Impact Of Organizational Commitment

Employee job satisfaction is an important attribute that organizations desire of their staff (Oshagbemi, 2003). Job satisfaction may be linked to performance, organizational productivity and other issues, including labour turnover. However, dissatisfied employees are prone to absenteeism and excessive turnover (Chen et al., 2006; Lee et al., 1999). The construct of organizational commitment (OC) has been conceptualized in a variety of fashions. The bulk of research related to OC can be viewed in terms of attitudinal versus behavioral conceptualizations. Porter et al. (1974) defined organizational commitment as “the relative strength of an individual’s identification with and involvement in a particular organization” (Porter et al., 1974). Meyer

The issue of organizational commitment within both private and public sector organizations has, generally, received significant research focus over the past 25 years (Meyer and Allen, 1997; Mowday, 1998; Hope, 2003). In addition, organizational commitment is viewed as an attitude of attachment to the organization by an employee, which leads to particular job-related behaviors such as work absenteeism, job satisfaction, turnover intensions, organizational citizen behaviors, work motivation and work performance.

Commitment refers to an employee’s willingness to work positively in an organization and his continuance to work for it (Mowday, Steers & Porter, 1982). Organizational commitment is a core issue for the management of the organizations. Organizational commitment is directly related to the performance of employees and is therefore treated as an issue of great importance. (Meyer, Paunonen, Gellaty, Goffin & Jackson, 1989; Meyer,Allen & Smith, 1993; Meyer, Stanley, Herscovitch & Topolnytsky, 2002; Siders, George & Dharwadkar, 2001;Jaramillo, Mulki & Marshall,

Commitment is an individual’s desire to remain focused and attached to his work. Organizational commitment is measured through three tools; affective, continuance and normative commitment (Meyer andAllen, 1990; Dunham, Grube & Castaneda, 1994).

Allen and Meyer (1991) argued that affective, continuance and normative components of commitment are separable; conceptually and empirically. Each of the three forms of commitment is equally important and useful. Affective Commitment refers to an employee’s attachment with his organization and the organizational goals (O Reily & Chatman, 1986). Continuance Commitment refers to an employee’s organizational commitment because of the work-relationships and other benefits; whereas Normative Commitment deals with the sense of obligation of an employee, based on his values and