HCBE Theses and Dissertations
Campus Access Only
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Date of Award
2009
Document Type
Dissertation - NSU Access Only
Degree Name
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
Department
H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship
Advisor
Frank Cavico
Committee Member
Timothy McCartney
Committee Member
Albert Williams
Abstract
This study examines the aspect of retention of healthcare executives in both a military and civilian environment and the relationship of ethical values to commitment in these respective organizational entities. The military differs from the civilian sector in that they recruit, train, and mold most of their medical service corps officer leadership; whereby civilian healthcare organizations largely depend on personnel accessions that require only minimal orientation in a hospital or clinic after completion of their university or military training. Regardless of whether a healthcare professional initially is accessed through the military or civilian sectors, the aspect of retention is of critical importance in the threat environment found today. Indeed, when one factors in different generational groups, it is important also to review the relationship between ethical values or commitment to both the military or civilian organizational models. Collectively, the challenge is to staff healthcare entities with committed healthcare managerial professionals in their respective organizations in order to meet an unprecedented threat and associated healthcare challenge to U.S. military and civilian populations. At this critical time in the nation's history, the U.S. cannot afford to lose a battle of attrition in either the military or civilian healthcare administration sectors. The U.S. military currently finds itself in the throes of a retention crisis resulting from extensive change. The changes include downsizing and re-engineering, reduction of benefits and rewards, and the effect of economic factors. Retaining medical professionals is an ongoing challenge, both in the military and civilian healthcare arenas. This dissertation will add to the body of knowledge and seek whether there is a statistically significant relationship between military ethical values and organizational commitment in the U.S. Air Force/Air Reserve Forces medical service corps/executive management personnel. Furthermore, it examines healthcare executives among different generational classifications of civilian and military personnel (Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Post Generation X), to see if there is a statistically significant relationship between military ethical values and organizational commitment. All survey data was recorded in a Microsoft Excel database for organization, retrieval, and transfer to Microsoft Word and SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) database.
NSUWorks Citation
Richard Joseph Conwell. 2009. Retention by the U.S. Air Force Medical Service Corps and Civilian Healthcare Executives: A Generational Study of the Relationship of Ethical Values to Organizational Commitment. Doctoral dissertation. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship. (20)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/hsbe_etd/20.