BUSN4100 Research Proposal On Business Research Methods

• Introduction

The retention of talented workforce is considered as key way of fostering competitiveness and profitability of any specific organization. The same is true in case of health care sector, where worker’s motivation, behavior, attitude and talent serve as core for gaining excellence. It has been noted that when workers have behavioral and attitudinal issues, then they are likely to develop enhanced intention to quit the organization and their turnover can cause workforce issues within organization. Based on all these aspects, it is highly important for an organization to develop conditions for improving employees’ morale, commitment, satisfaction and organizational citizenship behavior, which can then lead to enhanced intentions of employees to stay in specific organization. The key role in this aspect is played by leadership style and leaders’ behavior, which are considered as preconditions for improving employees’ related outcomes in an organization. For instance, characteristics of democratic leader are considered as highly complied with positive employee behavior and attitudes within an organization. Based on these evidences, the underlying research plan has chosen to focus on investigating the association of leadership style with employee behavior and attitudes. The Attitude, Motivation and Opportunity model has been chosen as theoretical perspective for underlying the linkage of leader’s style with employee related outcomes. Finally, it has been noted that professional identity intervenes with style of leader and might change the outcomes related to employee behavior and attitude. 

• Summary of Literature, Hypotheses and Research Questions 

• Association of AMO and attitudinal outcomes

The positive attitudes of employees are substantially dependent of style of leaders. It has been noted by Avey, Wernsing and Luthans (2008) that nurturing of employees’ abilities by leaders of specific organization is likely to generate positive attitudes among employees towards their job. It indicates that rightly developed employees are highly motivated and such motivated workforce serves an as asset for organization, as they have higher level of commitment towards organization and possess organizational citizen behavior (Wald et al., 2015). These attributes of employee attitude are known as necessary factors for enhancing performance level of employees and thus contribute in assuring competitiveness of organization. Likewise, when employees receive prospects for development of their abilities and are motivated, but lack the opportunity to participate in decision making, then they might not develop positive attitudes towards their job (D'Amato and Herzfeldt, 2008). As addressed by Bos‐Nehles et al. (2013), employees in knowledge based organizations are eager to receive opportunity for implication of their knowledge and abilities at their job. When such opportunity is provided to employees, they feel valued and development commitment towards their job. The employees feel obligated and they make an effort to reciprocate through positive attitudes. The investment of employees is then witnessed in the form of enhanced work engagement and it leads to better employee performance. This linkage is highly substantial for health care sector, where enhancement of employee motivation, development of their abilities and provision of opportunity to participate are considered as key factors for raising performance standards of workforce (Avey, Wernsing and Luthans, 2008). Therefore, based on these evidences the first hypothesis of research is formulated which states; 

H1: There will be positive association of AMO with employees’ attitude.

The same linkage is being addressed by the first research question; 

RQ1. What is the impact of AMO (Ability, Motivation, and Opportunity) on attitudinal outcomes of employees?