The nature of organizational commitment
Date
1982
Authors
Lang, D. (Donald)
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Abstract
Organizational commitment is receiving increased attention in the literature yet consensus is lacking about the theoretical interpretation of the concept and the results of empirical studies. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the nature of organizational commitment in order to clarify its conceptual nature and add to the empirical investigations.
Fifty-four officers of the rank of Major in the Canadian Forces volunteered to complete a number of objective questionnaires which are purported to measure: organizational commitment, ethos, ethical frames of reference, values and fundamental beliefs about the nature of man. A sub-sample consisted of ten officers who also volunteered to participate in a series of structured interviews, designed to investigate the phenomenology of organizational commitment.
Results from both objective measures and interviews provided meaningful comparative data. Two factors emerged from factor analysis and interview data which have been labelled: A Philosophy of Man and Understanding Behavioural Imperatives. The findings also suggest a reconsideration of the concept of organizational commitment to account for the source of organizational commitment, which seems to develop well before the individual joins an organization.