The impact of employee perceptions of training on organizational commitment and turnover intentions: a study of multinationals in the Chinese service sector

TLDR

This study investigates how employees’ perceptions of training influence organizational commitment and, in turn, affect turnover intentions in Chinese service‑sector multinationals. The authors used structural equation modeling on survey data from 437 employees across five multinational enterprises in China’s service sector. Findings support social‑exchange theory, showing that training boosts affective commitment and lowers turnover, but unlike non‑Chinese contexts, motivation to learn and perceived benefits did not affect commitment, likely due to involuntary training, limited career prospects, and cultural barriers. Keywords: China, multinational enterprises, organizational commitment, training, turnover intentions.

Abstract

Abstract This study examines the impact of employee perceptions of training on organizational commitment, and the latter's relationship with turnover intentions. Structured equation modelling is conducted on survey data from 437 Chinese employees of five multinational enterprises operating in the Chinese service sector. The results of the survey are consistent with social exchange theory. They highlight the importance of training as a tool to enhance the affective organizational commitment of employees, and reduce turnover. The findings differ from that of previous studies in non-Chinese settings. No evidence was found to indicate that motivation to learn and the perceived benefits of training impact on the organizational commitment of employees. This may be explained by three factors: the involuntary nature of employee training, the limited career development opportunities on offer to local employees of multinational enterprises and the difficulty employees face in applying learnt skills given cultural differences. The implications for research and practice are discussed. Keywords: Chinamultinational enterprisesorganizational commitmenttrainingturnover intentions