Personal and Role-Related Factors in the Development of Organizational Commitment

Abstract

This research examines the relationship between personal and role-related factors and commitment to the employing organization.' Subjects are 318 elementary and secondary school teachers and 395 registered nurses employed, respectively, in two school districts and three general hospitals in western New York State. While there is evidence that commitment is differentially related to such personal variables as sex, marital status, and father's occupation, the results of multivariate analyses show the primary importance of role-related factors in explaining organizational commitment. The significance of role tension, years experience in the organization, and dissatisfaction with the bases of organizational advancement suggest that commitment is an exchange and accrual phenomenon, dependent on the employee's perception of the ratio of inducements to contributions and the accumulation of side bets or investments in the employing system.'