Degree Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership
Research Focus
The topic of my research is employee engagement in the healthcare industry, specifically looking at the impact of leadership and organizational culture on employee engagement.
Feasibility of Research Problem
The healthcare industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world, and employee engagement has been identified as a critical issue for healthcare organizations. Given the high cost of employee turnover and the impact of disengaged employees on patient outcomes, it is important to study the factors that contribute to employee engagement in this industry.
Problem Statement
Based on what is known in the literature, there is a significant gap in understanding the factors that influence academic success for first-generation college students. Despite efforts to address the challenges these students face, including low retention and graduation rates, limited access to resources, and a lack of social and cultural capital, many first-generation college students continue to struggle academically. While research has identified a variety of individual and institutional factors that may contribute to these challenges, there is a need for a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between these factors and how they impact academic success. In particular, there is a need for research that explores the role of institutional policies and practices, as well as the social and cultural context in which these policies and practices are implemented, in shaping the experiences and outcomes of first-generation college students. Understanding these complex and interconnected factors is essential for developing effective interventions and policies to support the academic success of first-generation college students.
Need for Study
Employee engagement has been linked to improved patient outcomes, higher job satisfaction, and reduced staff turnover. Given the high costs associated with employee turnover and the impact of disengaged employees on patient care, it is essential to identify the factors that contribute to employee engagement in healthcare organizations. By understanding how leadership and organizational culture impact employee engagement, healthcare organizations can implement strategies that promote engagement and ultimately improve patient outcomes.
Conceptual/Theoretical Framework
The conceptual framework that seems most promising to use in my research is the Job Demands-Resources model (JD-R). The JD-R model suggests that job demands and resources are two distinct aspects of the work environment that impact employee engagement. Job demands refer to the physical, psychological, and organizational aspects of the job that require sustained effort and are associated with psychological costs, such as stress and burnout. Job resources refer to the physical, social, and organizational aspects of the job that help employees achieve their goals and are associated with psychological benefits, such as motivation and engagement. By examining the job demands and resources in the healthcare industry, I can better understand how leadership and organizational culture impact employee engagement.
The seminal work for the JD-R model is “Job Demands and Job Resources as Predictors of Absenteeism and Presenteeism” by Arnold B. Bakker and Evangelia Demerouti (2007).
Significance
In the article “Exploring the Relationship between work engagement and turnover intention among healthcare professionals” by M. N. Ahmad et al. (2019), the authors found that work engagement was negatively related to turnover intention among healthcare professionals. This suggests that healthcare organizations can benefit from promoting employee engagement to reduce staff turnover. Examining the significant sections of articles helps me to understand how other researchers have demonstrated the importance of their findings and how I can do the same in my own proposal. I believe that my study will be significant to the healthcare industry by providing evidence-based recommendations for promoting employee engagement and reducing staff turnover, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
Defense of Article Selection
The ten articles I have selected are important to my understanding of the factors that contribute to employee engagement in the healthcare industry. They align with my research focus and are current and relevant. The articles were selected based on their relevance to my research question and their inclusion of empirical research. Each article provides important information about the relationship between leadership, organizational culture, and employee engagement, and together they provide a comprehensive understanding of the topic. Additionally, the articles were selected based on their quality, with each being peer-reviewed and published in reputable academic journals.