Explaining the Relation between Organizational Commitment ... · The present study was performed to explain the relation between organizational commitment and dimensions of organizational

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INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH IN BUSINESS

COPY RIGHT © 2013 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 121

DECEMBER 2013

VOL 5, NO 8

Explaining the Relation between Organizational Commitment and

Dimensions of Organizational Citizenship Behavior

Case study: Textile Factories in Borujerd County

DR. JAVAD MEHRABI *

MEHRDAD ALEMZADEH**

MEHRDAD JADIDI***

NEMATOLLAH MAHDEVAR****

*Dept. of Management, Qazvin Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran **

Master of public management, Islamic Azad University, Borujerd branch, Borujerd,Iran

***Master of public management, Islamic Azad University, Borujerd branch, Borujerd,Iran

***Master of Business management, Payam Noor University of Tehran,Tehran,Iran

Abstract

The present study was performed to explain the relation between organizational commitment

and dimensions of organizational citizenship behavior that was conducted using descriptive-

field method. The statistical population consisted of employees with education level of

diploma and higher who were two-hundred seventy persons. The sample size was determined

equal to one-hundred fifty nine according to Morgan Table. Simple random sampling method

was used to determine sample members. Standard organizational commitment questionnaire

with eighteen questions (Allen & Meyer) and standard organizational citizenship behavior

questionnaire with twelve questions (Netemeyer) were tools of data collection. Validity of the

questionnaires was confirmed through content validity by the experts and professors and the

reliability was measured through pre-test and calculation of Cronbach's alpha. Data analysis

was performed using Pierson correlation coefficient and SPSS software. The findings revealed

that there is no relation between organizational commitment and organizational citizenship

behavior in the Textile Factories but organizational commitment has a positive (direct)

relation with dimensions of altruism and conscientiousness.

Key words: organizational commitment, organizational citizenship behavior, altruism,

conscientiousness

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Introduction and statement of the problem

The current environment is complex and unpredictable (Frankema et al., 2006, p.291) and

organizations are permanently faced with social developments such as globalization,

technology advancements and increasing of the global competition (Govaerts et al., 2011, p.

35). Under such conditions the organization needs a high level of employees' commitment in

order to be able to maintain its competitive advantage in the product and the labor market (Joo

& Park, 2010, p 483). Organizational commitment refers to individual feelings of employees

with regard to the organization (Joo & Park, 2010, p 485). It is a perceived psychological state

that binds people towards an activity related to the purposes and propensity for using only one

method (Lee et al., 2010, p 131). Indeed organizational commitment focuses on satisfaction of

employees' needs through mutual action with the organization (Fisser & Browaeys, 2010, p.

282). For instance, when an employee finds that the manager or the organization have not

satisfied his/her expectations about the work and job opportunities, his/her commitment and

job satisfaction are fallen severely and thus organizational performance will be decreased

(Kagaari & Munene, 2007, p.707).

On the other hand, individual behavior at the workplace has attracted the attention of many

researchers during the past decade. Various kinds of behavior have been identified while

analyzing this term that include professional social behavior, extra-role behavior and

organizational citizenship behavior. The common purpose of these studies is to explain the

type of individual behavior that is supposed it is effective on long-term success of the

organization and had been ignored in the past when the employee's performance was

evaluated (Barroso Castro et al., 2004, p. 28).

Given to the above-mentioned issues, the relation between organizational commitment and

dimensions of organizational citizenship behavior in the Textile factories in Borujerd County

has been explained in the present study.

Theoretical principles

A) Organizational commitment

Organizational commitment has been the topic of organizational studies for more than thirty

years (Fisher et al., 2010, p. 282) that tests the relations, behaviors and performance of

employees at the workplace (Sezgin, 2009, p. 635). According to Allen and Meyer (2000)

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DECEMBER 2013

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organizational commitment can be defined as a psychological status which defines the

relationship between an employee and the organization and decreases the probability of

leaving the organization by him/her (Rego et al., 2008, p. 59).

Success of organizations depends increasingly on driving two terms of organizational

commitment and job satisfaction (Westover & et al., 2010, p. 375). From one view, rewards

are the determinant of organizational commitment at the workplace (Ashman, 2007, p. 7).

Organizational commitment has been widely studied in terms of the elements, antecedents,

correlations and consequences (Elele & Fields, 2010, p. 372). Allen and Meyer (1991) found

that organizational commitment includes affective commitment, continuous commitment and

normative commitment (Falkenburg & Schyns, 2010, p. 709).

Affective commitment shows the degree a person is united with the organization. Continuous

commitment describes needs of the individual to continue working for the organization based

on perceived expenses related to turnover. Normative commitment describes the degree that

an employee believes he/she must be committed to the organization and might be affected by

social norms. These three dimensions suggest that the individuals remain in their organization,

because they need affective commitment. Allen and Meyer (1991) perceived that elements of

commitment can be analyzed simultaneously and with various degrees (Elele & Fields, 2010,

p. 372).

Elements of organizational commitment are determined with different methods and probably

have different requirements for job behaviors. Affective commitment might first be affected

by positive work experiences and the received organizational support. This may be the

relative strength standard of the individual's participation in the organization. It is determined

through firm belief and accepting the purposes and values of the organization, tendency to

struggle on behalf of the organization and strong intention for maintaining the membership in

the organization. Normative commitment might be based on social commitment and pressure

against the organization. Sense of being committed towards the organization might be affected

by cultural and family sociability of the person that is occurred prior to entering into the

organization. Continuous commitment might be influenced mainly by external considerations

and perceptions such as benefits of retirement and pension plans (Mehrabi et al., A 2013, p.

132).

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B) Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB)

Organizational citizenship behavior has become an important subject in psychology and

management in recent decades and has attracted much attention to itself (Foote & Tang, 2008,

p.934). Organ (1998) expounded organizational citizenship behavior as a kind of employees'

behavior that is not recognized directly through the formal reward system of the organization

and its purpose is to enhance performance of the organization effectively regardless of

individual productivity purposes of any employee (Kagaari & Munene, 2007, p.708).

Netmeyer et al. (1997) divided organizational citizenship behavior into four classes:

- Sportsmanship: This can be defined as employees' goodwill at the workplace

whenever the conditions are not highly desirable, not complaining to the manager

about the work status and observing positive aspects of work among the problems

(Barroso Castro et al., 2004, p. 30).

- Civil virtue: It can be explained as a behavior that shows attention to participation in

collective life. For example, performing the tasks that the employee does not obliged

to perform but it is in the interests of the organization (Barroso Castro et al., 2004, p.

30).

- Conscientiousness: It is a behavior that is beyond the determined exigencies at the

workplace by the organization, for instance, overtime work in the interests of the

organization (Barroso Castro et al., 2004, p. 30).

- Altruism: It is helping the colleagues to perform their tasks. Altruism and

conscientiousness have been considered in one group entitled helping behaviors by

some researchers (Barroso Castro et al., 2004, p. 30).

These behaviors have been classified based on Organ's definition (1988) from OCB.

According to this definition, employees who show such behaviors are regarded as good

soldiers for the organization (Barroso Castro et al., 2004, p. 30).

C) The relation between organizational commitment and organizational citizenship

behavior

The relation between organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior is

largely depends on the fact that whether commitment must be regarded as a class of

behavioral intentions, motivation or motive power or not. Unfortunately, as Schul (1981) has

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suggested organizational commitment has been treated differently as four types of variables.

In the work by Steers, Moudi and Porter (1982) whose organizational commitment standard

has been widely used seems that organizational commitment offers both the attitude and a

class of intentions, since they explain organizational commitment in the way that it means

accepting the organizational purposes and values in order to remain in the organization and

trying considerably in the interests of the organization. Both Schul (1981) and O'Reilly and

Chatman (1986) have presented persuasive discussions to consider organizational

commitment as a mental status instead of an explicit behavior; although how they determine

this status is different to some extent. Organizational commitment for Schul is a moral task

that maintains the direction and intensity of the organizational member's behavior when the

measured incentives are not sufficient to perform it. O'Reilly and Chatman prefer to consider

organizational commitment just as the power of accession to the organization; however the

basis of such accession can have different shapes quantitatively. Their information suggests

that only accession based on identification with the organization or internalization of its

values will maintain all kinds of determined participations in the form of organizational

citizenship behavior (Organ, 1990, p. 49-50).

Organ (1990) states that affective commitment that is perceived as a sense of mental social

accession paves the way for organizational citizenship behavior. Organ and Riyan (1995)

performed a meta-analysis research and perceived that affective commitment is related both to

altruism and dimensions of OCB considerably. Other literature provides theoretical and

experimental justification for the expectation that commitment is related to organizational

citizenship behavior (Liu, 2009, p 311).

Conceptual framework

Conceptual framework is a model based on theoretical relations among several factors about

the issues under study that are considered important (Mehrabi et al., B 2013, p. 120). The

following conceptual framework is proposed to explain the relation between organizational

commitment and dimensions of organizational citizenship behavior. It contains Affective

commitment (AC), normative commitment (NC), continuous commitment (CC),

organizational commitment (OC), sportsmanship (SP), civil virtue (CV), conscientiousness

(CO) and altruism (AL).

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Diagram 1- Conceptual framework

Hypotheses

- There is a significant relation between organizational commitment and organizational

citizenship behavior.

- There is a significant relation between organizational commitment and each dimension

of organizational citizenship behavior.

Statistical population, sample and sampling method

The statistical population consisted of male and female employees with education level of

diploma and higher from any age group who were two-hundred seventy persons. The sample

size was determined equal to one-hundred fifty nine according to Morgan Table. Simple

random sampling was used in the study.

Methodology and methods of data collection

The study was conducted using descriptive-field method. Historical study was used to

complete research literature and theoretical principles and field study was used to collect other

required information. The field data were collected using closed questionnaire. The applied

OCB dimension

OC dimension

SP

CV

CO

AL

OC

AC

NC

CC

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questionnaires were in the form of attitude survey and based on Likert scale (six-option). To

this end, the standard organizational commitment questionnaire with 18 questions (Allen &

Meyer) and the standard organizational citizenship behavior questionnaire with 12 questions

(Netemeyer) were utilized.

Validity and reliability of the questionnaires

Content validity of the questionnaires was based on theoretical principles and was confirmed

by the experts too. The reliability was measured through Cronbach's alpha coefficient.

Cronbach's alpha coefficients for organizational commitment questionnaire and organizational

citizenship behavior questionnaire were obtained equal to 0.77 and 0.80 respectively.

Methods of data analysis

Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics methods were used for data analysis.

Descriptive statistics were used to estimate frequency distribution, percentage, mean, tables,

etc and Pierson correlation coefficient was used to test the hypotheses.

Mean and standard deviation of variables

The Likert scale (six-option) was used in this study to give scores to the alternatives

(extremely high (6), high (5), relatively high (4), relatively low (3), low (2) and extremely low

(1)). Mean of the spectrum was equal to 3.5. Thus, mean and standard deviation of variables

are as Table 1.

Table 1- Mean and standard deviation of variables

Variable Mean Standard

deviation

Variable Mean Standard

deviation

SP 3.77 1.29 AC 3.51 1.11

CV 3.67 1.57 NC 2.62 0.97

CO 3.55 1.32 CC 2.80 0.84

AL 3.65 1.54

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Data analysis

A) Studying the results obtained through Pierson correlation coefficient

Wherever the significance level is less than 0.05, the null hypothesis (H0: p=0) is rejected at

confidence level 0.95. Rejecting the null hypothesis means that there is a significant relation

between organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior. If there are no

sufficient evidences to reject this hypothesis, it means there is no significant relation.

Primary hypothesis: There is a significant relation between organizational commitment and

organizational citizenship behavior.

Table 2- Correlation between organizational commitment and organizational citizenship

behavior

OCB

Pierson correlation -0.92 OC

Significance level 0.279

As results of Table 2 show, the correlation coefficient between two variables of organizational

commitment and organizational citizenship behavior is equal to -0.592 and given to the

numerical value, the significance level is equal to sig=0.279 in this test. Because α< sig there

is no relation between the two variables, thus H0 is accepted. Therefore, there is no relation

between organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior in the Textile

factories in Borujerd County.

The secondary hypothesis: There is a significant relation between organizational commitment

and each dimension of organizational citizenship behavior.

Table 3- Correlation between organizational commitment and each dimension of

organizational citizenship behavior

AL CO CV SP

Pierson

correlation

0.244 0.074 -0.254 -0.90

Significance level 0.37 0.49 0.194 0.350

H0 It is rejected It is not rejected It is not rejected It is not rejected

Significant

relation

There is not a

significant

relation

There is not a

significant

relation

There is not a

significant

relation

There is not a

significant

relation

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As results of Table 3 show, the correlation coefficient between organizational commitment

and dimensions of altruism and conscientiousness has become significant. Since the

correlation coefficient between the variables in this hypothesis is positive this relation is

positive (direct).

Table 4- Matrix of Pierson correlation coefficient related to research variables

1 AC

sig

1 191/0 NC

024/0 sig

1 223/0- 92/0- CC

008/0 282/0 sig

1 024/0 310/0 92/0- SP 780/0 000/0 279/0 sig

1 367/0 268/0 118/0 115/0- CV

000/0 001/0 163/0 174/0 sig

1 142/0 477/0 209/0 065/0 041/0 CO

093/0 000/0 013/0 447/0 629/0 sig

1 359 149/0 167/0 076/0 20/0- 160/0 AL

000/0 078/0 048/0 374/0 812/0 059/0 sig

AL CO CV SP CC NC EC

Conclusion and recommendations

The purpose of this study was to explain the relation between organizational commitment and

dimensions of organizational citizenship behavior in the Textile Factories in Borujerd County.

As it is clear from the results of variables' mean, organizational commitment is at a desirable

status in all three components (affective continuous and normative commitment). Indeed,

employees of textile factories have a high dependency or attachment to the organization due to

their high affective commitment. Moreover, because affective commitment is related

positively to organizational justice, job performance and job satisfaction and also it has a

strong positive relation with professional commitment and perceived organizational support it

increases trust and decreases employees' turnover in Borujerd County.

Normative commitment is the second element that creates organizational commitment. It has

been defined as a kind of commitment and obligation that directs employees to remain in the

organization. Researchers have found out that normative commitment is not directed by

payment level, education level or age; rather it is a mutual trust that creates commitment and

obligation for remaining in the organization. Allen and Meyer referred that organizations

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which embark upon creating a culture that is expected from employees to be loyal to the

organization will have employees with high normative commitment more probably. Hence,

employees of the textile factories in Borujerd County do not have a high trust in the

organization and high participation because they do not have a high normative commitment.

Continuous commitment includes a commitment that is based on valuing the organization and

employees are being participated in the life of the organization. In this aspect of commitment

employees remain in the organization, because they need to remain and have a high loyalty to

the organization. Therefore, employees of the textile factories in Borujerd County do not have

high loyalty because they do not have a high level of continuous commitment.

Organizational citizenship behavior is at a desirable status in all its four components

(sportsmanship, civil virtue, altruism and conscientiousness) in the textile factories in

Borujerd County. In other words, employees work with goodwill at the workplace whenever

the conditions are lower than the desirable limit and without any complaint. Employees also

perform the tasks that are not bound to do but performing them is in the interests of the

organization. Conscientiousness is a behavior that is beyond the determined exigencies at the

workplace by the organization for instance overtime work in the interests of the organization.

Also employees help their colleagues do their tasks.

Given to the results of Pierson correlation coefficient that showed organizational commitment

has a positive (direct) relation with altruism and conscientiousness the following are

recommended to enhance these two components through organizational commitment:

- Authorities of the textile factories in Borujerd County should inspire the belief to their

employees that problems of the organization are their problems.

- Authorities of the textile factories in Borujerd County should inspire the belief to their

employees that the organization is one part of their family.

- Authorities of the textile factories in Borujerd County should make employees

dependent on the organization emotionally.

- Authorities of the textile factories in Borujerd County should try more to create

intimate relations among the supervisors and employees.

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Explaining the Relation between Organizational Commitment ... · The present study was performed to explain the relation between organizational commitment and dimensions of organizational