An examination of the role of perceived support and employee commitment in employee-customer encounters

The authors examined the relationships between perceived organizational support, organizational commitment, commitment to customers, and service quality in a fast-food firm. The research design matched customer responses with individual employees' attitudes, making this study a true test of the service provider-customer encounter. On the basis of a sample of matched employee-customer data (N = 133), hierarchical linear modeling analyses revealed that perceived organizational support had both a unit-level and an employee-level effect on 1 dimension of service quality: helping behavior. Contrary to affective organizational commitment, affective commitment to customers enhanced service quality. The 2 sub-dimensions of continuance commitment to the organization--perceived high sacrifice and perceived lack of alternatives--exerted effects opposite in sign: The former fostered service quality, whereas the latter reduced it. The implications of these findings are discussed within the context of research on employee-customer encounters.     

Five-factor model of personality and organizational commitment: The mediating role of positive and negative affective states

Using a one-year longitudinal study of four components of organizational commitment (affective, normative, continuance–sacrifices, and continuance–alternatives) on a sample of employees from multiple organizations (N = 220), we examined the relationships of employee Big-Five personality traits to employee commitment components, and the mediating role of positive and negative affective states. Personality was measured at Time 1 while affective states and commitment components were measured at Time 2, while controlling for Time 1 commitment. Extraversion and agreeableness were positively related to affective, normative, and continuance–sacrifices commitments via enhanced positive affect. Agreeableness was also positively linked to affective commitment and negatively associated with continuance–alternatives commitment through reduced negative affect. Finally, neuroticism was negatively linked to affective commitment, and positively related to continuance–alternatives commitment, through increased negative affect. The implications of these findings for our understanding of personality–commitment linkages are discussed.     

When does commitment backfire: Linking employee continuance commitment to silence behavior

IntroductionExtant studies on organizational commitment emphasize affective organizational commitment and consequently ignore the unique role of continuance organizational commitment. To determine whether high continuance commitment is beneficial, we employed conservation of resources theory to explore how continuance commitment leads to emotional exhaustion and silent behavior.ObjectiveThis study examines the mediating effect of emotional exhaustion on the relationship between continuance commitment and silence behavior, and the moderating role of age.MethodWe recruited 157 employees in China to complete a three-wave survey measuring continuance commitment, emotional exhaustion and silence behavior, respectively.ResultsOur results show that continuance commitment is positively related to emotional exhaustion and, in turn, triggers more silent behavior, especially for those old employees; the indirect effect is more significant.ConclusionAlthough employers intend to keep human resources, this study indicates that continuance commitment may bring negative consequences. Moreover, old age will magnify the effect of continuance commitment on emotional exhaustion and further strengthen silence behavior.     

Interpersonal Conflict and Organizational Commitment: Examining Two Levels of Supervisory Support as Multilevel Moderators1

Using a stressor‐strain framework, this research examined the role of supervisory support at 2 organizational levels in the relationship between the work stressor of interpersonal conflict and organizational commitment in a military sample. In all analyses, supervisory support at both levels was conceptualized and modeled as a shared group attribute. Results indicated that perceptions of interpersonal conflict within the organization were related negatively to both affective and continuance commitment. Support from both first‐line supervisors and midlevel managers was related to employees’ affective commitment. First‐line supervisor support was related also to employees’ continuance commitment. Furthermore, midlevel management support attenuated the relationship between interpersonal conflict and continuance commitment. Implications for the assessment of different levels of supervisory support, different variants of organizational commitment, and interpersonal conflict are discussed.     

Relationships Between Organizational Commitment and Its Antecedents: Employee Self-Concept Matters

Employee self-concept is a critical self-regulatory variable in organizational settings. In this paper, we discuss the relevance of self-concept for organizational commitment, and propose that self-concept levels moderate relationships between commitment and its antecedents. Using an experimental design in which we primed the working self-concept of employed participants, we found support for our hypotheses. Specifically, relationships between affective commitment and its antecedents (organizational support, procedural justice, and company and supervisor satisfaction) were more pronounced for employees with salient collective self-concepts. Alternatively, relationships between continuance commitment and its antecedents (outcome and supervisor satisfaction) were stronger for employees with salient individual self-concepts. We discuss the implications of our findings and suggest directions for future research.     

Examen empirique sur le caractère multidimensionnel de l’engagement normatif et sur les liens avec les engagements affectif et continu

An empirical study was conduct to french employees sample (N = 215). The aim to the study is to evaluate the multidimensional construct and to explore the relationships with affective and continuance commitment. Our findings support the both hypothesis and suggest that Normative Commitment is a multidimensional construct. The three components are “value sharing”, “moral contract” and “organizational fidelity”. The study found that value attachment has a major influence with affective commitment than continuance commitment. The implications of these results are discussed.     

A comparison of linear and nonlinear relations between organizational commitment and work outcomes

The authors compared linear and nonlinear relations between affective and continuance commitment and 3 commonly studied work outcomes (turnover cognitions, absenteeism, and job performance), observed in 3 separate research settings. Using a linear model, they replicated the common observation in the literature that affective commitment is more strongly related to work outcomes than continuance commitment. Introducing a higher order continuance commitment term into the same equations, however, they found that the linear model seriously understated the magnitude of continuance commitment's effect on all 3 criterion measures. These findings are consistent with recent developments that identify different motivational mindsets associated with affective and continuance commitment (J. P. Meyer, T. E. Becker, & C. Vandenberghe, 2004).     

Organizational Commitment in the Military: Application of a Profile Approach

According to the 3-component model of commitment, the individual components of commitment—affective (AC), normative (NC), and continuance (CC)—combine to form profiles, and these profiles have different implications for behavior and well-being. We tested these propositions in a military context and also examined conditions (perceived organizational support, organizational justice, job satisfaction, and satisfaction with leadership) that might contribute to the development of commitment profiles. Latent profile analyses of data from 6,501 respondents to the 2010 Canadian Forces Retention Survey revealed 6 distinct profiles. Personnel with profiles reflecting strong AC and NC reported the most favorable work conditions, stay intentions, and well-being; uncommitted personnel and those with CC-dominant profiles reported the least favorable conditions, were most active in job search activities, and scored highest on anxiety and depression. The value of taking a profile approach, and the implications of managing work conditions to promote optimal profiles, are discussed.     

The relationship between the three components of commitment and employee performance in China

This study examined the relationship between the three components of organizational commitment and performance, defined as in-role performance and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), using a sample of 253 supervisor-subordinate dyads from the People’s Republic of China. Results showed that affective commitment (AC) related positively to in-role performance and OCB, while continuance commitment (CC) was not associated with in-role performance but negatively correlated with OCB. In addition, normative commitment (NC) moderated the relationship between AC and in-role performance as well as OCB. The linear relationship between AC and in-role performance/OCB was stronger for those with lower NC. Limitations of the study, directions for future research, and implications of the findings are discussed.     

Relationships between in-role performance and individual values, commitment, and organizational citizenship behavior among Israeli teachers

This study examines the relationship between (1) individual values, (2) organizational and occupational commitment, and (3) organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and in-role performance in a sample of 192 teachers employed in 10 secular Jewish schools (response rate of 64%). The results showed that individual values were related to all commitment forms examined here, but contrary to expectations, there was no clear distinction between values that represent conservation and self-transcendence and values that represent openness to change and self-enhancement in terms of their relationship either to commitment or to behavioral outcomes. Likewise, there was no clear distinction between the three dimensions of commitment (affective, continuance, and normative) or two commitment foci (organizational and occupational) in terms of their relationships to different values. Unsurprisingly, the findings showed a strong effect of commitment on OCB and in-role performance. The findings show that both individual values and commitment are concepts that can increase our understanding of employees' behavior in the workplace. We conclude by emphasizing the need for further research on the relationship between values, commitment, and performance and by suggesting some directions for such research.     

Patterns of attachment to organizations: Commitment profiles and work outcomes

Commitment profiles were studied with a sample of 572 hospital workers. Seven of the eight commitment profiles in Meyer and Herscovitch's (2001) typology emerged using K‐means clustering including: highly committed, affective dominant, continuance dominant, affective‐continuance dominant, affective‐normative dominant, continuance‐normative dominant, and uncommitted. Outcome variables included: turnover intentions, turnover, absenteeism, and person–organization value congruence. Results were consistent with prior findings in that normative commitment alone and in conjunction with continuance commitment enhanced the benefits of affective commitment. Turnover rates were much higher for poorly socialized employees suggesting that there is a self‐corrective effect in which uncommitted employees are more likely to leave their organizations.     

Work–family conflict,perceived supervisor support and organizational commitment among Brazilian professionals

The current study examines a variety of relationships pertaining to work–family conflict among a sample of Brazilian professionals, in order to shed light on work–family issues in this cultural context. Drawing from the cultural values of Brazil and social identity theory, we examine the relationships of two directions of work–family conflict (work interference with family and family interference with work), perceived supervisor support, and sex with affective and continuance organizational commitment. Work interference with family was related to higher continuance commitment and perceived supervisor support was related to higher affective commitment. An interaction between family interference with work and perceived supervisor support predicting continuance commitment revealed a reverse buffering effect such that the relationship was stronger under conditions of high support. Results are discussed within the Brazilian context.     

Work–family conflict, perceived supervisor support and organizational commitment among Brazilian professionals

The current study examines a variety of relationships pertaining to work–family conflict among a sample of Brazilian professionals, in order to shed light on work–family issues in this cultural context. Drawing from the cultural values of Brazil and social identity theory, we examine the relationships of two directions of work–family conflict (work interference with family and family interference with work), perceived supervisor support, and sex with affective and continuance organizational commitment. Work interference with family was related to higher continuance commitment and perceived supervisor support was related to higher affective commitment. An interaction between family interference with work and perceived supervisor support predicting continuance commitment revealed a reverse buffering effect such that the relationship was stronger under conditions of high support. Results are discussed within the Brazilian context.     

Beyond the three-component model of organizational commitment

This article offers a conceptual critique of the three-component model (TCM) of organizational commitment (Allen & Meyer, 1990) and proposes a reconceptualization based on standard attitude theory. The authors use the attitude-behavior model by Eagly and Chaiken (1993) to demonstrate that the TCM combines fundamentally different attitudinal phenomena. They argue that general organizational commitment can best be understood as an attitude regarding the organization, while normative and continuance commitment are attitudes regarding specific forms of behavior (i.e., staying or leaving). The conceptual analysis shows that the TCM fails to qualify as general model of organizational commitment but instead represents a specific model for predicting turnover. The authors suggest that the use of the TCM be restricted to this purpose and that Eagly and Chaiken's model be adopted as a generic commitment model template from which a range of models for predicting specific organizational behaviors can be extracted. Finally, they discuss the definition and measurement of the organizational commitment attitude. Covering the affective, cognitive, and behavioral facets of this attitude helps to enhance construct validity and to differentiate the construct from other constructs.     

An Assessment of Meyer and Allen's (1991) Three-Component Model of Organizational Commitment and Turnover Intentions

Propositions about the relationship between Meyer and Allen's (1991) model of organizational commitment and turnover intentions were tested via field research. Specifically, we assessed concurrent and longitudinal effects of affective, continuance, and normative commitment on turnover intentions. We tested main and interaction effects and also assessed the effects of two continuance commitment sub-dimensions—CC-hisac and CC-loalt—on turnover intentions. Two studies were conducted to test these relationships. Data were collected from a sample of engineering personnel working at an aerospace firm, and from university students employed full time in a variety of organizations. The results revealed that, (1) contrary to expectations, the three components of commitment differed in the significance of their effects on turnover intentions, and (2) the CC subdimensions differed in their effects on turnover intentions. The discussion of these results focuses on their implications for theoretical and practical issues in commitment research.     

Organizational and client commitment among contracted employees: A replication and extension with temporary workers

This study replicates and extends Coyle-Shapiro and Morrow’s study (Coyle-Shapiro, J.A.-M., & Morrow, P.C. 2006. Organizational and client commitment among contracted employees. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 28, 416-431) of organizational and client commitment among contracted employees. Our study focuses on temporary workers rather than long-term contracted employees, and also finds that perceived organizational support (POS) from a client organization indeed relates to affective organizational commitment towards the client. However, this study further suggests that client POS also relates to continuance commitment towards the client as well as affective and continuance commitment towards the temporary agency. Finally, temporary workers’ desire to pursue temporary work relates to affective commitment towards the temporary agency, but continuance commitment to the temporary agency is related to a preference for permanent employment.     

Organizational Commitment in Nepalese Settings

This study examines the three-dimensional organizational commitment (OC) concept (Meyer & Allen, 1997) in Nepal. Standardized questionnaires were administered to a heterogeneous sample of 103 employees of four different Nepalese organizations (bank, food corporation, telecommunication, and an airline). Exploratory factor and confirmatory factor analyses replicate the dimensionality of OC, i.e., the three facets of commitment (affective, normative, and continuance commitment) could be found also in a developing country with a cultural background very different from the places where the commitment concept was originally formulated. Antecedents and consequences of organizational commitment were investigated by multiple regression analyses. Continuance and normative commitment were both explained by job characteristics, i.e., by the perception of the job as interesting, affective commitment could not be explained with the set of variables used in this study. However, it is affective commitment which particularly accounts for variance in search intentions as well as in turnover intentions.     

A closer look at the relationship between affective commitment to supervisors and organizations and turnover

We examined the relationships of affective organizational commitment and affective commitment to supervisors with turnover intentions and actual turnover, using three independent samples of employees. In Sample 1 (N=172) and Sample 2 (N=186), affective organizational commitment and affective commitment to supervisors were found to exert independent negative effects on turnover intentions. Moreover, in both samples, affective commitment to supervisors was more strongly related to turnover intentions when affective organizational commitment was low. In Sample 3 (N=431), affective commitment to supervisors was the single significant predictor of actual turnover and interacted with affective organizational commitment such that its effect was stronger when affective organizational commitment was low. The implications of these findings for the understanding of the commitment–turnover relationship are discussed.     

Is it here where I belong? An integrative model of turnover intentions

We test a mediated moderation model in which the influence of organizational prestige and permeability on turnover intentions is mediated by organizational commitment and identification. We test this model in a 2 × 2 design in four Romanian organizations. Results support a partial mediation of identification between the considered organizational antecedents, and their interaction upon affective and continuance commitment, and a full mediation of commitment between identification and turnover intentions. Permeability moderates the impact of prestige upon identification and commitment. Finally, we draw conclusions about the mind‐sets behind identification, affective, and continuance commitment, and propose implications for future research and practitioners.     

Commitment to organizational change: extension of a three-component model

Three studies were conducted to test the application of a three-component model of workplace commitment (J. P. Meyer & N. J. Allen, 1991: J. P. Meyer & L. Herscovitch, 2001) in the context of employee commitment to organizational change. Study 1, conducted with 224 university students, provided preliminary evidence for the validity of newly developed Affective, Continuance, and Normative Commitment to Change Scales. Studies 2 and 3, conducted with hospital nurses (N = 157 and 108, respectively), provided further support for the validity of the three Commitment to Change Scales, and demonstrated that (a) commitment to a change is a better predictor of behavioral support for a change than is organizational commitment, (b) affective and normative commitment to a change are associated with higher levels of support than is continuance commitment, and (c) the components of commitment combine to predict behavior.