Masters Theses

Date of Award

8-2007

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Industrial Engineering

Major Professor

Denise F. Jackson

Committee Members

Charles H. Aikens, Rapinder S. Sawhney

Abstract

Employee retention is critical to an organization’s competitive position. Employees are resources; and a “good” employee is a valuable asset. From a system’s perspective, employees are critical elements that are needed to ensure the output can be produced effectively and efficiently. Thus, management of this resource is critical for a company’s success. Maintaining a stable workforce in the boat manufacturing industry is a challenge. This is especially true in the assembly area where the average job is unskilled and not considered a career position. The purpose of this study is to identify the individual and organizational factors that contribute to high turnover in the boating industry. This study investigates employee perceptions about the work and management based on a satisfaction survey; and identifies which factors create the most dissatisfaction and lead to turnover.

The study used the survey method to collect data from assembly workers of four different companies in the boating industry. A 32-item survey, which measures attitudes and perceptions about the organization, was developed and administered by HR specialists at each company. Results showed that encouragement of suggestions, communication, and involvement in the change process had the greatest impact on employees’ perceptions of a company’s long-term success and those perceptions are highly influential in predicting voluntary exit.

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