JOB PREPARATION AND TURNOVER AMONG UNIVERSITY MUSIC DEPARTMENT CHAIRS AND BAND DIRECTORS.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible impacts of job preparation and administrative training, levels of compensation, psychological dispositions and various demographic factors on turnover among university and college music department chairpersons and band directors. A sample of 400 music departments was drawn from 1,307 four-year universities and colleges whose curricula included music and music education. Data from the survey questionnaire were used to measure turnover and were then compared with the variables thought to influence turnover. In order to rank the order of importance of each variable on turnover, the variables were clustered into four categories relating to turnover: preparatory, compensatory, psychological and demographic. Results of the analyses showed that the preparatory factors, including formal administrative training, number of earned degrees, management seminars and workshops, had more effect on turnover than the factors in the other three categories. Among those respondents with formal administrative training, turnover decreased as the amount of training increased. The more administrative training one had, the lower was the turnover rate. The psychological factors influencing turnover, i.e., job aspirations, job expectations and their status and the degree of job satisfaction, ranked second in order of importance among the clusters. The compensation or pay factors, sometimes thought of as being important to job satisfaction, were found to be less of an influence on turnover than either the preparatory or psychological factors among the respondents of this study. The demographic cluster of variables influencing turnover ranked lowest among the four clusters. Sex, race and age showed practically no relationship to turnover. Geographic location showed a moderate relationship to turnover. This study appears to have broken new ground. Sufficient evidence has been gathered, changes are suggested in the methods and curriculum for training music department chairpersons and band directors.