The Moderating Role of Perceived Organizational Support on the Relationship between Job Satisfaction and Turnover Intention among Academic Staff of Private Universities in Malaysia

Abstract

This current study aims to examine the predictive role of job satisfaction on turnover intention and to identify the moderating role of perceived organizational support on the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intention among academic staff for private universities in Malaysia. This research adopted a quantitative method, and the population of this study was the academic staff of private universities in Malaysia, private universities selected in this current study are 65 private universities from 4 (four) major states there are Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, and Perak. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires by using the adapted scale of Turnover Intention Scale (TIS-6), Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), and Survey of Perceived Organizational Support (SPOS). A total of 415 cases were collected and 327 cases were used in actual study analyses. The collected data examined through SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) version 25 and PROCESS Macro version 3.5 by Hayes. The results showed that job satisfaction negatively predicts turnover intention. Furthermore, from moderation analysis using PROCESS macro version 3.5 by Hayes (2018), it was found that perceived organizational support moderates the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intention. This finding further validated the phenomenon that perceived organizational support would moderate the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intention and concludes that academic staff who perceiving their organization to be caring and supportive for their welfare, will tend to be effectively satisfied with their organization and despite their intention to leave their organizational setting. This study provides valuable information for new understanding and offered references for future researchers who focus on turnover intention which involved perceived organizational support as a moderator in private universities context.