Career anchors : understanding differences among demographic groups at the Naval Postgraduate School

Abstract

Career anchor theory, initially conceptualized by Edgar Schein, is used in an exploratory analysis of demographic subgroups of military officers attending the Naval Postgraduate School. Demographic sub-groups were broken out by service affiliation (Marine Corps and the Navy), years of service (5-11 years and 12 or more years), and occupational type (operational occupation and support occupation). The data from the sub-groups shows that there are differences based on these demographic variables. A web-based survey of 34 items was taken by a sample of 130 students. Cronbachαs coefficient alpha, Pearsonαs correlation, and factor analyses were used to estimate the convergent and discriminant validity of the scales. Survey items were chosen to represent the following nine career anchors: technical-functional, security/stability, autonomy/independence, managerial, creativity, ideology, challenge, identity and warrior. Items also were included to measure willingness to leave the organization and career satisfaction. Career anchor theory was chosen for its potential benefits in recruiting and retention efforts. The discussion section of this thesis focuses on the implications of career anchor theory for the military based on the differences with the demographic subgroups, constraints on the current study, and suggestions for future research.