Abstract
Although several studies have empirically supported the distinction between organizational identification (OI) and affective commitment (AC), there is still disagreement regarding how they are related. Precisely, little attention has been given to the direction of causality between these two constructs and as to why they have common antecedents and outcomes. This research was designed to fill these gaps. Using a cross-lagged panel design with two measurement times, Study 1 examined the directionality of the relationship between OI and AC, and showed that OI is positively related to temporal change in AC, confirming the antecedence of OI on AC. Using a cross-sectional design, Study 2 investigated the mediating role of OI in the relationship between three work experiences (i.e., perceived organizational support, leader-member exchange, and job autonomy) and AC, and found that OI partially mediates the influence of work experiences on AC. Finally, Study 3 examined longitudinally how OI and AC combine in the prediction of actual turnover, and showed that AC totally mediates the relationship between OI and turnover. Overall, these findings suggest that favorable work experiences operate via OI to increase employees' AC that, in turn, decreases employee turnover.
Highlights
Over the past decades, a growing body of research has been dedicated to the relationship between employees and their employing organization
In agreement with this proposition, we suggest that organizational identification (OI) and affective commitment (AC) are part of a causal chain where their common antecedents predict OI which, in turn, influences AC, which is the proximal determinant of their common outcomes
Function were found to be significantly related to AC (γ = -.08, p < .05 and γ = .12, p < .001, respectively), whereas organizational tenure did not significantly predict AC (γ = -.02, n.s.). Controlling for these variables, the results showed that perceived organizational support, leadermember exchange, and job autonomy were positively associated with OI (γ = .31, p < .001; γ = .07, p < .05; and γ = .06, p < .05, respectively) which, in turn, has a significant and positive effect on AC (β = .53, p < .001)
Summary
A growing body of research has been dedicated to the relationship between employees and their employing organization. Two main perspectives have received increasing attention from scholars. This psychological relationship has been conceptualized in terms of organizational identification (OI). Stemming from the social identity perspective [1,2], OI is defined as "the perception of oneness with or belongingness to an organization, where the individual defines him or herself in terms of the organization(s) in which he or she is a member" [3 p104]. The social identity perspective holds that individuals classify themselves and others into different social categories in order to define and locate themselves.
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