| Although "talented employees with unique knowledge and skills are increasingly being viewed as a valuable asset and a source of competitive advantage" in the private sector (Yukl, 2008, p. 710), identification, selection, and development of potential leaders are often inadequate or too late in public institutions (Bisbee, 2007). Studies have addressed the complexity of administrative roles and what makes mid-level administrators successful in their roles. Additional examination of mid-level professionals in academia is warranted, especially the use of human resource practices to improve their current roles and prepare them for more challenging senior executive positions.;The redesign of resources and programs is a struggle for public colleges, universities and community colleges as these institutions face challenges in keeping up with their private and for-profit counter parts (Evans & Chun, 2012). With human resource management (HRM) practices characterized as "human capital systems that leverage talent" (Evans & Chun, 2012, p. 45), an examination of whether there is a relationship between perceptions of HRM practices and turnover intentions of mid-level administrators in public doctorate-granting universities was the focus of this study. In addition, obtaining clarity on the mediating role played by perceived organizational support and organizational commitment was of interest (Allen, Shore, & Griffeth, 2003; Joarder et al., 2011).;Additional empirical evidence may better equip public doctorate-granting universities to reduce the turnover of its "unsung professionals" (Rosser, 2004, p. 317) by incorporating "different configurations or bundles of HRM practices" (Smeenk et al., 2006, p. 2035) suitable for their context and for maintaining "a competitive workforce" (Jo, 2008, p. 579). This study utilized a quantitative correlation approach to investigate the relationship between HRM practices and turnover intentions of mid-level administrators in public higher education institutions. Regression analysis was used to determine the predictive relationship among HRM practices, perceived organizational support, organizational commitment, and turnover intentions. |
