MWR PROGRAMS AND READINESS LINKS: 2003 UPDATE

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MWR PROGRAMS AND READINESS LINKS 2003 UPDATE
16 December 2003
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Background

• Previous work (Caliber,1995) examined
  literature highlighting relationships between MWR
  (Morale, Welfare and Recreation) programs and
  military readiness
• Milestones of the 1995 Caliber report
• Created a taxonomy of MWR programs
• Defined readiness
• Specified a model of MWR Readiness
  relationships based on findings from civilian
  and military literature.

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Background

• The MWR Programs and Readiness Links 2003
  Update
• Reviews and revises the taxonomy of MWR programs
  and readiness definitions
• Integrates post-1995 research, including findings
  from the private sector, I/O psychology and
  organizational behavior, and military studies
• Updates the MWR and Readiness Linkages Model.
• Sources include refereed periodicals, DoD
  technical reports, business and industry
  publications and web-based resources.

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Model Definitions MWR Programs

• MWR programs are collapsed into the following
  categories (for the purpose of model simplicity)
• Athletics
• Outdoor Recreation
• Family Services/Activities
• General MWR
• All categories are maintained from 1995 report
  with the exception of arts and crafts.
  (Evaluation or research literature unavailable
  for arts and craft programs).

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Model Definitions Readiness

• Unit cohesion
• Includes morale, teamwork, and esprit de corps
• Fitness
• Includes both physical and mental fitness
• Technical Competence
• Includes both job-specific and non-job-specific
  task proficiency
• Discipline
• The degree to which negative behavior, such as
  substance abuse at work, law or rule infractions,
  and excessive absenteeism is avoided.

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Model Definitions Readiness

• Motivation/Effort
• - The consistency of an individuals day-to-day
  work effort and frequency with which he/she
  engages in Organizational Citizenship Behaviors
  (OCBs), such as doing more than required,
  working under adverse conditions, etc.
• Preparedness
• - The extent to which soldiers report that they
  are prepared to deploy and effectively
  accomplish the Army mission
• Commitment
• - The strength of an individuals
  identification with and involvement in the work
  organization (includes allegiance,
  determination, and intent to remain in the
  Army).

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Model Definitions Intermediate Outcomes

• Job Satisfaction
• - The extent to which an individual derives
  pleasure from a job or experiences on the job
• Skill Building
• - The development or enhancement of the
  knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) required
  to perform job-specific and non-job-specific
  tasks
• Family Adaptation
• - The outcome of the efforts by Army
  members and their families to manage the demands
  of Army life and to work together as a team in
  meeting Army expectations while achieving
  individual and collective goals.

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MWR and Readiness Linkages Model 2003 Update
Exhibit 1 The Updated Model
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Results MWR and Readiness Linkages Model 2003
Update

• Differences between individual and unit readiness
• Sub-components of existing readiness dimensions
• Unit Cohesion
• Organizational Commitment
• Motivation/Effort
• Findings from the recent literature
• Variables unique to the 2003 update
• - Perceived Organizational Support
• - Efficacy

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Differences between Individual and Unit Readiness

• Unit readiness and individual readiness are
  related, but unit readiness is not simply the sum
  of individual readiness
• Aggregate, unit-level measures may mask
  differences in individual readiness
• Unit-level factors (e.g., cohesion, climate,
  etc.) provide a context that influences
  individuals and their personal readiness
• MWR programs can potentially impact both unit and
  individual readiness.

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Differences between Individual and Unit Readiness
Exhibit 2 Example of Potential
Interrelationships Between Model Variables
Individual Readiness Dimensions
Commitment
Individual Readiness Dimensions
Fitness
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Subcomponents of Existing Readiness Dimensions

• Cohesion subcomponents include
• Social cohesion bonds based on social factors
  such as interpersonal attraction or shared
  physical/emotional characteristics
• Task cohesion bonds based on shared commitment
  to the accomplishment of group tasks.
• Commitment subcomponents include
• Normative commitment adoption of
  organizational or group values and norms
• Affective commitment emotional linkage to the
  organization or group
• Continuance commitment fear of the costs of
  leaving
• Motivation/Effort subcomponents include
• - Organization citizenship behaviors
  (OCBs).

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Subcomponents of Existing Readiness Dimensions
Exhibit 3 Subcomponents of Readiness Dimensions
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Subcomponents of Existing Readiness Dimensions
Exhibit 3 Example of the Role of Subcomponents
in the Revised Model
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Findings from the Recent Literature

• Direct Linkages
• Involve studies of military populations
• Involve military MWR or other Quality of Life
  (QoL) programs
• Based on studies that report direct (i.e.,
  unmediated) relationships between MWR and one or
  more readiness dimensions or subcomponents
• Exclude studies that do not demonstrate
  methodological rigor (e.g., random sample
  selection, reasonable response rates, unbiased
  instruments, etc.)
• Indirect Linkages
• Include military studies showing mediated
  relationships between MWR and readiness
• Include all the civilian or private sector
  literature reviewed for the report.

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Findings from the Recent Literature Direct Links
Exhibit 4 Direct Links between MWR and Readiness
- MWR programs, in general, are related to
most readiness dimensions - MWR
programs focused on family services/activities
are related to commitment and preparedness
- MWR recreation and athletic programs are
related to fitness.
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Findings from the Recent Literature Direct Links

• Example MWR Programs Commitment Studies
  providing evidence of this direct link
• - MWR programs are associated with
  intent to reenlist among Marines (Kerce,
  1996)
• - Shipboard leadership reports MWR
  impacts commitment. A majority of those
  satisfied with Navy MWR report MWR
  impacts commitment (Kennett, 1999)
• - Satisfaction with MWR is related to
  continuance commitment.
  Spending on MWR results in positive return on
  investment (Koopman Goldhaber, 1997).

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Findings from the Recent Literature Indirect
Links

• Links between Intermediate Outcomes and MWR or
  Readiness
• - MWR programs, in general, are related to
  satisfaction with military life
• - Youth services programs are related to
  skill building among youth
• - Family services/activities are related to
  satisfaction with military life and to
  family adaptation
• - Family adaptation is related to
  preparedness
• - Skill building is related to technical
  competence
• - Job satisfaction is related to
  motivation/effort and to
  commitment
• - Readiness components are interrelated
  (e.g., unit cohesion is related to
  motivation motivation/effort is related to
  commitment).

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Findings from the Recent Literature Indirect
Links

• Links between private sector employee
  programs and organizational outcomes
• - Work-life programs aimed at balancing
  work and family roles are related to
  commitment, motivation/effort, and job
  satisfaction
• - Employee assistance programs (EAPs) are
  related to discipline
• - Employee fitness and wellness programs
  are related to fitness, discipline, and
  commitment

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Findings from the Recent Literature Indirect
Links
Exhibit 5 Links between private sector
employee programs and organizational outcomes
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Variables Unique to the 2003 Update

• Perceived Organizational Support (POS)
• - A global belief on the part of
  employees concerning the extent to which
  the organization values their contributions
  and cares about their well-being
• - Represents an additional mediator
  between MWR and readiness
• - Emerging literature links POS with
  commitment, job satisfaction,
  motivation/effort, and other readiness
  dimensions
• - POS is negatively related to absence and
  turnover intentions
• - Few military studies employ or measure
  POS.

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Variables Unique to the 2003 Update
Exhibit 6 Linkages of POS with MWR, Intermediate
Outcomes and Readiness Dimensions
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Variables Unique to the 2003 Update

• Efficacy
• - Beliefs held by an individual
  (self-efficacy) or by a group
  (collective efficacy) about their ability to
  complete a task
• - Represents an additional mediator between
  MWR and readiness
• - Those who report higher self-efficacy react
  less adversely to physical and
  psychological stress, and contribute greater
  effort
• - MWR programs/activities that contribute to
  soldiers knowledge, skills and abilities
  (KSAs) may enhance self and collective
  efficacy.

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Variables Unique to the 2003 Update
Exhibit 7 Linkages between Efficacy, MWR,
Intermediate Outcomes and Readiness Dimensions
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Conclusions

• Military QoL programs, including Army MWR,
  enhance perceived organizational support (POS)
  among military Service members and their families
• POS, in turn, impacts a number of readiness
  dimensions, including discipline,
  motivation/effort, and commitment.

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Conclusions

• MWR programs in general, and family support
  programs in particular, positively impact family
  readiness and family adaptation
• These variables, in turn, influence individual
  and unit readiness.

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Conclusions

• Through their influence on soldiers job
  satisfaction, MWR programs can impact readiness
  by helping to foster organizational citizenship
  behaviors
• Most employee programs shown to positively impact
  organizational outcomes in the civilian sector
  have a military counterpart within Army MWR
  programs.

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Limitations of the Study and Next Steps

• Inferences from civilian sector studies are only
  valid to the extent that civilian programs and
  populations are similar to those found in the
  Army
• Linkages do not speak to the strength of the
  relationships
• Not all programs may be linked, even indirectly,
  to readiness.
• No evidence exists in the absence of research.
  Additional research (e.g., program evaluations,
  meta-analysis) is needed on the effectiveness of
  MWR.