Linking values and organizational commitment: A correlational and experimental investigation in two organizations

Abstract

The aim of the two studies was to confirm and clarify the relationships between values and components of organizational commitment (OC) in two organizations. Study I extended the work of Finegan (2000) by investigating antecedents of OC in terms of personal and perceived organizational values while controlling for the effects of tenure. Study 2 involved a field experiment to investigate the consequents of OC in terms of turnover intention, how such intention varies as a function of the values of the alternative employer, and how it is related to the different components of OC. The results of Study I provide support for the argument that perceived organizational values are drivers of values-based OC, but that unlike the related components of affective and normative OC, continuance OC may not be values-based. Study 2's results indicated that turnover intention was higher in a company supporting vision values, and that affective OC acted as a buffer against interest in alternative employment. Together these findings imply that companies adopting prosocial values, such as vision, self-direction, and humanity may enhance affective and normative OC, and thus performance.