Étude longitudinale de l’impact de la satisfaction envers les avantages sociaux novateurs sur l’intention de rester chez les travailleurs du secteur des technologies de l’information et des communications

The objective of this thesis is to understand the impact of satisfaction with innovative benefits on the intention to stay of the information and communications technology industry (ICT) workers. In order to investigate this question, a general research hypothesis was presented based on a literature review and on Blau’s social exchange theory (1964) and Maslow’s theory of needs (1943). The general research hypothesis states that satisfaction with innovative benefits increases intention to stay through time. The data used in this thesis were collected as part of a larger research on the relationships between compensation, training and skills development and attracting and retaining key employees. The longitudinal data come from an office located in Montreal of a major international company from the ICT sector. The study population consists of workers newly hired between April 1st, 2009 and September 30th, 2010. The results confirm the research hypothesis showing that satisfaction with innovative benefits increase intention to stay through time. Among the various innovative benefits studied, the results indicate that it is the satisfaction with the gym at work that best predicts intention to stay of workers. Other innovative benefits significantly related to intention to stay are the games library, the lounge, the medical clinic and the library in the workplace. Also, longitudinal analyses reveal that it is mainly the differences between the individual characteristics of the employees who best explain intention to stay than the differences across time of the same worker. This thesis concludes by discussing the best way for industrial relations managers to use the results in order to retain their employees. Then, the limits of the study and some directions for further research are also presented.

West African Migrants in Spain: Human Factors and Emerging International Policy. ACES Working Paper No. 6, Fall 2008

This paper concerns itself with the recent phenomenon of West Africans leaving the African continent and seeking work in Spain. By the year 2003, a barely noticeable blip on the screen of the age-old phenomenon that is migration became a conspicuous trend. Depending on one's perspective this trend is either a natural flow of people from one region to another, or it is an alarming turn of events that needs immediate global attention. However, when it involves significant loss of life - as does the sea journey of the poorest aspirants - surely all who ponder the migrant question would agree that this qualifies as a crisis. The next question becomes, then, is it best to focus on minimizing the risks or to focus on deterring the would-be migrants at the onset of their journey? This question and its possible answer are further nuanced by whether those determined to leave receive incentives for choosing to stay at home or whether government officials and others who respond to the crisis in both sending and receiving countries practice a forceful type of deterrent that merely halts the process of migration but does not tackle the issue of why the person chose to leave in the first place.