Skip to main content
Search
Search
    Quick Search anywhere
    Quick search in Citations
Advanced Search
Skip main navigationClose Drawer MenuOpen Drawer Menu
Previous article
Next article
Original Article

How Communication in Organizations Is Related to Foci of Commitment and Turnover Intentions

Published Online:November 12, 2020https://doi.org/10.1027/1866-5888/a000261

Abstract

Abstract. The current study analyzes how two components of perceived organizational communication (vertical and horizontal) are related to employee turnover intentions via three types of affective commitment foci (organization, supervisor, and team). Using second-order confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling techniques with a large cross-sectional dataset (n = 3,317), our results show that, in line with social cohesion theory, vertical communication (e.g., supportiveness from the organization) is strongly related to affective organizational commitment, whereas horizontal communication (e.g., supportiveness from colleagues) is primarily related to affective team commitment. Additionally, both communication dimensions are related to affective supervisory commitment. Finally, these three foci of affective commitment incrementally explain and differentially mediate the relationship between perceived organizational communication and turnover intention.

References

  • Allen, N. J., & Meyer, J. P. (1990). The measurement and antecedents of affective, continuance and normative commitment to the organization. Journal of Occupational Psychology, 63(1), 1–18. 10.1111/j.2044-8325.1990.tb00506.x First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Askew, K., Taing, M. U., & Johnson, R. E. (2013). The effects of commitment to multiple foci: An analysis of relative influence and interactions. Human Performance, 26(3), 171–190. 10.1080/08959285.2013.795571 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Bandalos, D. L. (2014). Relative performance of categorical diagonally weighted least squares and robust maximum likelihood estimation. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 21(1), 102–116. 10.1080/10705511.2014.859510 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Bartels, J., Peters, O., de Jong, M, Pruyn, A., & van der Molen, M. (2010). Horizontal and vertical communication as determinants of professional and organisational identification. Personnel Review, 39(2), 210–226. 10.1108/00483481011017426 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Becker, T. E. (1992). Foci and bases of commitment: Are they distinctions worth making? Academy of Management Journal, 35(1), 232–244. 10.2307/256481 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Bliese, P. D. (1998). Group size, ICC values, and group-level correlations: A simulation. Organizational Research Methods, 1(4), 355–373. 10.1177/109442819814001 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Cammann, C., Fichman, M., Jenkins, G. D., & Klesh, J. (1983). Michigan Organizational Assessment Questionnaire. In S. E. SeashoreE. E. LawlerP. H. MirvisC. CammannEds., Assessing organizational change: A guide to methods, measures and practices (pp. 71–138). Wiley. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Chun, J. S., Shin, Y., Choi, J. N., & Kim, M. S. (2013). How does corporate ethics contribute to firm financial performance? The mediating role of collective organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior. Journal of Management, 39(4), 853–877. 10.1177/0149206311419662 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Feinian, C., Curran, P. J., Bollen, K. A., Kirby, J., & Paxton, P. (2008). An empirical evaluation of the use of fixed cutoff points in RMSEA test statistic in structural equation models. Sociological Methods & Research, 36(4), 462–494. 10.1177/0049124108314720 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Felfe, J., & Franke, F. (2012). COMMIT Commitment Skalen – Fragebogen zur Erfassung von Commitment gegenüber Organisation, Beruf/Tätigkeit, Team, Führungskraft und Beschäftigungsform [COMMIT commitment scales – An instrument to assess commitment concerning one’s organization, profession/job, team, leader and employment form]. Huber. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Felfe, J., & Yan, W. H. (2009). The impact of workgroup commitment on organizational citizenship behaviour, absenteeism and turnover intention: The case of Germany and China. Asia Pacific Business Review, 15(4), 433–450. 10.1080/13602380802667411 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Gouldner, A. W. (1960). The norm of reciprocity: A preliminary statement. American Sociological Review, 25(2), 161–178. 10.2307/2092623 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Lavelle, J. J., Rupp, D. E., & Brockner, J. (2007). Taking a multifoci approach to the study of justice, social exchange, and citizenship behavior: The target similarity model. Journal of Management, 33(6), 841–866. 10.1177/0149206307307635 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Lawler, E. J., & Yoon, J. (1996). Commitment in exchange relations: Test of a theory of relational cohesion. American Sociological Review, 61(1), 89–108. 10.2307/2096408 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Levine, J. M., & Moreland, R. L. (2012). A history of small group research. In A. W. KruglanskiW. StroebeA. W. KruglanskiW. StroebeEds., Handbook of the history of social psychology (pp. 383–405). Psychology Press. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Luhmann, N. (1984). Soziale Systeme - Grundriß einer allgemeinen Theorie [Social Systems, Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1995]. Suhrkamp. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Marique, G., & Stinglhamber, F. (2011). Identification to proximal targets and affective organizational commitment: The mediating role of organizational identification. Journal of Personnel Psychology, 10(3), 107–117. 10.1027/1866-5888/a000040 First citation in articleLink, Google Scholar

  • Mathieu, J. E., & Zajac, D. M. (1990). A review and meta-analysis of the antecedents, correlates, and consequences of organizational commitment. Psychological Bulletin, 108(2), 171–194. 10.1037/0033-2909.108.2.171 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Meyer, J. P., Stanley, D. J., Herscovitch, L., & Topolnytsky, L. (2002). Affective, continuance, and normative commitment to the organization: A meta-analysis of antecedents, correlates, and consequences. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 61(1), 20–52. 10.1006/jvbe.2001.1842 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Meyer, J. P., Stanley, D. J., Jackson, T. A., McInnis, K. J., Maltin, E. R., & Sheppard, L. (2012). Affective, normative, and continuance commitment levels across cultures: A meta-analysis. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 80(2), 225–245. 10.1016/j.jvb.2011.09.005 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Paillé, P. (2009). The relationship between support, commitment and intent to leave team: A social exchange perspective. Team Performance Management: An International Journal, 15(1/2), 49–62. 10.1108/13527590910937711 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Rosseel, Y. (2012). lavaan: An R package for structural equation modeling. Journal of Statistical Software, 48(2), 1–36. 10.18637/jss.v048.i02 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Savalei, V. (2018). On the computation of the RMSEA and CFI from the mean-and-variance corrected test statistic with nonnormal data in SEM. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 53(3), 419–429. 10.1080/00273171.2018.1455142 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Smidts, A., Pruyn, A. T. H., & Van Riel, C. B. M. (2001). The impact of employee communication and perceived external prestige on organizational identification. Academy of Management Journal, 44(5), 1051–1062. 10.2307/3069448 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Spector, P. E., & Brannick, M. T. (2009). Common method variance or measurement bias? The problem and possible solutions. In D. A. BuchananA. BrymanEds., The Sage handbook of organizational research methods (pp. 346–362). Sage. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Stinglhamber, F., & Vandenberghe, C. (2003). Organizations and supervisors as sources of support and targets of commitment: A longitudinal study. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 24(3), 251–270. 10.1002/job.192 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Tabibnia, G., & Lieberman, M. D. (2007). Fairness and cooperation are rewarding: Evidence from social cognitive neuroscience. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1118(1), 90–101. 10.1196/annals.1412.001 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Vandenberghe, C., & Bentein, K. (2009). A closer look at the relationship between affective commitment to supervisors and organizations and turnover. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 82(2), 331–348. 10.1348/096317908X312641 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Wasti, S. A., Peterson, M. F., Breitsohl, H., Cohen, A., Jørgensen, F., de Aguiar Rodrigues, A. C., Weng, Q., Xu, X. (2016). Location, location, location: Contextualizing workplace commitment. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 37(4), 613–632. 10.1002/job.2094 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Watanabe, J. M., & Smuts, B. B. (2004). Cooperation, commitment, and communication in the evolution of human sociality. In R. W. SussmanEd., The evolution and nature of sociality among human and nonhuman primates (pp. 288–309). de Grutyer. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Wombacher, J. C., & Felfe, J. (2017). Dual commitment in the organization: Effects of the interplay of team and organizational commitment on employee citizenship behavior, efficacy beliefs, and turnover intentions. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 102, 1–14. 10.1016/j.jvb.2017.05.004 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Wright, P. M., & Kehoe, R. R. (2009). Organizational-level antecedents and consequences of commitment. In H. J. KleinT. E. BeckerJ. P. MeyerEds., Commitment in organizations: Accumulated wisdom and new directions (pp. 285–307). Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar