Organizational Retention Capability Models: The Case of Autonomous Universities in Southern Philippines

 

This study attempted to develop a model establishing variables that cause teachers’ intention (TOI) to leave the university. Retention capability was determined by the strength of the causal relationship between the TOI and causal factors such as teachers’ affective commitment (AFC) and talent management practices of attracting (TMA), retaining (TMR), and engaging (TME). Perceived organizational support (POS) and organizational rewards (ORE) were also assumed to cause teachers’ decision to leave their universities. Considering the dearth of studies documenting faculty retention capability of higher education institutions in the Philippines, this study shall increase the understanding of paradigms that explain what could help higher education institutions enhance their retention capability over their faculty members. A normative survey was used to collect data from 207 randomly selected full-time teachers of two autonomous non-sectarian universities. The study employed a causal comparative analysis utilizing Path Analysis to confirm hypothesized models. Results indicate a good fit revealing significant paths for turnover intention (TOI), talent management retaining (TMR), talent management attracting (TMA) practices, and teachers’ affective commitment (AFC). However, the best fit model suggests that TOI is anchored on TMR supported by AFC and TMA. This finding further means that the stronger the institution’s talent management retention/attraction practices are and the greater the teachers’ affective commitment, the lesser the likelihood for teachers to leave the institution is and the higher the retention capability of the institution is. The study sees the need for the universities to strengthen talent management practices and nurture affective commitment among teachers to heighten the institutions’ retention capability.

 

Keywords: Turnover intention, faculty retention capability, talent management