Attitudinal Commitment Research Articles

Organisational commitment with respect to gender variable in hospitality: a Turkish case study

This study examines differences in organisational commitment with respect to gender in five-star hotels in Ankara, Turkey. The study was conducted on 397 employees: 234 males and 163 females. The study indicated that the ‘Attitudinal Commitment’ factor as part of the organisational commitment scale was not statistically significant between female and male employees. However, the study also found that there are significant differences between female and male employees with respect to the ‘Behavioural Commitment’ factor of the scale; males reported higher levels in their behavioural commitment than their female counterparts did. This finding is also consistent with the results obtained from multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) in which the independent variable was gender and the two delineated factors were dependent variables. Gender differences in the ‘Behavioural Commitment’ factor remained significant with multivariate analysis of co-variance analysis while controlling for such variables as age, marital status, monthly income level, educational level, type of department, length of time in this organisation, length of time in the tourism sector, and frequency of job changes. However, the significance was mostly attributed to the moderating role of ‘monthly income’.

IT Governance in Collaborative Networks: A Socio-Technical Perspective

Research on IT governance has tended to focus on the issue within a single organizational environment. Our understanding of IT governance in an inter-organizational context remains limited. In addition, few have taken a socio-technical perspective. The aim of the study is therefore to empirically explore the impacts of socio-technical factors on the effectiveness of IT governance for a collaborative network by examining three IT governance elements: structure, process and relational mechanism. This paper reports on the findings of the pilot phase of the broader study.The findings indicate that more effective collaborative IT governance is associated with an active involvement of a governing body; a co-ordinated communication process; and the presence of relational culture and attitudinal commitment. Theoretical and managerial implications of the study are discussed.

A influência do empenhamento organizacional e profissional dos enfermeiros nas estratégias de resolução dos conflitos

As mudanças na área da saúde e o conjunto de alterações estruturais na profissão e carreira de enfermagem interferem na dinâmica e estabilidade do futuro dos enfermeiros. O objetivo da investigação centrou-se no estudo da influência do empenhamento organizacional e profissional dos enfermeiros nas estratégias de resolução de conflitos. Trata-se duma pesquisa não experimental de natureza quantitativa e transversal, seguindo uma via descritivo-correlacional. Os dados foram obtidos através da aplicação de um questionário a 102 enfermeiros a exercer funções em diferentes tipos de unidades de Cuidados de Saúde Primários, existentes nos Agrupamentos de Centros de Saúde da Região Dão-Lafões, sendo a amostra de conveniência, na maioria do sexo feminino (82,4%), com idade média de 39,33 anos. Como instrumentos de medida utilizámos três escalas que agrupam um total de nove subescalas que pretendem avaliar: o empenhamento organizacional, através do modelo adaptado de Meyer e Allen,“ Organizational Commitment Questionnaire”, o empenhamento profissional, através “Attitudinal Commitment Scale”, desenvolvida por Langford e as estratégias de resolução de conflitos através do – “Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory – II”, constituído por 28 itens, que pretende medir a forma como os indivíduos lidam com as situações conflituais perante superiores (Forma A), subordinados (Forma B) e colegas (Forma C). A maioria dos enfermeiros apresenta scores moderados/elevados de empenhamento organizacional e de empenhamento profissional. Confirmam-se as hipóteses de que algumas variáveis sociodemográficas e profissionais influenciam as estratégias de resolução de conflitos adotadas pelos enfermeiros. Também, o empenhamento organizacional e profissional estão positivamente correlacionados entre si e influenciam as estratégias de resolução de conflitos adotadas pelos enfermeiros. Espera-se que gestores e colaboradores fomentem e sejam preparados para gerir os conflitos de forma adequada, para que estes se tornem um motor de inovação e desenvolvimento dentro das organizações.

Comprometimento organizacional atitudinal: um estudo empírico sobre a dimensionalidade do construto

A falta de precisão acerca da dimensionalidade do comprometimento organizacional contribui para torná-lo um construto complexo e multifacetado. Com o objetivo de identificar a melhor estrutura fatorial para o comprometimento organizacional, o presente trabalhou testou o interrelacionamento de duas medidas atitudinais - afetiva e instrumental - bem como o relacionamento dessas variáveis com uma medida de intenções comportamentais. Foram selecionados 1.869 trabalhadores das regiões Norte, Nordeste e Sul do Brasil. Os resultados das análises de regressão e das análises fatoriais exploratórias e confirmatórias apontaram a bidimensionalidade da base instrumental (falta de alternativas e sacrifícios percebidos). Por outro lado, demonstraram que a dimensão instrumental não compõe a estrutura fatorial do comprometimento organizacional atitudinal que, por ora, é um construto unidimensional, formado somente pela dimensão afetiva.

It Takes More than Good Intentions: Institutional and Attitudinal Impediments to Engaging Young People in Participatory Planning

While participatory processes have become an important part of planning, young people are a particularly vulnerable group in terms of potential marginalisation and exclusion from effective participation. Including the views of young people in participatory planning is not simply a matter of bringing them into existing processes. Instead, participatory processes must find ways to integrate and accommodate their needs and ways of expressing their views. Without these adjustments young people may simply move from being kept outside the planning process to a situation where, although they are formally included, their claims are not taken seriously and they are not treated with equal respect. In this paper we reflect on the success of a community advisory committee, formed to consider water planning issues, in integrating the views of young people into their deliberations. Using Iris Marion Young’s (1995) ideas of communicative democracy we highlight the challenges and opportunities presented by this participatory approach, as articulated by both the young people involved and the adult participants. We specifically consider how the elements of greeting, rhetoric and narrative were reflected in the committee process. We argue that both planners and adult participants need to ensure that participatory processes allow for the equal engagement of all participants and place equal value on their contributions. Our research shows that this involves both an institutional and attitudinal commitment to include the views of young people. The institutional commitment requires young people to be included in processes and for their involvement to be supported. However, the attitudinal commitment it is equally important and requires that adult participants be prepared not only to accept the views of younger participants but to actively encourage and support their full participation.

Benefits‐based drivers of exporters' attitudinal commitment toward their foreign distributors

PurposeThis study seeks to investigate the benefits that trigger exporters' attitudinal commitment and examines their effects by taking into account the temporal dynamics of cross‐border interfirm relationships.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative field study led to the generation of hypotheses that were subsequently tested with structural equations modeling using data collected during two consecutive surveys of exporters.FindingsThe economic benefits that foster exporter's commitment include importer's specific investments, importer role performance, and exporter economic performance.Practical implicationsImporters can secure their foreign suppliers' commitment by investing in their business relationships and improving their distributive performance. They also need to monitor exporters' economic performance. The study highlights the importance of exporters' perceptions in building their commitment. Thus, importers need to communicate intensively about their actions to promote exporters' brands.Originality/valueUnlike previous research, which has focused mostly on behavioral antecedents of commitment, this study depicts the exporting context using the exporter perspective and highlights the importance of economic benefits in shaping their attitudes. A mixed design involving both qualitative and quantitative methodologies facilitates this approach. Relational exchange theory's temporal assumptions about business relationships are reflected by the use of longitudinal data.

A Temporal Model of Vertical Relationships

Purpose: The authors developed a model framework for buyer–supplier relationships and used it to extend theory in 4 areas: (a) maintenance of long-term relationships; (b) conversion of relationships from adversarial to cooperative; (c) changes in relationships over their lives; and (d) levels of commitment and trust between partners. Methodology/approach: The authors analyzed existing research on buyer–seller relationships and theoretical concepts in various disciplines to develop a 3-stage temporal relationship model consisting of pre-deal (t–1), deal enactment (t), and deal continuation (t+1) stages. From the model and existing research, the authors drew propositions for relationships in the areas of buyer and seller power, several forms of commitment and trust, intellectual capital, and financial performance. Findings: Briefly, the authors proposed that (a) at the pre-deal stage, increased buyer power may instigate supplier input commitment or vice versa; (b) at deal enactment, both parties may commit to a written contract and build contractual trust through a low degree of relational commitment; and (c) in the deal continuation stage, contractual trust, and attitudinal commitment of one of the parties is likely to foster attitudinal commitment in the other party. The authors found that buyer's and supplier's total commitment fosters goodwill trust and helps build intellectual capital and financial performance, and that the weaker party in the relationship likely gains more from the partnership than the stronger party. Research implications: In addition to existing research, the authors used several actual situations to provide support for our propositions. However, more research should be done in all areas to additionally confirm our propositions and otherwise add to theory development. Practical implications: By looking at buyer–seller relationships in three stages, the authors developed several implications for both parties. These included long-term results of short-term actions, importance of industry factors on buyer and seller commitment, and the role of commitment in determining whether long-term relationships are developed. Originality/value/contribution: The authors extended and coordinated existing theory by consolidating the implications of previous research into a cohesive buyer–supplier relationship model. This model should enable both researchers and managers to better comprehend the dynamics of vertical relationships with a multi-dimensional, reciprocal approach. The results should also provide managers an additional tool to gauge and forecast the fate of a relationship by analyzing levels of trust and commitment as the relationship progresses.

La búsqueda del compromiso actitudinal: tendencia de la conducta ética del enfermero gerente

Históricamente, las funciones gerenciales del enfermero han revelado que su conducta es compatible con el compromiso programático. Ese hecho fue constatado a través del análisis de 18 estudios efectuados en servicios de salud ubicados en diferentes regiones de Brasil. Desde los años 90, estudiosos del área de gestión alertan que compromiso, interdisciplinaridad, riesgo, incertidumbre, espiritualidad e involucramiento ético, constituirán características del capital humano insertado en las organizaciones del siglo XXI. En ese ambiente mucho más humano, la integridad de las personas y su forma de relacionarse en el trabajo se deben fundamentar en la dimensión del SER. Para afrontar la demanda de las instituciones de salud en el nuevo siglo, se empieza a solicitar del enfermero una conducta permeada por la ética del compromiso actitudinal. Así, nuestro objetivo es estimular una reflexión crítica sobre esa tendencia ética del enfermero y proponerla como valor esencial en la gerencia ejercida por él.

Transfer of market knowledge in a channel relationship: Impacts of attitudinal commitment and satisfaction

This paper attempts to explain how a manufacturer's attitudinal commitment and a distributor's kind and degree of satisfaction have an impact on the transferring of market knowledge from the distributor in a channel relationship. Using data from 225 paired distributors and manufacturers in the Chinese household appliances entity, six of our seven research hypotheses were supported. Results of the study show that a distributor's economic satisfaction directly promotes market knowledge transfer, while a distributor's social satisfaction will enhance market knowledge transfer only when positive economic satisfaction already exists. Furthermore, both the calculative commitment and the loyalty commitment of a manufacturer have inverse U-shaped relationships with a distributor's economic satisfaction, and are negatively and positively related, respectively, to the distributor's social satisfaction. The study thus points out the distinct roles of economic satisfaction and social satisfaction and their interaction in market knowledge transfer, and the insightful impacts of calculative and loyalty commitment on economic and social satisfaction . These findings provide new theoretical thinking about channel relationship management and the business practices of manufacturers.

The role of conflict, culture, and myth in creating attitudinal commitment

Using qualitative methods, the authors examine commitment in the sports industry and specifically in a NASCAR context. Commitment, or the culmination of the customer-service provider relationship, plays a particularly critical role in NASCAR, for which more than 70% of fans consciously choose a current sponsor's brand over a competitor's. Previous research, primarily in the domain of business-to-business marketing, focuses on attitudinal, instrumental, and temporal components of commitment; this article examines attitudinal commitment within the NASCAR context. Whereas previous research conceptualizes attitudinal commitment as identification, value congruence, and affiliation, this research presents a wider view. Specifically, within the NASCAR consumption culture, hero/villain myths surrounding drivers create conflict that heightens attitudinal commitment to the sport. This research therefore offers implications regarding non-traditional components of attitudinal commitment.

Requesting a commitment to change: Conditions that produce behavioral or attitudinal commitment

There is a lack of clarity in the conceptualization of commitment underlying the commitment to change (CTC) procedure used by organizers of continuing education in the health professions. This article highlights the two distinct conceptualizations of commitment that have emerged in the literature outside health care education and practice. The distinction is important because different antecedent conditions produce different types and dimensions of commitment. This article goes on to explore the antecedents of behavioral and attitudinal commitment and illustrates how different types of commitment may have been produced in previous CTC studies. As a result, the article also demonstrates the need for clarity in the conceptualization of commitment, especially to guide empirical research into the nature and strength of commitment produced by the variety of CTC strategies. Such research is relevant in increasing our understanding of how and why CTCs are able to influence practice change.

The neural network model of organizational identification

This paper proposes the Neural Network Model of Organizational Identification; the model depicts organizational identification as an associative link within an organization member’s social knowledge structure of self as it relates to a focal organization. Within this knowledge structure, organization identification connects self to organization via an attribute sub-network that includes self-concept and organization identity and via a valance sub-network that includes organization based self-esteem and attitudinal commitment. This model draws on the principles of balance-congruity, imbalance dissonance, and differentiation [Greenwald, A. G., Banaji, M. R., Rudman, L. A., Farnham, S. D., Nosek, B. A., & Mellott, D. S. (2002). A unified theory of implicit attitudes, stereotypes, self-esteem, and self-concept. Psychological Review, 109, 3–25.] to predict relationships between these organizational constructs. The Neural Network Model of Organizational Identification is parsimonious yet it effectively integrates and synthesizes the burgeoning literature on organizational identification. By operating at a neural network level of analysis, the model departs substantially from existing organization models by (1) specifying unique construct definitions; (2) offering an alternative perspective of the affective/cognitive dimensions and interrelationships; (3) introducing the concept of implicit cognition to the literature on organizational identification, which makes apparent problems with current measures; and (4) explaining phenomena not explained in existing models. This perspective adds precision and reveals that organizational identification is interconnected within a reciprocal network of mutual causality.

Before the first export decision: Internationalisation readiness in the pre-export phase

Although the internationalisation process of the firm has been well researched since the 1970s, the behaviour of firms prior to internationalisation has not received commensurate research attention. This paper argues that a focus on firms’ pre-internationalisation activities will not only offer an additional important perspective to the study of firm internationalisation but it will also address a significant research gap in studies that are theoretically based on the so-called stages models. During the pre-internationalisation phase, a firm is exposed to stimuli factors that may trigger an impulse for foreign market expansion. Decision makers’ perceptions of stimuli, their attitudinal commitment towards internationalisation, the firms’ resources and capabilities, as well as the mediating effect of lateral rigidity comprise a learning process that leads a firm towards readiness to initiate an internationalisation decision. This paper advances the concept of internationalisation readiness and proposes a method for developing an Internationalisation Readiness Index.

Attitudinal commitment: A three‐dimensional construct

This study argues that underlying the breadth of research on attitudinal organizational commitment are three dimensions: positive affect for the organization, identification with the organization and a willingness to exert effort on behalf of the organization. Results of confirmatory factor analyses using three different samples support a three‐dimensional model as a superior fit to the data when compared with one‐ or two‐dimensional models of attitudinal commitment.

Knowledge workers: what keeps them committed; what turns them away

There is a well established literature on the antecedents of organizational commitment, though the relative importance of these antecedents to particular groups of workers remains unclear. Relying on a general set of antecedents for all workers may result in the application of inappropriate HRM policies and practices. Our focus is on knowledge workers as they have been identified as important to organizational success.The literature is, however, divided on what constitutes knowledge work so we develop and apply a measure that focuses on what these workers do.We then use this measure to examine attitudinal and behavioural commitment. We find, using responses from 1969 employees, knowledge workers have higher attitudinal commitment and lower intention to quit than routine-task workers. Further, the antecedents of commitment for knowledge workers and routine-task workers differ in many important respects, creating challenges for organizational decision makers.

Who Will Help? Willingness to Work for the Union

This paper proposes and tests a model of a critical union commitment dimension: "Willingness to work" for the union. Organization and social psychological theories, along with previous empirical research, are used to develop the conceptual model, measures, and predictions. These predictions are tested via a two stage regression model, using data from a large sample of Swedish professional union members. As predicted, both attitudinal commitment and subjective norms are critical influences on the individual's willingness to work on behalf of the union.

Síndrome de Burnout: Relações com Comprometimento Afetivo entre Gestores de Organização Estatal

RESUMO Esta pesquisa envolveu dois conceitos centrais e a tentativa de articulá-los teórica e empiricamente: síndrome de burnout e comprometimento organizacional afetivo. Foram aplicados 249 questionários, contendo escalas padronizadas de cinco pontos, tipo Likert, e realizadas 16 entrevistas, apoiadas em roteiros semi-estruturados, entre gestores da Eletronorte. Formulou-se a hipótese de que os respondentes apresentariam comportamentos típicos de burnout e de que haveria uma relação positiva entre esta variável e comprometimento afetivo. Foram realizadas análises inferenciais e identificou-se, entre os respondentes, nível moderado de burnout nos fatores exaustão emocional, despersonalização e baixa realização pessoal, sendo que 27,7% dos pesquisados apresentaram índices altos ou moderados nos três fatores da síndrome, predominando o fator baixa realização pessoal; 61,8% e 36,14% dos respondentes apresentaram níveis elevado e moderado, respectivamente, de comprometimento afetivo. A hipótese foi confirmada quanto à presença de burnout e rejeitada no que se refere à relação positiva entre a síndrome e comprometimento. Os resultados podem ser úteis para a compreensão de fenômenos pouco explorados no campo do comportamento organizacional, em especial entre gestores que atuam em organizações em fase de transformação.

Forced commitment promotes attitudinal commitment and trust in an organization

[in Japanese]

Organizational identification and organizational commitment: Distinct aspects of two related concepts

The conceptual differences between organizational commitment and identification are discussed theoretically and examined empirically. The present study is based on data of 450 employees of five different organizations in Nepal. A revised eight‐item scale was designed out of Cheney’s Organizational Identification Questionnaire to assess the core aspects of organizational identification. In confirmatory factor analyses, identification was found to be distinguishable from four related commitment concepts (i.e. affective, continuance, normative, and attitudinal commitment).

Measuring attitudinal commitment in business‐to‐business channels

While organizational behaviourists have largely adopted a three‐component conceptualisation of attitudinal commitment, marketers continue exclusively to apply one‐ or two‐component models. In this paper, the reliability and validity of one‐, two‐ and three‐component models of commitment are examined within a business‐to‐business context. The results indicate that the three‐component model incorporating instrumental, affective and normative dimensions is superior on both substantive and empirical grounds. It is subsequently argued that marketing planners need to demand that marketing researchers are more precise when incorporating commitment into conceptual and empirical studies, and account for these distinct components either by explicitly including or omitting them. It is also argued that marketing managers can enhance channel relationships if they are cognisant of the three distinct types of attitudinal commitments when formulating channel management tactics and strategies.