Social Networks and Job Satisfaction of Nurses by Yang, Lai, Chao, Chen, & Wang
“Social Networks and Job Satisfaction of Nurses” by Yang, Lai, Chao, Chen, & Wang
Statistics
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Analysis of Research Study Paper
In this research paper review, the analyst reviewed a research study by Yang, Lai, Chao, Chen, & Wang that attempted to investigate the relationship between “Social Networks and Job Satisfaction of Nurses”. The researchers base their research on Taiwan social networks and the job satisfaction of the Taiwan healthcare system nurses. The researchers hypothesized a positive relationship between strong networks and proficient employee management where they advance a hypothesis that adding a social networking system would have a positive impact by improving the level of the nurses’ job satisfaction. By arguing that the informal networks are imperative to a satisfying work setting, the researchers then aim to identify the predictors of nurses’ job satisfaction and “depict the overlapped formal and informal network” (698). In addition to analyzing the relationship between the job satisfaction of nurses and inclusion of social network into the system, the researchers also incorporated the subject of determinants of job satisfaction and the propensity to connect with others as subjects of relevance to their study. For that reason, the three notable variables in the study are job satisfaction as the dependent variable, nomination of social network, and the propensity to connect with others as the other independent and covariate variables respectively. The research questions are also well identified, although in the end the study seems to be investigating more than the research questions were intended to cover.
With respect to research methodology, one observation that is noticeable throughout the study is the philosophical rationale that the researchers base their framework in investigating the subject of the study. They assume measurability of the variables under study and thus adopt a systematic quantitative research design. The main tool employed in the study to collect information or data is the questionnaire. The questionnaire used by the researchers incorporates other scales, which help it in achieving the desired objective of collecting data. For instance, there was a nine-item scale for collecting data relating to Propensity to connect with others. Additionally, a 5- point Likert scale was then used in the study to measure all the items. Nevertheless, the researchers fail to give the method used in selecting the participants even though they point out that the participants gave written consent as proof of voluntary participation.
Besides the questionnaires, the researchers also employed the use of surveys in assessing the factors that determine job satisfaction of nurses. However, as observed above, it may not be easy to scrutinize the appropriateness of the adopted design for two main reasons. First, the researchers fail to provide a rationale for the design they chose. Secondly, there is inadequate disclosure of the methodology employed in the study as it can be seen, for instance, that sampling procedures used are unclear. Despite the inadequate disclosure, it is revealed that only female nurses participated of which 55.2% were married. As a fact, it has been known that both female and male employees exhibit varied levels of job satisfaction. For this reason, generalizability of the results of the study is also a subject of concern.
Statistical procedures applied in the study include, reliability, measurement and analysis of the data. In relation to the reliability of the measurement, the researchers achieved a Cronbach’s measure of internal consistency of 0.86 to 0.89. This is a good range and would give a strong justification for the measurement used. This is of course if it is taken into account that typically, for explorative studies like this a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.7 is set as a threshold. Regression analysis was used in assessing the relationship between job satisfaction and other variables.
Since the variables were measured on a multi-level basis, each variable analyzed through regression was subjected to the regression analysis against other covariate variables. This brings a stream of complex relationship where so many variables were subject of measurement (703). The researchers also used graphs to present the results of their analysis particularly where they assessed the relationship between job satisfaction and advice network and the relationship between job satisfaction and friendship network.
In the results and findings, the study found that there are varied levels of relationships between job satisfaction and various aspects of the independent and covariate variables. Even though most of the various aspects of the variables exhibited positive relationship with job satisfaction, there are others that were found to have negative relationship.
Based on careful analysis of the study, it can be concluded that the researchers undertook a systematic study but spend much time defending the reliability and validity of the instruments rather than expounding on the philosophical basis upon which they built their study or thoroughly investigating the relevance of their hypothesis. For this reason, and the fact that many other variables are introduced into the study, the hypothesis does not strongly defend the study. The study, however, succinctly answered question two where it identified the factors that predict job satisfaction of nurses.
Reference:
Yang H., Lai Y., Chao W., Chen S. & Wang M. (July 2007) Social Networks and Job Satisfaction of Nurses; WSEAS Transactions on Communications, 8 (7): 698-707. Accessible online from URL: HYPERLINK “http://www.wseas.us/e-library/transactions/communications/2009/29-493.pdf” http://www.wseas.us/e-library/transactions/communications/2009/29-493.pdf
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