Organizational Conditions Affecting Withdrawal Intentions and Decisions as Moderated by Work Experience

Abstract

Numerous studies of withdrawal from work organizations have considered demographic and other personal history characteristics of leavers. Relatively few of these studies have incorporated dynamic situational characteristics in their designs. In the present effort, the relationship between perceived characteristics of the work environment and stated intentions to reenlist were examined for two groups of first-term Navy enlistees: 198 with less than one year of active duty and less than six months of sea duty, and 516 personnel with more than one year of active duty and more than six months of sea time. It was hypothesized that: (a) the relationship between organizational conditions and intent to reenlist would be weaker for new members than for experienced men, (b) that new personnel would be most likely to change their intentions over time, and (c) that new personnel would quickly assimilate the beliefs, values, and perspectives of their more experienced co-workers. Hypothesis 1 was not supported although the pattern of relationships was in the predicted direction. Hypotheses 2 and 3 were supported. The authors discuss the need for research which emphasizes the impact of initial expectation and organizational socialization on the withdrawal decision process.