The Role of Army Reservists: An Analysis of their Experiences and the Attitudes and Perceptions of Civilian Employers, Regulars and Significant Others

陆军预备役军人的角色：对他们的经历以及民间雇主、正规军​​和其他重要人士的态度和看法的分析

• 批准号: ES/L013002/1
• 负责人: Sabir Giga
• 金额: $ 29.82万
• 依托单位: Lancaster University
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2014 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FL013002%2F1
• 关键词: Role; Army; Reservists; Analysis; their

SummaryThis study aims to explore the experiences of British Army reservists. It includes an analysis of their positive and negative interactions in regard to army employment, civilian employment and home lives, as well as the attitudes and perceptions of their civilian employers, regulars and significant others. A small number of international studies have examined inter-role conflict with community roles (e.g., emergency services volunteering), and suggest links with such conflict between volunteering and family life and outcomes including reduced satisfaction and intention to remain a volunteer (Cowlishaw et al., 2014), as well as partner distress (Cowlishaw et al., 2010a) and support for volunteering (Cowlishaw et al., 2010b). However, as far as can be ascertained, there are no studies which have explored the interface among additional and simultaneous competing roles, including the army reserves, primary employment and family life. This interface may be extremely complex, and reflect both positive and negative impacts of organisational and operational demands from the army reserves on primary employment and family, as well as bi-directional impacts of demands from these competing roles on the army reserves. Group identification has been positively related to improved interactions with others including perceptions of enhanced coping ability for individuals who feel supported by a member of a group they identify with as opposed to someone they consider an outsider (Platow et al., 2007). Furthermore, Sani et al. (p782, 2012) suggest that group identification gives individuals a "sense of meaning, permanence and stability, which protects against existential anxiety." This implies that in terms of role preparedness, there is a need to ensure that reservists are not only fully integrated into an organisation but they also feel a core part of a team. This is highlighted by Lang et al (2010) who discuss the distinct nature of reservists' life because of the need for a normal day to day civilian existence but at the same time being ready and motivated in case of a call up and a sudden disruption. This study aims to identify resources for army reservists and their partners that can help minimise potential conflicts as well as enhance positive experiences of enrichment across the Reserve service and civilian roles.Gorman and Thomas (1991) argue that although poor economic conditions have historically favoured regular Army recruitment, this may not be always the case for reservists because of the tendency for people to relocate away from low-employment areas to elsewhere to seek better opportunities. Moreover, as reservists are likely to be employed on a part-time basis by the Army their regular involvement may be impeded because of other priorities including employment, family and leisure activities. Indeed, Griffith's (2008) study into the motivations of American reservists identified two distinct groups - those that are motivated because they have a sense of duty and those that are materially motivated, with the author identifying the latter group as not only less committed but also less combat ready. This study will engage with reservists as well as their families, employers and regular service colleagues in order to explore the issues critical for their successful recruitment and deployment.In addition to the literature review, focus groups and semi-structured interviews, further information will be gathered using documentary analysis and employment statistics to develop an understanding of the context within which these changes are taking place in the Armed Forces and how these may impact upon reservists' active participation in the army, as well as their families and employers.

摘要本研究旨在探讨英国陆军预备役军人的经验。它包括分析他们在军队就业、平民就业和家庭生活方面的积极和消极互动，以及他们的平民雇主、常客和其他重要人物的态度和看法。少数国际研究审查了与社区角色的角色间冲突（例如，紧急服务志愿服务），并提出与志愿服务和家庭生活之间的这种冲突和结果的联系，包括降低满意度和保持志愿者的意图（Cowlishaw et al.，2014），以及伴侣苦恼（Cowlishaw et al.，2010 a）和支持志愿服务（Cowlishaw等人，2010年b）。然而，就目前所能确定的情况而言，还没有研究探讨其他同时存在的相互竞争的角色之间的相互关系，这些角色包括军队预备役、主要就业和家庭生活。这个接口可能是非常复杂的，并反映了积极和消极的影响，从军队储备的组织和业务需求的主要就业和家庭，以及双向影响的需求，这些竞争的角色对军队储备。群体认同与改善与他人的互动呈正相关，包括对那些感到受到他们认同的群体成员支持的个人的应对能力增强的看法，而不是他们认为是局外人的人（Platow et al.，2007年）。此外，Sani et al.（p782，2012）认为，群体认同给个体一种“意义感、持久性和稳定性，这可以防止存在焦虑。“这意味着，在角色准备方面，有必要确保预备役人员不仅完全融入一个组织，而且他们也感到是一个团队的核心部分。Lang等人（2010年）强调了这一点，他们讨论了预备役人员生活的独特性质，因为他们需要正常的日常平民生活，但同时要准备好并积极应对征召和突然中断的情况。这项研究旨在为陆军预备役人员及其合作伙伴确定资源，这些资源可以帮助减少潜在的冲突，并提高预备役服务和平民角色的积极经验。Gorman和托马斯（1991）认为，尽管历史上经济状况不佳有利于正规军招募，对于后备役军人来说，情况可能并非总是如此，因为人们往往会从低就业率地区迁往其他地方，以寻求更好的机会。此外，由于预备役人员可能被军队兼职雇用，他们的正常参与可能会因为其他优先事项而受到阻碍，包括就业、家庭和休闲活动。事实上，格里菲斯（2008年）对美国预备役军人动机的研究确定了两个不同的群体--一个是因为有责任感而被激励的群体，另一个是物质动机的群体，作者认为后一个群体不仅不那么忠诚，而且也不那么准备战斗。这项研究将与预备役人员以及他们的家人，雇主和正式服务的同事，以探讨他们成功招募和部署的关键问题。除了文献综述，焦点小组和半结构化访谈，将通过文献分析和就业统计数据收集进一步的信息，以了解武装部队正在发生这些变化的背景部队以及这些可能如何影响预备役人员积极参加军队，以及他们的家庭和雇主。