Personality Factors That Influence Administrative Assistants' Participation in Continuing Education and Training

Personality Factors That Influence Administrative Assistants’ Participation in Continuing Education and Training by Rose Friend Schmitt MEd, University of Central Florida, 1999 BS, University of Central Florida, 1986 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Management Walden University February 2017 Abstract Administrative assistants (AAs) provide critical office support for modern businesses, yet many do not participate in the continuing education and training (CE&T) required for rapidly changing technologies and new office procedures. The purpose of this nonexperimental quantitative correlational study was to investigate whether a significant predictive relationship exists between AAs’ general self-efficacy (GSE), locus of controlAdministrative assistants (AAs) provide critical office support for modern businesses, yet many do not participate in the continuing education and training (CE&T) required for rapidly changing technologies and new office procedures. The purpose of this nonexperimental quantitative correlational study was to investigate whether a significant predictive relationship exists between AAs’ general self-efficacy (GSE), locus of control (LOC), and their participation in CE&T activities. The primary research question examined whether a significant predictive relationship existed among these variables, factoring in generation cohort and education level. Bandura’s self-efficacy theory and Rotter’s LOC theory provided the theoretical foundations. Volunteer AAs (n = 125) from the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) answered online survey questions from the New General Self-efficacy Scale, the Adult NowickiStrickland Internal-External scale, and the Adult Training and Education Survey. Data analysis was descriptive and inferential, included regression and correlational analysis, and revealed no significant relationship between AAs’ GSE, LOC, and their participation in CE&T activities even when examining generation cohort and education level variables. Future researchers may conduct a similar study with a larger heterogeneous sample or a descriptive qualitative design that improves the understanding of the AA perspective. Because no significant relationships were identified within this IAAP branch, the findings in this study were unique and contradicted prior comparable research. Positive social change is maintained for those who participate with IAAP by successfully instilling virtues of lifelong learning of the administrative membership. Personality Factors That Influence Administrative Assistants’ Participation in Continuing Education and Training by Rose Friend Schmitt MEd, University of Central Florida, 1999 BS, University of Central Florida, 1986 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Management Walden University February 2017 Dedication Achieving a doctorate is not something that can be accomplished in isolation. As a passionate lifelong learner, I would like to dedicate this research to God and Jesus Christ; my husband, Michael; my children and their spouses; my grandchildren; my parents; and grandparents. I must begin my dedication by “giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20). I thank Him for giving me the patience and the persistence to complete the process. I also pray that He will guide the future course of my work so that others may recognize the importance of pursuing their dreams as lifelong learners. To Michael – I know that when we got married, my working toward a Ph.D. was an inconceivable idea. Now, after more than 45 years together, I thank you for always being by my side. Thank you for giving me the freedom to pursue this goal, even though you did not quite understand why I wanted it. To Steven, Heather, Scott, and Karina – thank you for supporting and encouraging me. Thank you for understanding when I could not visit you as often as I would have liked. Thank you for being a source of inspiration as I watched you grow and mature into adults. Thank you for being my children. To Emerson, Anna, and Henrietta (and any future grandchildren) – I hope my dissertation will inspire you to be all that you can be. As you grow, I promise to love you always and to be there to help you develop a true love of lifelong learning. Finally, I dedicate this research study to the memory of my parents, Charles Brown Friend and Evelyn Mason Friend, and to my grandparents, Charles and Dora Friend and Bill and Rose Mason. I hope you are proud of what your little girl has achieved. Acknowledgments Acknowledging the people who have helped me achieve this goal is a monumental task. First, I would like to thank my dissertation committee. Dr. Susan Jespersen, my mentor and first dissertation chair who started me down this path and Dr. Lilburn Hoehn (RIP), my first methodologist. Dr. Karla Phlypo, my mentor and final dissertation chair, thank you for encouraging and supporting me. Dr. Thomas Spencer, my final methodologist, thank you for taking on this job at the last minute and for keeping me out of statistical trouble. Dr. Kenneth Sherman, thank you for helping me make this a quality document. Also thanks to Dr. Yow for your help with the statistical analyses. I would like to thank all my siblings and their spouses who continued to encourage, applaud, push, and pray for me as I completed this journey: Carol and Donald Short; Charles and Karen Friend, Bill and Maureen (RIP) Friend; Mike and Ann Friend; and Bob Friend. Thanks also to all my nieces and nephews who cheered for me. I also have to thank my husband’s siblings: Linda and Ken Ruddock, Roger and Marian Schmitt, and Brian and Laurel (RIP) Schmitt. All of you have been supportive and nurturing when I sometimes struggled. I also want to thank Ann and Al Arnold, Mary Ann Beggs, Andy and Maureen Groome, Jan and Larry Madison, and all my JHU/APL, Jazzercise, and EG Sister friends who encouraged me, prayed for me, and fed me. A special thanks to Maureen Groome for being my dissertation editor. A special thanks to Mrs. Barbara Buck, my high school English teacher, who taught me to write well, to understand and analyze literature, and to persevere. Second, a big thank you to Ms. Melissa Prevatt (RIP), my Brevard Community College humanities instructor, who recognized my passion for learning, believed in my ability to achieve my goals, and inspired me to pursue my dreams. Teachers truly inspire the world, and I hope to follow your example. Finally, I want to acknowledge the individuals from the International Association of Administrative Assistants who participated in my dissertation study: the IAAP Certification Manager, the IAAP branch manager, and the branch members who participated in the study.