The work ethic of contingent workers : a demographic analysis

Author

Barbara Herndon Williamson

Date of Award

8-1997

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Human Ecology

Major Professor

Gregory C. Petty

Committee Members

Ernest Brewer, Peter Dean, John Peters

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to examine differences in work ethic among contingent workers based on the demographic variables of employment type, occupational classification, age, gender, education, race, marital status and dependent caregiver status. The sample was comprised of 285 contingent workers employed in two large businesses in East Tennessee. The Occupational Work Ethic Inventory (OWEI), which is comprised of four subscales (ambitious, considerate, cooperative, and dependable,/em>), and self-reported demographic information provided the source of data. A multivariate analysis of variance, using Hotelling's Trace, was used to test the eight null hypotheses. If significant differences were indicated, a univariate analysis determined on which of the four OWEI subscales the significant differences occurred. Tukey's Honestly Significant Difference (HSD) post-hoc test identified the specific levels of significant differences on groups with two or more levels. The mean scores were compared when there were only two levels. The null hypotheses were tested using a significance level of .05. Findings indicated no significant differences in work ethic among contingent workers based on employment type, age, gender, race, and dependent caregiver status. However, a multivariate analysis indicated significant differences based on occupational classification, education, and marital status. For occupational classification, a univariate analysis of variance indicated that work ethic of contingent workers differed significantly based on the ambitious subscale. A Tukey's HSD indicated that the ambitious mean scores of Group 1 (administrative, engineering, scientific, teaching, and related occupations, including creative artists), were significantly higher than were the ambitious mean scores of Group 6 (operators, fabricators, and laborers). For educational level, a univariate analysis of variance indicated significant differences on the ambitious and dependable subscales. A Tukey's HSD indicated that respondents with Less than a High School Diploma had significantly lower mean scores on the ambitious subscale than did respondents with a Bachelor's Degree and above, and that respondents with a High School Diploma or GED scored significantly higher on the dependable,/em> subscale than did respondents with a Bachelor's degree and above. For marital status, a univariate analysis of variance indicated significant differences on the considerate, cooperative, and dependable,/em> subscales. A comparison of mean scores indicated that married respondents had significantly higher mean scores on the cooperative, considerate, and dependable subscales than did their single counterparts. Based on the findings, and within the limitations of the study, it was concluded that employment status, age, gender, race and dependent caregiver status are not determinants of work ethic among contingent workers; however, occupational classification, level of education and marital status are indicators of differences in work ethic.