PERSONALITY FACTORS AS DETERMINANTS OF TURNOVER INTENTION AMONG LECTURERS IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF AFFECTIVE COMMITMENT

Abstract

This study was carried out mainly on personality factors as determinants of turnover intention among lecturers in Nigerian Universities: the mediating role of affective commitment. Descriptive research design of survey type was adopted for this study and the sample was selected using multistage sampling procedure. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 3,000 participants across the selected Federal and State Universities. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select lecturers from faculties and colleges. Researcher-structured Turnover Intention Scale (r = 0.76), an adapted Personality Factors Scale (r = 0.71), and Affective Commitment Scale (r = 0.74) were used for data collection. Data collected were analysed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient for hypotheses 1 and 2, regression was used to test the hypotheses 3 while PROCESS-macro with BC Bootstrap with regression estimates were used for mediation effects of the variables on the established relationships at 0.05 alpha level. A negative relationship was found between extraversion (r = -.046; p < 0.05), neuroticism (r = -.051; p < 0.05) and openness to experience (r = -.032; p < 0.05) and turnover intention while positive relationship was established between agreeableness (r = .228; p < 0.05) and conscientiousness (r = .189; p < 0.05) and turnover intention. A negative significant relationship was found between personality factors and affective commitment (r = -.046; p < 0.05). The study further revealed that personality factors highly contribute (? = .050) to turnover intention among lecturers. Further, affective commitment partially mediates between personality factors and turnover intention (F-ratio = 2625.8682, p = .0000, R² = .5623). The study concluded majorly that personality factors significantly relate with turnover intention and affective commitment of lecturers in Nigeria universities and that personality factors have significant relative influence on turnover intention of lecturers in Nigeria universities but affective commitment is a partial mediator between personality factors and turnover intention in this study. It is recommended that due to the important roles being played by the younger and more experienced lecturers, public universities owners should provide attractive facilities and make the universities’ environments more conducive for them in order to discourage turnover intention.

Keywords:           Personality Factors, Turnover Intention, Affective Commitment.