An application of the unfolding model to explain turnover in a sample of military officers

Abstract

Abstract Questionnaire data from 182Air Force officers who had voluntarily separated from the service were used to test Lee and Mitchell's (1994) unfolding model of voluntary turnover. Specifically, Lee and Mitchell predict five distinct paths to voluntary turnover, explaining the sequence of deliberate and impulsive decisions individuals make as they choose to leave organizations, where individuals interpret an organizational event, assess their relation to the workplace, evaluate options, and enact a response. Results indicate that 47% of the participants followed those five paths. Model modifications were made that reflect the unique nature of military service where members have preexisting plans to leave the service after a defined period or event.These modifications capture an additional 36% to explain 83% of the turnover decisions.The implications of these findings are addressed. ©2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.