Ch. 3 - Organizational Commitment

Question 1

How is organizational commitment related to withdrawal behaviour?

Answer 1

Higher organizational commitment is related to lower withdrawal behaviour (negatively correlated)

Question 2

What are the 3 forms of organizational commitment?

Answer 2

-Affective Commitment
-Continuance Commitment
-Normative Commitment

Question 3

Affective Commitment

Answer 3

An employee’s desire to remain a member of an organization because of an emotional attachment to, or involvement in, that organization.

Question 4

Continuance Commitment

Answer 4

An employee’s desire to remain a member of an organization because of an awareness of the costs associated with leaving

Question 5

Normative Commitment

Answer 5

An employee’s desire to remain a member of an organization because of a feeling of obligation

Question 6

Match the following scenarios with their form or organization commitment:
A: I’m good friends with my colleagues. I’d miss them if I left.
B: My organization gave me my start.
C: My kids go to a good school, and my spouse has a good job.
D: My employer has helped me significantly several times. I can’t leave for nothing!
E: My current duties are rewarding. I enjoy my work.

Answer 6

A: Affective Commitment
B: Normative Commitment
C: Continuance Commitment
D: Normative Commitment
E: Affective Commitment

Question 7

Embeddedness

Answer 7

An employee’s connection & sense of fit in the organization & community

Question 8

Independent forms model

Answer 8

Predicts that various withdrawal behaviours are uncorrelated, so that engaging in one type of withdrawal has little influence on engaging in other types

Question 9

Compensatory forms model

Answer 9

Various withdrawal behaviours are negatively correlated, so that engaging in one type of withdrawal makes one less likely to engage in other types. A form of withdrawal compensates for dissatisfaction, thus no other withdrawal is necessary.

Question 10

Progression model

Answer 10

Various withdrawal behaviours are positively correlated, so that engaging in one type of withdrawal makes one more likely to engage in other types (more serious withdrawal behaviours)

Question 11

Survivor Syndrome

Answer 11

Present in employees who remain after a business engages in employee downsizing. “Survivors” exhibit feelings of anger, depression, fear, distrust, and guilt. Tends to reduce organizational commitment.

Question 12

Psychological Contracts

Answer 12

Employee beliefs about what employees owe to the organization and what the organization owes to them.

Question 13

What are the common employee reactions to negative work events?

Answer 13

-Employee remains supportive while hoping for improvement (Loyalty)
-Interest & effort in the job is reduced (Neglect)

Question 14

True/False: Most employees actively look for new jobs when an organization goes through tough times.

Answer 14

True. People tend to actually look for new jobs when an organization faces hardships. In fact, around 60 percent of employees think about looking for jobs at any given time.

Question 15

How does diversity of the workforce affect organizational commitment?

Answer 15

Diversity often leads to individuals feeling disconnected from the organization if they don’t have similar traits to their peers.

Question 16

How can organizations increase organizational support?

Answer 16

-Provide rewards relevant to each employee
-Protect job security
-Improve work conditions
-Minimize impact of organization politics

Question 17

Transactional Contracts

Answer 17

Psychological contracts that focus on a narrow set of specific monetary obligations

Question 18

Relational Contracts

Answer 18

Psychological contracts that focus on a broad set of open-ended and subjective obligations

Question 19

Downsizing

Answer 19

A form of involuntary turnover where employees are forced to leave the organization regardless of their previous levels of commitment

Question 20

Erosion Model

Answer 20

A model that suggests that employees with fewer bonds with co-workers are more likely to quit the organization (due to lower affective commitment)

Question 21

Social Influence Model

Answer 21

A model that suggests that employees with direct linkages to co-workers who leave the organization will themselves be more likely to leave