The Impact of Smartphone Technology on The Self-efficacy and Job Satisfaction of Financial Managers

For purposes of this study, the research question proposed would be as follows: What type of impact does the use of smartphone technology have on the financial manager as related to their job satisfaction? Is there an increase of self-efficacy that is evident with the group that had access to the smartphone devices, and what caused the increase? Did they feel more self-sufficient, or does the device seem to be just a distraction to the group, and not truly increase their feeling of self-efficacy and satisfaction?

The following pages will detail the population, methodologies to be utilized and the data collection and activities necessary to properly analyze data and respond to the question proposed at the end of Part I of this assignment, as well as the recap of the proposed study question documented in the attached abstract.

Population

Population for this study will be 120 financial managers all of which are based in banking and mortgage financial institutions located in the Central Florida area. These managers will be divided into two equal groups of sixty (60) participants each for a controlled, and experimental group. During the selection process, special attention should be given to the financial institution selection so that those involved will be from locations that have similar customer load, similar number of support staff, and are involved in similar type transactions. Study leaders should also take into consideration the age and ethnic backgrounds of those managers selected to secure test groups that take into all factors.

Data Collection

Data collection for this study will take several different forms. For the quantitative study, it will be crucial to ensure that those involved are monitored and that the situations that are occurring around them are accurately recorded (Bettany-Saltikov, 2014). The use of smartphone devices, and how this affects their ability to increase their self-efficacy and job satisfaction will need to be qualified, as to not consider any of the device use that may not be job related. Data analyzation will be extensive and time and process will need to be structurally organized and method determined prior to start of the research study so that the method for participants to properly record this type of information is done in a method that will allow for proper analyzing. Number of hours the financial manager works, versus the client volume, the amount of time that smartphone technology is utilized should be recorded, as well as information on what the device was specifically utilized for. Survey at the end of the study period would then need to consider questions that would allow for proper gathering of information that relates to how the financial manager feels at the end of each shift, to compare this feeling between the controlled and experimental group, and the relation to the use of the smartphone device.

Study Conditions

Conditions that are related to the study should include consideration of the following items:

Review and recording of demographics (gender, age, socio-economic, cultural) information of the financial managers that are participating in the study. When groups are divided between experimental and controlled these demographics should be considered so that an equal sampling is included in each group.

Financial managers when selected should be from a sampling of locations that are similar in volume and client needs, as well as dealing with similar type financial products to provide a scenario where information cannot be skewed if there are higher stress environments versus others.

Financial managers in each of the experimental and control groups should be equally distributed at each location so that the comparison of the two can be made per location, as well as all those involved in the study.

Study Activities

Financial managers should not be given details as to what is being measured between the controlled and experimental groups. (i.e. financial managers should not be informed about the self-efficacy, and job satisfaction aspects) so that data collected during the end of survey cycle is not skewed in any manner (Poggenpowel, Myburgh, 2001).

Specific guidelines should be given to each participant regardless of group affiliation as to how to record their interactions and use of technology.

If staff is available for those conducting study, benefits of observation will be crucial in this study to verify how the interactions and the mood etc. of each manager changes between the two groups when presented with similar situations.

Conclusion

At the conclusion of the study, the benefits should be apparent as to the results of a quantitative study versus a qualitative study. In this type of environment and the type of information that is being collected the true definition of a quantitative study will be apparent (Campbell, D.T., 1986). The observations that are collected by those conducting the study will be apparent and analyzing of this data will be essential in compiling the information and taking into account whether self-efficacy, and job satisfaction is increased if the financial manager is apparent when the use of smartphone is utilized.