Corporate reputation, generational cohorts, perceived organizational justice and employee retention in Kenyan state corporations
Abstract
Employee retention continues to be a great challenge for organizations around the
globe. This is in spite of the various generic retention efforts put in place by
organizations. Researchers have been engaged in debates over the matter and offered
suggestions on the need for organizations to seek new ways to salvage the situation.
The current study was founded on the resource based theory which espouses that
unique configuration of firm resources results to superior firm outcomes like employee
retention. Some researchers found that Corporate Reputation influenced Employee
Retention, while others suggested that the effect of Corporate Reputation on Employee
Retention was weak or did not exist at all. As a result, this study investigated the
relationship between Corporate Reputation and Employee Retention and how
Generational Cohorts and Perceived Organizational Justice singularly or jointly
moderated that relationship. It was guided by four objectives seeking to examine the
causal relationships between the variables in perspective. To achieve these objectives,
six hypotheses were tested. The review of literature provided conceptual and empirical
conclusions that anchored the study and guided the development of the conceptual
hypotheses. A descriptive cross sectional survey design was employed to a sample of
384 employees out of the targeted 205,430 employees in all the 210 Kenyan State
Corporations. The study realized a response rate of 71.3% which was deemed to be
good. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected using questionnaires and
desk review of relevant documents and reports. The data collection instrument was
tested for reliability and validity. The data analysis was undertaken by use of cross
tabulation, Pearson moment correlation and regression analysis, T- tests and ANOYA
tests. The study found that Corporate Reputation had a significantly strong positive
effect on Employee Retention. The study also found that Perceived Organizational
Justice positively and significantly influenced Employee Retention as well as
significantly moderating the relationship between Corporate Reputation and Employee
Retention. Generational Cohorts had a significant inverse relationship with Employee
Retention as well as strongly influencing the relationship between Corporate
Reputation and Employee Retention. The study also established that the joint
moderating role of Generational Cohorts and Perceived Organizational Justice on the
relationship between Corporate Reputation and Employee Retention was significant.
The study therefore places corporate reputation at the centre of HRM theoretical
framework as well as directing HRM policy and practice interventions. Future
researchers can concentrate on extending this study in other contexts particularly in
the private sector, replication in other geographical contexts, use other methodologies
like case studies, use of other data collection tools like the focused group discussions
and also engage other viable moderator variables in the relationship.
Citation
Joyce Daudi Nzulwa (2013). Corporate Reputation, Generational Cohorts, Perceived Organizational Justice And Employee Retention In Kenyan State Corporations. Doctor of Philosophy in Business AdministrationPublisher
University of Nairobi