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1 – 10 of over 33000STEPHEN BAILEY, ALAN MURDOCK and DAVID RYAN
In this article the authors explain how a new system has been designed to work in conjunction with existing databases to ensure a consistency of approach to retention scheduling…
Abstract
In this article the authors explain how a new system has been designed to work in conjunction with existing databases to ensure a consistency of approach to retention scheduling across a variety of media and formats. The system allows for the whole life‐cycle of a record to be pre‐defined at both record series and file level. The reports produced by the system enhance a retention schedule programme that not only meets the needs of the records manager, but also serves as a ‘user‐friendly’ point of contact between himself and the users he serves. The authors will briefly explain the existing approach taken to retention scheduling at Pfizer Central Research, Sandwich and will demonstrate how this new ‘Electronic Retention Schedule’ (ERS) will enhance the current system of publishing advisory ‘guidelines’ for users and implementing ‘annual reviews’ of record holdings held in a number of different storage formats.
Tamara Hoefer and Laura Polley
Avoidable voluntary turnover negatively impacts an organisation’s workforce and decreases its sustainability and productivity. His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service’s (HMPPS…
Abstract
Purpose
Avoidable voluntary turnover negatively impacts an organisation’s workforce and decreases its sustainability and productivity. His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service’s (HMPPS) leaving rates are among the highest in the public sector. The purpose of this study is, thus, to support HMPPS in improving Band 3 prison officers’ (POs) retention and in developing an effective employee retention strategy.
Design/methodology/approach
Grounded in retention literature, the present study uses a mixed-methods, cross-sectional, phenomenological research design. Primary data was gathered using an online qualitative survey, which was sent to POs working at a public sector prison in the Northwest of England with less than five years of work experience.
Findings
The results highlight the impact of career development and training and development due to their importance to POs in comparison to the POs’ dissatisfaction with HMPPS’ performance in both factors. Furthermore, most expectations of retention factors were only partially met, illustrating the need to reform the existing recruitment process and the translation of expectations into the reality of the role. In conclusion, HMPPS should focus attention on performance-improvement, especially in relation to career development and training and development, as well as investigating and reforming the current recruitment processes.
Practical implications
Recommendations to improve the retention of POs include the improved management of career plans, an increased selection of managers based on their management abilities, increasing training opportunities and equating staff's access to them, and evaluating the effect of payment boosts.
Originality/value
The role of POs and their professional environment has not previously been combined with contemporary retention literature. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research paper is the first of its kind using qualitative data to understand retention in the English and Welsh prison service.
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Chikazhe Lovemore, Desderio Chavunduka, Shakemore Chinofunga, Rumbidzai Patience Marere, Oniwel Chifamba and Martha Kaviya
The major objective of the study is to investigate the effect of selected customer retention strategies (fair pricing, online marketing and frequent communication) on perceived…
Abstract
Purpose
The major objective of the study is to investigate the effect of selected customer retention strategies (fair pricing, online marketing and frequent communication) on perceived service quality and organisational performance within the retail sector in Zimbabwe. Also, the study sought to understand the moderating role of ICT on the effect of customer retention strategies on perceived service quality and organisational performance.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional survey of 280 employees within Zimbabwe's retail sector was adopted and respondents were selected using simple random sampling method. A structured questionnaire with Likert type questions was used to gather data.
Findings
The study findings indicate that the performance of organisations within the retail sector is influenced by superior service quality, selected customer retention strategies and also moderated by the use of ICT.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the business management body of knowledge by assessing the effect of selected customer retention strategies (fair pricing, online marketing and frequent communication) on perceived service quality and organisational performance within the retail industry of an emerging economy. The study is also unique in that it used ICT to moderate the effect of selected customer retention strategies on perceived service quality and organisational performance.
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Letetia Addison and Densil Williams
This paper aims to provide a parsimonious but rigorous model to assist decision-makers to determine critical factors which can lead to higher graduation rates amongst higher…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide a parsimonious but rigorous model to assist decision-makers to determine critical factors which can lead to higher graduation rates amongst higher education institution (HEI) participants. It predicts the odds of dropout amongst university students, using HEI data from a developing country. This is used as a basis for a Student Retention Predictive (SRP) Model to inform HEI administrators about predicted risks of attrition amongst cohorts.
Design/methodology/approach
A classification tool, the Logistic Regression Model, is fitted to the data set for a particular HEI in a developing country. The model is used to predict significant factors for student dropout and to create a base model for predicted risks by various student demographic variables.
Findings
To reduce dropout and to ensure higher graduation rates, the model suggests that variables such as age group, faculty, academic standing and cumulative GPA are significant. These indicative results can drive intervention strategies to improve student retention in HEIs and lessen the gap between graduates and non-graduates, with the goal of reducing socio-economic inequalities in society.
Originality/value
This research employs risk bands (low, medium and high) to classify students at risk of attrition or drop out. This provides invaluable insights to HEI administrators in the development of intervention strategies to reduce dropout and increase graduation rates to impact the wider public policy issue of socio-economic inequities.
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Fazeelath Tabassum and Nitu Ghosh
This paper aims to explore the role of retention strategies and psychological contract (PC) factors in private hospitals.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the role of retention strategies and psychological contract (PC) factors in private hospitals.
Design/methodology/approach
The current study is an empirical research. The study was conducted by receiving responses from a sample size of 190 respondents who participated in the Doctors and Nurses’ survey.
Findings
The study results show the relationship between PC and the retention strategies of employees in hospitals. The research found that employees try to be committed to the hospital due to the image of the hospital and career development opportunities. Creating a sense of commitment among the employees towards their job and organisation, making to feel pride in the job, creating an attitude among the employees, a willingness to advocate the benefits and advantages and satisfaction among the employee towards the job and organisation.
Research limitations/implications
With a population of more than one million employees (Doctors and Nurses) in the Indian health-care sector, the sample needs to be more adequate. However, these limitations present scope for future studies on this topic bearing on the aspiration for generalisation of the findings on the entire population.
Practical implications
The study has strong practical implications in strengthening the relationships by identifying the factors of PC and influencing the retention strategies of health-care professionals in the hospital.
Originality/value
This research explores the changing dynamics of the Indian health-care sector. Health-care professionals may perceive and react differently to the retention strategies and policies of the HR system in the health-care sector and have more expectations of PC fulfilment that enhance their capability to use professional skills and resources in the realisation of their organisational goals.
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Avinash Chopra, Chandan Kumar Sahoo and Gokulananda Patel
This paper aims to investigate the relationship between employer branding (EB) and talent retention. The paper also analyses the mediating role of employee engagement in the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the relationship between employer branding (EB) and talent retention. The paper also analyses the mediating role of employee engagement in the association between EB and talent retention.
Design/methodology/approach
Partial least square structural equation modelling has been applied to carry out the analysis. The findings are based on the perceptions of IT professionals (n = 397) to assess the interrelationship between EB, employee engagement and talent retention.
Findings
The paper gives empirical insights on how employee engagement helps promote employer value offerings to the employee, which helps in the successful retention of employees. The results indicate that employee engagement partially mediates the association between EB and talent retention.
Practical implications
This study provides a clear direction to a diversity of practitioners working in IT firms. Building and maintaining sympathetic and emotional connections with co-workers, team leaders and higher managerial employees can help increase employee engagement. The findings can help business planners and managers focus their efforts on employer brand elements for successfully involving their workforce.
Originality/value
Authors believe this study is one of its kind to test the association between EB and talent retention mediated by the engagement level of employees. The present research study will help future academia delve into how EB can significantly impact the engagement and retention of existing employees.
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Oussama Saoula, Amjad Shamim, Norazah Mohd Suki, Munawar Javed Ahmad, Muhammad Farrukh Abid, Ataul Karim Patwary and Amir Zaib Abbasi
This study aims to examine the impact of website design, reliability and perceived ease of use as an engagement motivational factors on customer e-trust and e-retention in online…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the impact of website design, reliability and perceived ease of use as an engagement motivational factors on customer e-trust and e-retention in online shopping.
Design/methodology/approach
By using deductive approach, quantitative methods and purposive sampling technique, this study has collected the data from 295 young online customers to enhance an understanding of website design, reliability and perceived ease of use in an online shopping context.
Findings
The findings revealed interesting insights where reliability is the most significant predictor of customer e-trust in online shopping, followed by perceived ease of use and website design. In addition, a significant mediating effect of e-trust is found between customer e-retention, website design, reliability and perceived ease of use.
Research limitations/implications
Future research is recommended to predict the antecedents of online engagement motivational factors with value co-creation and co-creation experience in online shopping context.
Originality/value
This study offers fresh insights about driving elements and impediments of online customer retention. Customer engagement comprising of website design, reliability and perceived ease of use appear to influence the online customer retention through direct and indirect effect.
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Attia Aman-Ullah, Hadziroh Ibrahim, Azelin Aziz and Waqas Mehmood
This study aimed to examine the direct impact of work–life balance on employee retention and turnover intentions among doctors in Pakistan. Further, it also aimed to test the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to examine the direct impact of work–life balance on employee retention and turnover intentions among doctors in Pakistan. Further, it also aimed to test the mediating role of job satisfaction on these relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
This study's data were collected from 394 doctors working in public hospitals in Pakistan, using survey-based questionnaires and stratified random sampling technique. For data analysis, structural equation modelling was utilised to investigate the direct and indirect associations among the variables, while Statistical Software for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for data management.
Findings
Work–life balance was found to have a positive association with employee retention and a negative association with turnover intention. Results suggest that a fair work–life balance is a significant predictor of employee retention and turnover intention. Also, job satisfaction significantly mediated the relationship between work–life balance and employee retention and between work–life balance and turnover intention.
Research limitations/implications
This study's focus was limited to doctors working in public hospitals. Thus, future research can extend the scope to other segments such as nurses, paramedics and pharmacists from both public and private organisations.
Practical implications
Human resource (HR) executives can improve employee retention and turnover intentions through strategic implementation of work–life balance practices. Policymakers should stress upon hospitals to implement favourable working hours that are satisfactory to employees to reduce turnover intention.
Social implications
In the healthcare industry, suitable work–life balance strategies will help improve employees' lifestyle, which will positively impact their family and social relationships.
Originality/value
This study is expected to contribute to the existing healthcare literature in the context of Pakistan by explaining the process by which work–life balance affects employee retention and turnover intention. Specifically, job satisfaction is the mechanism that explains these relationships.
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Xi Zhang, Yihang Cheng, Juan Liu, Hongke Zhao, Dongming Xu and Yulong Li
Prosocial lending in online crowdfunding has flourished in recent years, and it has become a new way to fundraise for philanthropy. However, there is almost a 70% user attrition…
Abstract
Purpose
Prosocial lending in online crowdfunding has flourished in recent years, and it has become a new way to fundraise for philanthropy. However, there is almost a 70% user attrition rate in crowdfunding. The purpose of this study is to understand what the lender’s lending experience and social connection influence lender retention of online prosocial lending from a self-determination perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on self-determination theory (SDT), this research utilizes a quantifiable method for factors of the lender's lending experience and social connection. Additionally, the research constructs economic models to explore the impacts of these factors acting as the necessary conditions for basic psychological needs on lender retention, using a large-scale sample of over 380,000 lenders from Kiva.
Findings
The results indicate that, from the lender's lending experience aspect, the loan narratives with more profit language in the last lending and the failure of past participation are negatively related to lender retention. Regarding the lender's social connection aspect, their friends or small lending teams are positively related to lender retention, while whether they are invited and lending team size show negative influence. Furthermore, results indicate the moderating effects of the disclosure of lending motivation.
Originality/value
This research explores the mechanism of lender retention of online prosocial lending, providing a self-determination perspective about how previous experience influences long-term lending behavior. The study offers significant implications for the literature on online philanthropy, SDT and user retention of online platforms. At the same time, the study provides an understanding of the effects of different aspects of SDT.
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Zhiyong Li, Mang Long, Songshan (Sam) Huang, Zhaohan Duan, Yingli Hu and Rui Cui
This paper aims to examine the effect of consumer inertia – a tendency to adhere to prior purchase decisions despite the existence of preferable alternatives – on the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the effect of consumer inertia – a tendency to adhere to prior purchase decisions despite the existence of preferable alternatives – on the relationships between switching costs and customer retention, and explain the controversy within them in the context of budget hotels.
Design/methodology/approach
An empirical test was conducted via structural equation modelling based on 337 self-administered questionnaires from customers at six of Chinese popular budget hotels.
Findings
Consumer inertia was a significant mediator between switching costs and customer retention. Specifically, consumer inertia completely mediated the effects of financial switching costs on customer retention, but partially did between procedural switching costs and customer retention. By introducing consumer inertia, the explanatory power of customer retention improved significantly by 19%.
Originality/value
This paper clarifies the effects of multiple dimensions of switching costs on customer retention via the mediating role of consumer inertia and partly addresses the inconsistency in the prior studies from an inertia perspective.
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