Assessment of Work Meaning: An Automotive Manufacturing Exploratory Survey Using Steger's Model.

Date of Award

Spring 2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

Committee Chair

Blake Renner

Committee Member

Leo Sedlmeyer

Committee Member

Steven Hess

Abstract

The study used a survey-based design relying on Steger's three-factor Work and Meaning Inventory instrument in the hopes of producing a baseline method to measure work meaning levels within an automotive manufacturing site for operators. Data was collected from operators at the manufacturing research site during shift change with a paper survey, with a 63.6% participation rate. Included within the survey were demographic questions about race, job longevity, and education level. The data was subjected to chi-squared tests and an exploratory factor analysis. The main finding was that Steger's three-factor model collapsed into two factors for the operator population. Greater good motivations remained intact; however, meaning-making through work and positive meaning joined to create one factor called individual motivation. The finding changed the conceptual framework where initially it showed connections greater good motivations to spirituality, meaning making through work to work and company, and positive meaning to personal motivation. The revised framework has the following connections: greater good motivations to spirituality and individual motivations to both work and company and personal motivation. The other findings were that work meaning did not have a relationship with either job longevity or education level. The finding will allow the removal of demographic questions for future surveys with operators. Job longevity and education level had a significant relationship. The finding points the facility toward understanding the connection and developing methods to increase longevity.

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