Date of Conferral
2020
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Psychology
Advisor
Linda Talley
Abstract
A problem workplaces face is motivating their personnel and fostering employee commitment for all generational cohorts. These concepts have been studied in office settings; however, limited knowledge exists for United States street-level police officers. It is imperative to study the field of law enforcement, as it is one of the most stressful and dangerous occupations facing adversities and the expectation to maintain high motivation and performance standards to ensure safe communities. This study used a quantitative design with t-tests and regressions to examine whether there are differences in intrinsic and extrinsic motivation by generational cohort of police officers. Theoretical framework included self-determination theory, generational cohort theory, and organizational commitment theory. Participants (n = 216) completed an online survey including the Work Preferences Inventory and the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire. Results found that generational cohorts statistically differed in intrinsic motivation, but not extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation was associated with organizational commitment but did not differ by generational cohort. Extrinsic motivation and organizational commitment were associated, especially for Millennials. Social change implications include helping police agencies understand their diverse officers and increase employee motivation and commitment so agencies can provide quality services and run efficiently.
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Madysen Rose, "Motivation and Organizational Commitment Differences Between Generational Cohorts of United States Police Officers" (2020). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 9962.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/9962
