Pilot study results

The data collected from 40 respondents were analysed using SPSS Statistics 20. The visual
inspection of the data did not reveal any distorted responses or missing values in the dataset.
Composite scores were created for five of the constructs such as employee engagement,
cognition-based trust, affect-based trust, psychological safety, and felt obligation by taking
averages of their observed variables. The standardised values (z scores) of the composite scores
of the constructs revealed three univariate outliers exceeding the critical value of 3.29, which
were removed from the dataset. As a result of cleaning the dataset from outliers, there were 37
cases available for further analysis.

Table 4.1 illustrates the demographic profile of the respondents. It provides demographic
information about the gender, race, marital status, highest education, age, and tenure with the
hospital. It can be noted that all the nurses who participated in the pilot study were females. All
of them belonged to the racial group Malay. The majority of the respondents were married
(78%). Most of the respondents had obtained a diploma-level education in nursing (81%). The
average age of the respondents was 31.9 years (SD = 5.65). Finally, the average tenure of the
respondents with the hospital was 9.2 years (SD = 4.93).

Table 4.1
Demographic
profile of
respondents in pilot
study

Demographic Category Frequency Percentage

variable
Gender Male
Female 37 100
Race Malay 37 100
Chinese
Indian
Other
Marital status Single 8 21.6
Married 29 78.4
Other
Highest education SPM/MCE
STPM/HSC
Diploma 30 81.1
Bachelor degree 7 18.9
Master degree
Doctorate degree
Other
Age (year) Mean SD
Tenure (year) 31.9 5.65
9.2 4.93

After examining the sample demography, descriptive statistics of the data were analysed. To have
an overall assessment of the pilot study data, it was necessary to examine the central tendency of
the data by computing means, and examine dispersion of the data by computing standard
deviations. To assess the strengths of relationships among the five constructs, Pearsons product
moment correlation coefficients were computed. Finally, to assess the internal consistency
reliability among the measurement items, Cronbachs alpha reliability was computed for the
measurement scale of each construct.

Table 4.2 provides the values of means, standard deviations, Cronbachs alpha reliability, and
correlation among employee engagement, cognition-based trust, affect-based trust, psychological
safety, and felt obligation. The values of the means and standard deviations are as expected. The
Cronbachs alpha reliabilities are above the threshold of .70 (Hair, Black, Babin & Anderson
2010), which indicate that items in all the measurement scales reliably captured their respective
latent constructs. In a similar manner, all the correlations among the constructs are statistically
significant and in the predicted direction.

Table 4.2 1 2 3 4
Means,
standard
deviations
, Alpha
reliability,
and
correlatio
ns
Mean SD Alpha

1. Employee 4.27 .38 .92

engagement

3.88 .43 .92 .45**

2. Cognition-
based trust

3.65 .42 .75 .45** .59***

3. Affect-
based trust

3.57 .47 .72 .38* .36* .63***

4.
Psycholo
gical
safety

3.89 .44 .82 .46** .33* .42** .41*

5. Felt
obligati
on

In sum, a pilot study was conducted to assess suitability of the survey questionnaire for final data
collection. The face validity test revealed that the instructions and questions given in the survey
questionnaire had clarity, the respondents did not find it difficult to understand them, and the
overall layout of the questionnaire was viewed as appropriate by the respondents. The statistical
analysis of the data obtained from 37 nurses from the intended sample also revealed that the
survey questionnaire was appropriate for data collection. Thus, based on the results of the pilot
study, the design of the survey questionnaire was considered as suitable to collect data required
to answer the research question.
Pilot Study

It is essential for the researcher to conduct a pilot study before administering the questionnaires
to the samples (Bryman & Bell 2011). Pilot study helps the researcher to determine the time
taken to complete the questionnaires, and to check the clarity of the instructions and the
questions (Bell 2010). In the present study, the main purpose of this pilot study is to validate the
measurements through face validity. The main advantage of face validity is it could
increases response rate, reduces missing data and helps in obtaining more valid
responses in final data collection (Schwab 2005). The pilot study was conducted at
the police department with a total number of 30 respondents. According to
Tharenou et al. (2007), the total number of respondents in a pilot study may range
from three to thirty.

In September 2013, the head of police force was contacted for conducting the pilot study at the
police departments. The head of the police force was given a short briefing about the purpose of
present study and sought his help to conduct the pilot study on thirty gazetted police officers. The
head of the police force agreed and allowed me to conduct the pilot study.

The questionnaires distribution process was done with the help of the head of police force as well
as my friends who are working in police departments. The respondents were briefed on the
purpose of the study and objectives of face validity test. They were asked to complete the
questionnaires without the time limitations. Based on the guidelines from Bell (2010), the
respondents were asked to give their opinion about the appropriateness and clarity of the
instructions and questions. They were also required to highlight any question that is difficult to
understand in the present study. The head of police force asked me to collect the questionnaires
after two weeks. Fortunately, all the questionnaires were returned with hundred percent response
rates.

Respondents had highlighted fourteen items that needed improvements in terms of the words
used. First, in perceived organizational support scale, the word organization has been changed to
department. The usage of department is appropriate because the operational structure in the
Royal Malaysia Police is based on specialized function through department with its own chain of
command. For example, each department is headed by an appointed commissioner of police with
specific objectives and purposes.

Second, in role breadth self-efficacy scale, two items were changed. For example, (1) I feel
confident in contacting people outside the company (e.g. suppliers, customers) to discuss
problems / (RBSE7) was changed to I feel confident in contacting other departments (e.g.
immigrations, customs) to discuss problems. It is because the terms such as suppliers and
customers are not applicable in police departments, and (2) I feel confident in contributing to
discussions about the companys strategy / (RBSE9) was changed to I feel confident in
contributing to discussions about the departments strategy. The word company was changed to
department.

Third, for OCB directed towards individuals scale, the word co-workers/employees were
changed to colleagues. The present study was conducted among gazetted police officers and the
usage of colleague is more appropriate than co-workers/employees. Table 4.1 shows the original
items and items that were improved based on the suggestions.

Table 4.1 Original items and items after improvements

Item Original item Item after

improvements
POS1 My organization My department
strongly considers strongly considers
my goals and values. my goals and values.
POS2 My organization My department really
really cares about my cares about my well-
well-being. being.
POS3 My organization My department
shows very little shows very little
concern for me. concern for me.
POS4 My organization My department
would forgive an would forgive an
 honest mistake on my honest mistake on my
part. part.
POS5 My organization My department cares
cares about my about my opinion.
opinion.
POS6 If given the If given the
opportunity, my opportunity, my
organization would department would
take advantage of me. take advantage of me.
POS7 Help is available Help is available
from my organization from my department
when I have a when I have a
problem. problem.
POS8 My organization is My department is
willing to help me willing to help me
when I need a special when I need a special
favor. favor.