Socio-demographic Predictors of Job Involvement of Rice Mill Workers in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Abstract

This survey examines the socio-demographic predictors of job involvement
of three hundred and thirty-nine rice mill workers in Abakaliki, Ebonyi
State, Nigeria. The aim is to show how the basic socio-demographic elements
correlate with job involvement thereby enhancing productivity. A sample of
301 (24.7%) participants was selected out of a population of 1217 workers
using the Taro Yamane's formula. The stratified and simple random sampling
techniques are used to select the respondents. Data are generated through a
19-item structured questionnaire administered to the respondents. The
Spearman Rank Order Correlation (Spearman rho) is used to test seven
hypotheses in the study at 0.01 alpha levels. Anchored on Vroom’s expectancy
theory, the study presupposes that high job involvement occurs when workers
expectations are met and low job involvement occurs when workers
expectations are not met. Four socio-demographic variables (age, gender,
marital status and job type) negatively correlate with job involvement, while
the other three variables (education, tenure and pay/salary) positively
correlate with job involvement. Finally, the study recommends that
organisations, employers, or managers should earnestly target and promote
job involvement by especially enhancing the education and salary of workers.