Concept redundancy and contamination in employee commitment research: Current problems and future directions

Abstract

It is generally accepted that employee commitment has a significant impact on organisational performance. The primary goal of this article is to indicate that the ‘commitment/involvement’ concept did not evolve in an evolutionary and progressive fashion. Several problems in the development course of mainly three streams of research literature are indicated. Arguments are presented for indicating causes of concept contamination and even redundancy. In order to bridge these problems, a motivational approach as an integrating mechanism on a metatheoretical level is presented as a solution. The outcomes thereof should lead to better order on a theoretical level and to the parsimonious use of commitment concepts.<p> <strong>Opsomming</strong> <br>Dit word algemeen aanvaar dat werknemertoewyding ’n duidelike impak op organisasieprestasie het. Die primêre doel van hierdie artikel is om aan te dui dat die ontwikkeling van die ‘betrokkenheid/toewydings-’ konsep nie evolusionêr en progressief verloop het nie. Verskeie probleme in die ontwikkelingsgang van hoofsaaklik drie strome navorsingsliteratuur word aangedui. Argumente word aangevoer wat op oorsake van konsepkontaminasie en selfs -oorbodigheid dui. Ten einde hierdie probleme te oorkom, word ’n motiveringsbenadering as integrerende meganisme op ’n meta-teoretiese vlak as oplossing voorgehou. Die uitkoms daarvan behoort tot beter orde op teoretiese vlak en tot die spaarsamige gebruik van toewydingskonsepte te lei

Boundary management of employees’ non-work lives: effects on South African workers’ commitment

“…More recently, much attention has been focused on enrichment as opposed to depletion theories on multiple domains (Greenhaus & Powell, 2006;Rothbard, 2001). Depletion refers to negative theories on resource drain and conflict, and suggests conflict between the use of finite resources and its negative consequences.…”

“…A great deal of research into organisational responses now makes use of boundary theory as an organising framework (Desrochers & Sargent, 2004;Hall & Richter, 1988;Rothbard, Phillips & Dumas, 2005). Boundary flexibility refers to the extent to which the boundary between work and non-work roles can be moved in terms of considerations like time and location.…”

“…Respect entails organisational responses between separation and integration, in which the firm commits where necessary to supporting rather than controlling employees' non-work roles as desired by employees (Kanter, 1977;Kirchmeyer, 1995). Many, if not most employees still prefer to manage their own external lives (Kirchmeyer, 1992;Hall & Richter, 1988;Rothbard et al, 2005). Hall and Richter (1988) argue that employers should respect employees' outside lives, and provide them with the time and resources to allow them to fulfil outside roles themselves rather than trying to take them over.…”

“…However, what makes a response effective is debatable, because employees probably want varying types and levels of intervention, if any (Rothbard, Phillips & Dumas, 2005). There is the further dangerous possibility that a firm could adopt an invasive and controlling role, violating tenets of libertarian ethics that may constitute social norms (e.g.…”

The Character of the Vocational Teachers Work

“…Numerous studies on commitment have been undertaken in the disciplines of behavioural, attitudinal and motivational sciences, within three broad research streams, through sociological, industrial and organisational psychology and health psychology [9]; all emphasise the importance of commitment in the workplace. It has been the subject of excessive research and empirical attention, as a consequence and an antecedent of other workrelated variables [8] and has been linked to workplace outcomes [10].…”