The likelihood of writing comments is inversely related to the respondents’ job satisfaction and to their organizational commitment. Dissatisfied employees and employees with low commitment also write more negative and wordier comments.

Practical implications

The study sets benchmarks on what to expect when using open‐ended comment fields in employee surveys. A methodology for analyzing huge text files with respect to their tone is presented.

Originality/value

This is the first paper that investigates a realistically large data set of comments. It also shows how to use computer methods to relate frequencies, wordiness, and tone of comments to standard variables such as job satisfaction or commitment.

Details

International Journal of Manpower, vol. 33 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7720

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 1992

Ingwer Borg and Dov Elizur

Examines the relations between feelings of job insecurity (JI) andvarious attitudes and opinions of employees towards their work and theorganization. Analyses survey data from 11…

2136

Abstract

Examines the relations between feelings of job insecurity (JI) and various attitudes and opinions of employees towards their work and the organization. Analyses survey data from 11 European high‐tech organizations with a total of 8,483 respondents. Shows that JI is associated with more negative evaluations of all aspects of the company and the job, including more objective variables such as the quality of products and services. Particularly high correlations are observed between JI and negative judgements on management and the company in general. Further presents the development of a questionnaire to assess JI. The questionnaire is then used to study differential effects of JI on persons with internal and external locus of control, and with high and low social support.

Details

International Journal of Manpower, vol. 13 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7720

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 May 2008

Robert J. Taormina and Jennifer H. Gao

Work enthusiasm and organizational socialization (Training, Understanding, Coworker Support, and Future Prospects) were compared in two predominantly Chinese regions, i.e., Macau…

Abstract

Work enthusiasm and organizational socialization (Training, Understanding, Coworker Support, and Future Prospects) were compared in two predominantly Chinese regions, i.e., Macau (a former Portuguese territory in China) and Zhuhai in the People’s Republic of China. Data were collected from 276 (96 Macau and 180 Zhuhai) full‐time, line‐level, ethnic Chinese employees in the two regions. Results revealed the Zhuhai employees to be much more enthusiastic at work. The Zhuhai employees also evaluated Training, Understanding, and Future Prospects more highly than did the Macau employees (no differences were found for Coworker Support). Regression analyses revealed Future Prospects to be the strongest predictor of work enthusiasm in Zhuhai, while education and years on the job explained most of the variance for work enthusiasm in Macau. The results of the comparisons are discussed in terms of the similarities and differences in the cultures and economic development of the regions.

Details

Journal of Asia Business Studies, vol. 2 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1558-7894

Keywords

Content available
Article
Publication date: 9 November 2012

334

Abstract

Details

International Journal of Manpower, vol. 33 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7720

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