The Relationship Between Role Variables and Turnover Intentions Among IT Professionals: An Examination of Moderating Effects

Abstract

Results from prior studies have indicated that role ambiguity and role conflict are sometimes directly related to turnover intentions among information technology professionals, but sometimes they are not. The purpose of this research is to provide possible explanations for these discrepant results. This study hypothesized that the relationships between role variables and turnover intentions are moderated by (a) achievement need strength and (b) organizational tenure. These hypotheses were tested using data from a questionnaire survey. The results showed that achievement need strength moderates the relationship between role variables and turnover intentions, and organizational tenure moderates the relationship between role ambiguity and turnover intentions. One implication of these results is that moderating variables may help to clarify inconsistent findings in prior research. Another implication is that employers should take into consideration the effects of moderating variables when designing retention strategies.