Graduation Semester and Year
Summer 2025
Language
English
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Management Science
Department
Information Systems and Operations Management
First Advisor
Edmund Prater
Abstract
This study investigates the phenomenon of quiet quitting and turnover intention among working Generation Z students in the U.S. and Taiwan. Using the cross-sectional study design, data were collected from over 500 participants from the U.S. and 69 from Taiwan. This study uses Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and multiple regression to examine the predictive power of key workplace factors— emotional exhaustion, supervisory support, incentives, job satisfaction, and workplace environment—on both employee disengagement and turnover intention.
The results show that emotional exhaustion has a notable mediating effect in the relationship between job satisfaction and quiet quitting, and between supervisor support and quiet quitting. Further, the study confirmed that quiet quitting is a valid predictor of turnover intention. It solidifies its status as a behavioral antecedent of organizational leaving. Finally, cross-cultural differences were observed in the measurement of constructs, with Taiwanese participants showing different patterns of loading and lower variance in the supervisor support constructs.
The findings enrich theoretical understanding of employee disengagement at the workplace using the constructs of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model, and Social Exchange Theory (SET). In addition, they identify actionable strategies to engage and retain Generation Z employees in different settings.
Keywords
Quiet Quitting, Turnover Intention, Emotional Exhaustion, Job Satisfaction, Generation Z, Work Environment, Supervisor Support, Employee Engagement, Cross-Cultural Study, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)
Disciplines
Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Leadership | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Operations and Supply Chain Management | Organizational Behavior and Theory | Performance Management
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Nour, Mohammed M., "Balancing Burnout, Quiet Quitting, and Cognitive Turnover: The Quiet Revolution of Gen Z Workers" (2025). Information Systems & Operations Management Dissertations. 78.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/infosystemsopmanage_dissertations/78
second draft with the date fixed to August 2025
Included in
Leadership Commons, Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods Commons, Operations and Supply Chain Management Commons, Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons, Performance Management Commons